Orlando doctor discusses how rapid weight loss can negatively impact bone density
Dr. Christine Jablonski, leader of the Orlando Health Bone Health and Osteoporosis Care Program, explains how GLP-1 usage may have unintended consequences on your bones if not properly managed.
SHINING A LIGHT ON THE DISEASE THAT WEAKENS BONES AND OFTEN GOES UNDETECTED UNTIL A FRACTURE HAPPENS, THAT’S THE MISSION FOR OSTEOPOROSIS AWARENESS MONTH. DOCTORS ARE WARNING THAT MILLIONS OF AMERICANS USING GLP ONE WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATIONS MAY BE OVERLOOKING AN IMPORTANT HEALTH CONCERN BONE DENSITY. SO JOINING ME NOW TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW THE TWO ARE CONNECTED AND HOW TO STAY SAFE IS DOCTOR CHRISTINE JABLONSKI WITH ORLANDO HEALTH. DOC, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. OKAY, SO THIS OBVIOUSLY TWO VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC TOPICS. OSTEOPOROSIS AWARENESS MONTH AND THE USE OF GLP ONE WITH RAPID WEIGHT LOSS. SO WHY ARE EXPERTS, WHY ARE YOU SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE TWO RIGHT NOW? WELL, YOU KNOW, WE’RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN USE OF GLP ONE AND GIP COMBINATION MEDICATIONS FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND FOR OTHER INDICATIONS. AND WE KNOW THAT RAPID WEIGHT LOSS CAN AFFECT BONE HEALTH. AND ALREADY OSTEOPOROSIS IS UNDERDIAGNOSED AND UNDERTREATED. AND SO IF WE HAVE ANOTHER RISK FACTOR, THERE’S CONCERN THAT MAYBE WE’RE OVERLOOKING, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER RISK THAT COULD INCREASE BONE LOSS AND CAUSE INCREASED NUMBERS OF OSTEOPOROTIC PATIENTS. OKAY. SO TAKE US THROUGH SOME OF THOSE RISK FACTORS THAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT AND PAY ATTENTION TO. RIGHT. SO, YOU KNOW, NUTRITION IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR OSTEOPOROSIS PREVENTION. GETTING ENOUGH CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D, MAKING SURE THAT WE’RE EXERCISING, YOU KNOW, PROTEIN WEIGHTLIFTING, RESISTANCE TRAINING, STAYING STRONG. BECAUSE AS WE PULL ON OUR BONES, THEN THAT THE RESISTANCE TRAINING CAUSES OUR BONES TO GET STRONGER. AND THEN ALSO IT DECREASES THE CHANCE OF US FALLING AS WE GET OLDER. OKAY. AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH OSTEOPOROSIS, BUT WITH THE GLP ONE MEDICATIONS, IT’S UNCLEAR WHETHER THE MEDICATIONS ITSELF. PROBABLY NOT. BUT WE’RE NOT SURE WHETHER THE MEDICATION ITSELF LEADS TO AN INCREASE IN BONE LOSS. BUT WE KNOW HISTORICALLY FROM OTHER THINGS LIKE BARIATRIC SURGERY, LOW CALORIE DIETS, THAT RAPID WEIGHT LOSS LEADS TO A DECREASE IN BONE DENSITY. OKAY. SO DOC, FOR SO MANY, THEN THEY’RE GOING THROUGH THIS, MAYBE LOSING THIS WEIGHT AND IT’S HAPPENING QUICKLY, MAYBE A LITTLE TOO FAST THAT, YOU KNOW, MANY PHYSICIANS WOULD LIKE TO SEE. SO WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO THE BONE DENSITY? WHAT SHOULD THEY BE DOING, YOU KNOW, TO HELP THE BONE DENSITY? IF THEY ARE LOSING WEIGHT QUICKLY? RIGHT. BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOSE WEIGHT QUICKLY, YOU KNOW, WE HOPE TO LOSE FAT, RIGHT? AND THAT’S GREAT. THAT’S METABOLICALLY GOOD FOR US. PEOPLE AT RISK FOR CARDIOMETABOLIC DISEASES, DIABETES, HEART DISEASE, FOR EXAMPLE. BUT WE’RE ALSO LOSING LEAN MASS. AND THAT’S THE PROBLEM. AND SO WE JUST REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DON’T LOSE WEIGHT TOO FAST AND THAT THINGS ARE DONE WELL IN TERMS OF EXERCISE RESISTANCE TRAINING AND NUTRITION. AND SO IT SHOULD BE DONE UNDER THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO SCREEN. SO SCREENING PEOPLE EARLY WHEN