How many DEXA scans should you get per year? Learn how often to track fat loss, muscle gain, bone health, and metabolic changes for optimal results.
If you’re serious about tracking fat loss, muscle gain, bone health, or overall body composition, getting a DEXA scan (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) on a regular schedule is the best way to optimize results. But how often should you get a DEXA scan?
The answer depends on your goals—whether you’re focused on weight loss, strength training, monitoring osteoporosis, or tracking progress on GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Wegovy.
Here’s a breakdown of how often you should schedule DEXA scans based on your specific health and fitness goals.
If you’re on a weight loss journey, a DEXA scan every 1-2 months helps ensure that:
✅ You’re losing fat, not muscle.
✅ Visceral fat is decreasing (important for metabolic health).
✅ You’re on track to hit your goal weight safely & effectively.
👉 Example: A person taking GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Wegovy gets a DEXA scan every 3 months to ensure that muscle loss is minimized while fat loss continues.
📌 Recommended Frequency: every 1-2 months.
If your goal is to build muscle and improve strength, a DEXA scan can:
✅ Track lean muscle gains by body region (arms, legs, core).
✅ Identify muscle imbalances to correct weak areas.
✅ Ensure fat gain isn’t overshadowing muscle gain.
👉 Example: A bodybuilder or athlete gets a DEXA scan every month to track muscle development and fat percentage changes.
📌 Recommended Frequency: every month.
GLP-1 medications can cause muscle loss along with fat loss, making DEXA scans essential to track:
✅ Muscle retention while losing weight.
✅ Visceral fat reduction for metabolic health.
✅ Bone density changes (since rapid weight loss can impact bone health).
👉 Example: A patient using Wegovy for weight loss gets a DEXA scan every 2 months to ensure they’re losing fat, not muscle.
📌 Recommended Frequency: every 1-2 months.
If you’re at risk for osteoporosis or bone loss, regular DEXA scans help:
✅ Detect early bone density loss before fractures occur.
✅ Measure bone strength improvements with lifestyle changes.
✅ Guide calcium, vitamin D, and exercise recommendations.
👉 Example: A postmenopausal woman concerned about osteoporosis schedules a DEXA scan every 2 monthsto monitor bone density changes.
📌 Recommended Frequency: 6 scans per year (every 2 months).
If you’re not actively trying to lose weight or build muscle, but still want to monitor long-term health, a DEXA scan once or twice a year is ideal for:
✅ Tracking fat-to-muscle ratio over time.
✅ Monitoring visceral fat levels to reduce disease risk.
✅ Checking bone density for long-term health.
👉 Example: A person focused on longevity and overall health gets a DEXA scan every 1-2 months to track body composition changes.
📌 Recommended Frequency: 1-2 months.
🔹 Schedule a baseline scan before making any major fitness or diet changes.
🔹 Follow up every 1-2 months if you’re tracking fat loss, muscle gain, or using GLP-1 medications.
🔹 Use your results to adjust your workout, nutrition, and supplementation plan.
🔹 Monitor trends over time instead of relying on one-off scans.
✔️ If you’re losing weight: Get a scan every 1-2 months to ensure fat loss without muscle loss.
✔️ If you’re building muscle: Scan every 1-2 months to track lean mass gains.
✔️ If you’re on GLP-1s (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro): Scan every 1-2 months to prevent muscle loss.
✔️ If you’re tracking bone health: Scan every 1-2 months to monitor bone density.
✔️ If you’re maintaining general health: Scan every 2 months to optimize body composition.
Want to ensure you’re tracking fat loss, muscle growth, and bone health with precision? A DEXA scan at KALOS provides the most accurate body composition analysis, giving you scientific data to track and refine your progress.
📍 Schedule your DEXA scan today at KALOS—because real data leads to better results.
Bay Area residents trust KALOS to deliver results. We proudly serve the entire Bay Area including the following locations:
