People share experiences with ‘Ozempic sex’ as little-known side effect revealed
Topics: Ozempic, Health, Reddit, Sex and Relationships
Emily Brown
Featured Image Credit: Steve Christo - Corbis/Getty
Topics: Ozempic, Health, Reddit, Sex and Relationships
Ozempic users have opened up about an unexpected side-effect of using the medication when it comes to the bedroom.
Falling into the category of GLP-1 medications, Ozempic is intended to be used by people with type two diabetes to help lower their blood sugar levels.
However, it has also become a popular medication used by people who are trying to lose weight, with the website for the medication explaining: "Ozempic is a medicine for adults with type 2 diabetes that, along with diet and exercise, may improve blood sugar. While not for weight loss, Ozempic may help you lose some weight."
As the drug becomes more popular, users have been opening up about some of the little-known side effects they've noticed, including gas and sagging skin.
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In one Reddit thread on the r/Ozempic page, one user reported an impact they'd noticed to their sex drive as they wrote: "My sex drive is completely gone."
Another thread on the site asked users if they'd noticed a change in libido, prompting one woman to reply: "Mine has left the building. I miss it!"
A second responded: "Same. Got nothing. It’s like it has totally just quit and left."
"I have been on Ozempic for about 3-4 months and I feel like my sex drive has disappeared. Anyone else found this?," another Redditor asked as they started a different thread.
Interestingly, other Ozempic users have reported the opposite result, with one writing: "Mines definitely improved, my hubby loves it. Lol. I went years without any desire at all."
"Mine has improved greatly, and it was good before," added another.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Dr. James Simon, a reproductive endocrinologist, OBGYN and clinical professor at George Washington University, explained that the impact of GLP-1 mediations on sex drive may come down to biology.
He said: “These drugs do work in the same places that pleasure and sexual interest are located in the human brain—male and female."
Dr. Taylor Kohn, a fellow in male reproductive medicine and surgery in the Department of Urology at Baylor College of Medicine, also told the publication that in the long run, the cardiovascular benefits associated with weight loss would likely have a positive impact on anyone experiencing erectile dysfunction, saying: “We know that if you reverse cardiovascular disease, erectile dysfunction improves as well.”
When contacted for comment, Novo Nordisk, which manufactures Ozempic, told UNILAD: "Patient safety is of the utmost importance to Novo Nordisk, and we recommend patients take these medications for their approved indications and under the supervision of a healthcare professional.
"We continuously collect safety data on our marketed GLP-1 medicines and work closely with the authorities to ensure patient safety. As part of this work, we continue to monitor reports of adverse drug reactions through routine pharmacovigilance.
"We recommend that any patient experiencing side effects while taking GLP-1 RA medicines, including Wegovy and Ozempic (semaglutide injection), report them to their healthcare provider and via the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. "