The drug made the lean parts of the abdominal and rectus muscles denser—meaning they had less fat inside them—more than other muscles, showing it targeted key core muscles.
Scientific Claim
In HIV-positive adults with abdominal obesity who responded to tesamorelin with ≥8% VAT reduction, 26 weeks of treatment increased lean muscle density in the anterolateral abdominal and rectus muscles by 1.39 and 1.78 Hounsfield units, respectively, compared to placebo, indicating selective improvement in lean muscle quality.
Original Statement
“and the lean anterolateral/abdominal and rectus muscles (1.39 and 1.78 Hounsfield units; both p<0.005) compared to placebo.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
definitive
Can make definitive causal claims
Assessment Explanation
RCT design with precise CT-based lean muscle segmentation and statistical adjustment supports causal claims. The effect sizes are significant and specific to lean tissue.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
The Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Analogue, Tesamorelin, Decreases Muscle Fat and Increases Muscle Area in Adults with HIV
The study found that a drug called tesamorelin helped HIV-positive people with belly fat lose that fat and also made their abdominal muscles denser and stronger, exactly as the claim says.