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ForumsPublic SquareMuscle protein synthesis rates on GLP-1 — leucine threshold discussion

Muscle protein synthesis rates on GLP-1 — leucine threshold discussion

ChrisMacros Mon, May 25, 2026 at 8:37 AM 21 replies 460 viewsPage 1 of 5
ChrisMacros
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May 25, 2026 at 8:37 AM#1

My appetite is suppressed enough that hitting a protein target is now the hardest part of the day, and everything I read assumes I can simply eat more.

The arithmetic that makes it tractable: reference weight in kg times 1.6 gives the target; divide by four for a per-sitting figure; then find four foods that hit that figure in a volume you can actually finish. Most people need two of the four to be liquid or semi-liquid early on.

What I am trying to establish is whether the RDA is the wrong reference entirely during rapid weight loss, and what the actual target should be.

I would rather have one careful answer than five confident ones.

35 5RunnerRach, TrialNerd_Beth, HPLC_Greg and 32 others
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TrialTracker_MD
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May 25, 2026 at 8:43 AM#2

Answering the narrow version, because the broad one does not have a single answer. Distribution matters less than total but it is not nothing. Roughly 25 to 40g per sitting with enough leucine to trigger synthesis, three or four times a day, is more effective than the same total in one enormous evening meal — and on a suppressed appetite the enormous evening meal is the one you will not finish anyway.

34 4stefan_berlin, Dr.EM_Chicago, pete_RVA and 31 others
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robert_kc
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May 25, 2026 at 8:48 AM#3
TrialTracker_MD said:
Distribution matters less than total but it is not nothing.

True, and anyone with reduced kidney function needs that target set by a clinician rather than a forum. High protein is safe in normal kidneys and is not automatically safe in impaired ones.

Last edited: May 25, 2026 at 10:48 AM
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sarah_TO
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Toronto, CA
May 25, 2026 at 8:54 AM#4
ChrisMacros said:
My appetite is suppressed enough that hitting a protein target is now the hardest part of the day, and everything I read assumes I can simply eat…

Same position here, arrived at the long way round. On a suppressed appetite the winning strategy is protein density per unit of volume, not per calorie. Isolate powders, Greek yoghurt and cottage cheese, egg whites, lean fish, and tinned tuna all deliver a lot of protein in a small physical volume. Front-load it: appetite is usually least suppressed in the first hours after waking and worst on the day or two after dosing, so get the majority in early in the day and early in the week.

Last edited: May 25, 2026 at 12:54 PM
32 2carl_compliance, DanielChem_CHI, marco_milano and 29 others
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CarlaRPh_TPA
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May 25, 2026 at 9:24 AM#5

From the other side of the consultation, briefly.

DEXA scan update relevant to protein intake:

Scanned at months 0, 6, and 12. Here are the body comp numbers:

BaselineMonth 6Month 12
Total mass272 lbs237 lbs209 lbs
Fat mass112 lbs72 lbs44 lbs
Lean mass150 lbs155 lbs156 lbs
Body fat %41%35%23%

Lean mass preserved — actually GAINED 1-2 lbs thanks to progressive overload + 1.6g/kg protein. The protein intake discussion needs to include body comp data, not just scale weight.

Last edited: May 25, 2026 at 1:24 PM
31 1emily_PDX, Dr.SleepRoch, laura_annarbor and 28 others
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