Camilla Jessen
The diabetes drug’s growing popularity for weight loss reveals unexpected impacts.
Originally designed to manage type 2 diabetes, the GLP-1 drug Ozempic has become a global phenomenon for its off-label weight loss effects.
But as its popularity soars, so do reports of a lesser-known and deeply personal side effect: a change in sexual desire.
From Diabetes Drug to Weight Loss Craze
Ozempic, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, helps lower blood sugar and is officially prescribed for adults with type 2 diabetes, alongside diet and exercise.
While not marketed as a weight-loss drug, its appetite-suppressing effects have led to a surge in use for slimming down.
The drug’s official website even acknowledges the possibility of weight loss, stating that it “may help you lose some weight.”
That’s enough for many to seek out prescriptions. But the side effects aren’t always about digestion or skin elasticity, as some might expect.
“My Sex Drive Has Disappeared”
On Reddit and other forums, users are sharing a new concern: a sudden drop in libido.
“My sex drive is completely gone,” wrote one user. Another said bluntly: “Mine has left the building. I miss it!”
Many echoed the same sentiment, with one adding: “It’s like it has totally just quit and left.”
But not everyone is experiencing the same change. Some users report the opposite, saying their sex drive has increased since starting Ozempic.
“Mines definitely improved, my hubby loves it,” one user joked.
Another commented, “Mine has improved greatly, and it was good before.”
Experts Weigh In
So what’s going on?
Experts say there could be a biological reason for both reactions.
Dr. James Simon, a reproductive endocrinologist and professor at George Washington University, explained to Newsner that GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic act on parts of the brain involved in pleasure and sexual interest.
“These drugs do work in the same places that pleasure and sexual interest are located in the human brain—male and female,” he said.
Dr. Taylor Kohn, a specialist in male reproductive medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, added that the improved cardiovascular health from weight loss may lead to better sexual function over time, particularly in men.
“We know that if you reverse cardiovascular disease, erectile dysfunction improves as well,” he noted.
