Even after accounting for belly fat loss, tesamorelin still increased lean muscle in people with HIV and belly fat, suggesting other factors are involved.

Scientific Claim

In tesamorelin responders with HIV and abdominal obesity, lean muscle area increases across all four trunk muscle groups remained significant after adjusting for visceral adipose tissue changes, indicating VAT reduction may not be the sole mechanism.

Original Statement

“Lean muscle area changes remained significant after adjusting for VAT; only changes in the rectus and paraspinal lean muscles remained highly significant (p<0.005) after adjusting for changes in IGF-1.”

From study:The Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Analogue, Tesamorelin, Decreases Muscle Fat and Increases Muscle Area in Adults with HIV

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

The claim correctly describes the statistical adjustment results without implying causation beyond the study's scope.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

The Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Analogue, Tesamorelin, Decreases Muscle Fat and Increases Muscle Area in Adults with HIV

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2019

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

The Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Analogue, Tesamorelin, Decreases Muscle Fat and Increases Muscle Area in Adults with HIV

Score: 60

DOI: 10.14283/jfa.2018.45

Similar Assertions

This drug didn’t just make muscles less fatty—it also made them bigger in size, adding about half a square inch of lean muscle in the core area after six months.

93%

People with HIV and belly fat who responded to tesamorelin had 0.64 to 1.08 square centimeters more lean muscle in their trunk muscles compared to those who didn't take the drug.

92%

HIV patients with belly fat who responded to tesamorelin had more lean muscle mass in all four trunk muscles, with increases between 0.64 and 1.08 cm² compared to placebo after 26 weeks.

91%

When belly fat went down in these patients, their trunk muscles also got less fatty—suggesting the same process might be cleaning up both types of fat.

90%

For HIV patients with belly fat who responded to this drug, taking tesamorelin for 6 months made their trunk muscles less fatty and more dense, like turning soft muscle into firmer muscle.

90%