Protein is hot. And the GLP-1 trend is only accelerating it, with firms competing to come up with ever more soluble and better absorbed options enabling brands to pack ever greater amounts into everything from protein water to drinkable yogurt.
Loss of lean muscle mass is a well-publicized issue for people that rapidly lose weight on these drugs, and adequate protein intake is important. However, our current obsession with this particular macronutrient “might be missing the mark,” says one expert.
Consuming large amounts of protein without stepping up resistance exercise, for example, may not deliver the desired results, says Dr. Ryan Kane, assistant professor at the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University.
“We’ve gotten very excited about the potential adverse outcomes [from GLP-1 drugs] of reduced muscle mass and bone loss,” observed Dr. Kane in a recent panel debate hosted by AgFunderNews on GLP-1 and the food industry.
“When we’re thinking about wanting to address those things, our mind goes to protein. And yes, it’s important to make sure you’re getting adequate protein. But if we’re not doing the resistance activity to support muscle and bone health, what that protein is actually going to do is just potentially turn into fat because it’s extra calories [the body can’t store protein].
“Now having a calorie-reduced diet when we’re on GLP-1, there’s a little bit of a give and take, but I worry that we might be missing the mark when we’re just talking about increasing protein period in our dietary patterns.
“And I think that the food industry in particular is capitalizing on this trend as protein being this kind of hot nutrient, that if you have enough protein, all of your woes [are resolved]. But resistance exercise is really the key,” said Dr. Kane, who is researching how to incorporate food is medicine therapies into standard clinical practice for diet-related diseases, with a focus on obesity.
As for nutritional gaps, he said, “If you look back to the most recent dietary guidelines for Americans, we actually get enough protein. The things we don’t get enough of are fiber and minimally processed foods, fruits and vegetables, and healthy sources of fats like fish and seafood.”
AgFunderNews round table: GLP-1s and the food industry
A Kaiser Family Foundation survey in 2024 said 6% of US adults are taking GLP-1 drugs with 12% having tried them at some point.
But what might it mean for the food industry if 10% or even 20% of the population is on these drugs at any one time should they become more accessible, more affordable, and better tolerated?
Would this represent an existential threat to certain parts of the food industry? Could it positively reshape it, reducing demand for junk food and fast food and finally getting us to eat more fresh produce? Or is it just an opportunity for “Big Food” to design ever-more processed solutions to solve the problems it arguably helped to create?
We [AGFUNDER RECENTLY] assembled an expert panel to probe these issues further.
- Ryan Kane, assistant professor at the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University
- Nick Fereday, independent advisor, speaker, and writer with 30+ years’ experience in the food industry
- Steven Finn, managing partner, Siddhi Capital
- Zohar Barbash, cofounder at Lembas, a startup making a peptide for appetite regulation.
- Devon Gholam, VP science and innovation, Step Change Innovations
In our 60-minute discussion, we explored:
- What new versions/delivery formats are coming? Are new multi agonist products that hit several receptors (GIP, GLP-1, glucagon) better tolerated?
- What are we learning about usage and effectiveness over the longer term? Will these drugs become like statins that people take forever… and is that a good thing?
- Should we worry about the metabolic effects of people cycling on and off these drugs?
- What wrap-around support should people on them get?
- Will the food and supplements aisles and restaurant menus look radically different if penetration rates increase or is this just accelerating existing trends like protein, fiber and portion control?
- How have GLP-1s changed eating and shopping habits?
- What is the mechanism of action of these drugs and to what extent is it possible to use our understanding of that to design new supplements or foods?
- Is there an investor angle here? Will we have a new wave of foodtech startups making supplements or companion products? Is it a space where protein design or discovery is coming into its own? Companies offering wrap-around support via apps, helping users pick suitable products?
- How is the food industry looking at this? With panic? Excitement?
Further reading on GLP-1 and the food industry:
Evolv launches peptide that engages GLP-1 receptors as new ‘biomimetics’ category emerges
‘Pharma is eating Big Food’s lunch…’ Lembas fights back with GLP-1 boosting peptide
GLP-1 drugs are rewriting America’s food preferences, says IFF: ‘GLP-1s alter taste perception’
NotCo CEO on the road to profitability, the evolving business model, and its new GLP-1 booster
How are GLP-1 drugs impacting spending on food and dietary supplements?
The post 🎥 Tufts MD on GLP-1 and the protein obsession: ‘I worry we might be missing the mark’ appeared first on AgFunderNews.
