Weight-loss drug users share how sex has changed - the NSFW side effects are rampant
Some GLP-1 medications have been linked to changes in both shape and size of a person's genitalia
When it comes to the unexpected side effects of using weight loss injectables, users have come forward with a whole hoard of horror stories - many of which have impacted their sex life.
Others, meanwhile, allege they've never felt raunchier in their newly trimmed-down physiques.
For those in need of a reminder, in recent years, these medications - first introduced to tackle the side effects of type 2 diabetes - have sky-rocketed in popularity due to their rapid effectiveness, especially in celebrity circles.
The most commonly discussed are Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy, though there are a number of other variations. They all work in similar ways, however - using hormones to restrict appetite, making the user less hungry.
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Whilst the most frequently referenced side effects include nausea, constipation and diarrhoea, other users say they observed major changes to their personal life - some good, some not so good.
Varying sex drives
Libido boost
As we say, some users say that weight loss jabs have hugely boosted their libido.
One 55-year-old British man previously told Metro he's having more fun between the sheets than ever before, now that he's on Wegovy.
"If you have an impulsive drive for sex, it would affect that," he explained. "But I have a normal sexual appetite, so actually it’s made me enjoy sex more because I’m not as self-conscious of my body and I’ve got more energy."
One Reddit user agreed with the latter, adding: "Losing weight has boosted my libido - not the drug itself."
A third went on to gloat: "It’s made my sex life better, wife has noticed for sure."
One woman even claimed earlier this year that, as a result of being on Mounjaro, she's been able to orgasm vaginally for the first time in her life.
"I thought that would have never been possible before? I am so positively shocked," she admitted.
"It can't be due to the weight loss as when I was even thinner than now I never experienced vaginal orgasm at all. It has for sure to do with the impact MJ has on my hormones.
A sudden disinterest
In others, however, the sex drive they once boasted took a major blow.
Explaining this, Chemist4U pharmacist Jason Murphy told The Times: "It’s important to recognise that GLP-1s don’t just affect appetite. They influence many aspects of wellbeing, including sexual wellbeing.
"Dopamine is central to both appetite regulation and sexual desire, so altering that system could naturally change libido for some people, plus rapid weight loss and changes in metabolism may also temporarily disrupt hormone levels."
Such was the case for one woman, who claimed she could no longer achieve orgasm after two weeks on liraglutide, also known by the brand name Saxenda.
Another claimed on Reddit she's simply not been 'in the mood' since self-medicating with the jabs.
The Zepbound taker explained: "Do major side effects, BUT I have noticed that I'm not really thinking about sex or interested in it."
'Ozempic penis'
The same man who claimed he's feeling his sexiest self at the moment also claimed his genitalia was looking larger than life - literally - as a result of the confidence-boosting drugs.
"If anything, my penis looks bigger, because you lose body fat around it and your overall mass gets smaller," he confessed. "It’s like when you shave your bush and it makes it look bigger."
And apparently, this could be a result of the improved blood sugar control caused by the jabs, which also leads to increased overall energy and well-being, improved circulation, on top of lower risk of erectile dysfunction in men (via PhloClinic).
'Ozempic vulva'
When it comes to changes weight loss drugs can have on a woman's genitalia, however, the side effects are far from welcome.
Apparently, a lady's nether-regions could change to an unrecognisable degree - a phenomenon being referred to as 'Ozempic vulva'.
Sherry Ross, M.D., an OB-GYN in Santa Monica explained that this 'visible sagging of the vulvar skin' is caused by GLP-1 jabs directly.
"The rapidity of this weight loss can cause visible skin sagging, laxity, and wrinkles throughout the body," she explained. "All areas of the body can show visible skin-changes in response to this significant weight loss."
Topics: Health, Mounjaro, Ozempic, Sex and Relationships, Reddit, Advice
Rhianna Benson