Emerging Role of Myostatin Inhibitors in the Management of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1-Associated Sarcopenia and Metabolic Disorders.

Abstract

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogs, originally developed as antidiabetic agents, have emerged as groundbreaking drugs for treating obesity, following reports of their remarkable weight-reducing effects. With growing recognition of obesity as a disease in modern society and a sharp rise in its prevalence, pharmacological interventions are now being actively pursued. However, due to their mechanism of action, primarily appetite suppression, GLP-1 analogs have been associated with various adverse effects. Most notably, muscle loss - which may be related to reduced nutritional intake - has become an important issue in the long-term management of patients undergoing GLP-1 therapy. This has drawn attention to myostatin (MSTN) inhibitors for their ability to significantly increase muscle mass. These agents are now being explored not only as a strategy to offset the side effects of GLP-1 analogs, but also as direct therapeutics for a range of metabolic disorders, including obesity and diabetes. In this review, we discuss the emerging therapeutic potential of MSTN inhibitors and examine current clinical trials investigating their use alone or in combination with GLP-1 analogs in metabolic disorders.