WE’RE ON THESE MEDICATIONS, KNOWING THAT IT MIGHT BE A RISK, YOU KNOW, GET THE BONE DENSITY SCAN TO LOOK FOR OSTEOPENIA OR OSTEOPOROSIS BECAUSE IT IS A SILENT DISEASE. IT’S A SILENT DISEASE THAT CAUSES YOU TO BREAK BONES MORE READILY WITHOUT MUCH TRAUMA. AND BREAKING BONES CAN HAVE DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES. DOC, WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT YOU SHOULD GET THAT TEST AT A CERTAIN AGE? AND IF YOU ARE TAKING A GLP ONE, LIKE WHAT ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU WOULD SUGGEST? SO RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, STANDARD RECOMMENDATIONS, SAY AT AGE 65 THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE SCREENED AND OLDER, YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT IT FOR MEN AT RISK. SO WOMEN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, PERIMENOPAUSAL, MENOPAUSAL, WHEN WE’RE LOSING BONE FAST, IF WE’RE GOING TO ADD SOMETHING LIKE A GLP ONE, OR IF YOU HAVE OTHER RISK FACTORS AND THERE’S A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER RISK FACTORS, WE SHOULD BE SCREENING EARLIER SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHO IS AT RISK SO WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. BE PROACTIVE BECAUSE THE POINT IS NOT TO NOT USE THESE MEDICATIONS WHEN APPROPRIATE. IT’S TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE ALSO PAYING ATTENTION TO THE BONES, REALLY MONITORING. YES. OKAY. YOU MENTIONED PERIMENOPAUSE AND MENOPAUSE. THAT’S SOMETHING FOR WOMEN AS THEY APPROACH THAT STAGE, YOU’RE GOING TO LOSE BONE DENSITY, CORRECT? YES. SO ALREADY WE HAVE RAPID BONE TURNOVER AS ESTROGEN IS IS, YOU KNOW, DECREASING IN OUR SYSTEM. AND THAT’S A VERY CONCERNING PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO BONES. ABSOLUTELY. DOC, I APPRECIATE THIS SO MUCH. I WANT TO ASK YOU ONE OTHER QUESTION. JUST ABOUT THE WEIGHTLIFTING NUTRITION. HOW OFTEN DO YOU RECOMMEND THAT THEN FOR ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN THAT IF YOU’RE ON A GLP, IF YOU’RE APPROACHING THAT STAGE OF THE HORMONES AND EVERYTHING. SO WHAT ARE YOU SAYING TO HELP WITH THE OSTEOPOROSIS? HOW MUCH SHOULD THEY REALLY BE LIFTING A WEEK? YES. SO THREE TIMES A WEEK OF RESISTANCE TRAINING AND, YOU KNOW, WEIGHT BEARING EXERCISE LOAD. YOU KNOW, THAT’S WHAT STIMULATES OUR BONE. SO THREE TIMES A WEEK AND IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE HEAVY TO START WITH. PEOPLE ARE KIND OF GOING OUT THERE AND STARTING TO HEAVY SOMETIMES JUST CHALLENGING YOURSELF, WORKING YOUR WAY UP. THAT’S WHAT’S NECESSARY. EXCELLENT, DOC. WOW. SO MUCH. AND I’M SURE JUST MORE RESEARCH WILL BE COMING IN ONCE WE SEE SO MANY PEOPLE ON GLP ONE AND OSTEOPOROS
Orlando doctor discusses how rapid weight loss can negatively impact bone density
Dr. Christine Jablonski, leader of the Orlando Health Bone Health and Osteoporosis Care Program, explains how GLP-1 usage may have unintended consequences on your bones if not properly managed.
Updated: 9:49 AM EDT May 18, 2026
Dr. Christine Jablonski, leader of the Orlando Health Bone Health and Osteoporosis Care Program, explains how rapid weight loss may have unintended consequences on bone density, if not properly managed. >>Watch the full interview in the player above.Click here to learn more.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Dr. Christine Jablonski, leader of the Orlando Health Bone Health and Osteoporosis Care Program, explains how rapid weight loss may have unintended consequences on bone density, if not properly managed.
>>Watch the full interview in the player above.
Click here to learn more.