Samsung has teamed up with the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Diabetes Research Center to investigate how wearable devices can help people on GLP-1 manage muscle loss. They are exclusively using the Galaxy Watch 8 for their study, which the company released last year. Samsung says the study will focus on investigating “the feasibility of managing muscle loss for GLP-1 patients using biometric data including body composition, activity level and heart rate provided by the Galaxy Watch and Samsung Health.”
In its announcement, the company cited a KFF survey that found nearly one in five adults in the US has taken a GLP-1 drug at some point to manage type 2 diabetes and lose weight. Since so many people are using the drug, it’s no surprise that companies like Samsung would want to include features in their products that are useful to them.
At this point, scientists are still exploring the long-term effects of GLP-1 use. Mayo Clinic’s MD David N. Brennan said one of the emerging concerns from doctors is muscle loss. More than 30 percent of the weight loss on the drug may be due to muscle, he wrote. And while this isn’t much different from the muscle loss caused by other weight loss methods, scientists are concerned that patients may not always regain that muscle mass if they regain weight after stopping treatment.
Researchers at the University of Virginia conducted a study on muscle loss from GLP-1 drugs and determined that it could undermine long-term health. He wrote, “This is a serious concern. Muscles, especially axial muscles, are essential for posture, physical function, and overall well-being.” He explained that losing lean body mass increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, which can reduce quality of life.
Samsung’s study, which will be led by Dr. Melissa Putman of the MGH Diabetes Research Center, will divide 100 adults starting GLP-1 treatment into two groups. One group will use the Galaxy Watch 8 to monitor their body composition with Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), as well as track their physical activity and receive personalized exercise guides to prevent muscle loss. The second group will be given the standard guidance that most people taking GLP-1 receive. The researchers will then use clinical-grade DXA scans to track changes in the participants’ body composition. By comparing the results between the two groups, they can find out whether wearable devices like the Galaxy Watch 8 can effectively support people on medication.
“Many GLP-1 patients struggle with muscle loss, a common side effect that can lead to increased heart disease risk and a decline in basal metabolic rate, which may lead to future weight gain,” said Dr. Putman. “We are interested in learning how continuous data from a wearable device can provide invaluable insight into a patient’s activity levels, heart rate and body composition, giving physicians a more holistic view of treatment effect and allowing more timely, data-driven adjustments to their care planning.”
Samsung regularly collaborates with academic institutions to determine how its wearable devices can be used to monitor and predict health problems. It teamed up with Stanford University last year to improve its sleep apnea feature. Recently, it said it discovered how to predict fainting with “high accuracy” after working with Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital in Korea.
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