Ozempic Patients Say Their Sex Drives Have Disappeared: “I Can’t Feel Anything”
Most of the scariest side effects of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound have been gastrointestinal. Patients using these injectable GLP-1 medications have shared horror stories about extreme vomiting and diarrhea, gastroparesis (stomach paralysis), and pancreatitis.
But now, a new side effect has come to light that may not be as life-threatening, but is certainly life-altering—a completely disappeared sex drive.
RELATED: Doctors Warn That Drugs Like Ozempic Are Making You “Skinny Fat.”
Patients say Ozempic has zapped their libidos.
Frustrated Ozempic users have recently taken to the internet to share an under-the-radar Ozempic side effect: Lowered or completely disappeared sex drives.
“I’m using ozempic for weight loss, and I’m experiencing such a wierd lack of libido,” shared one patient who started a Reddit thread.
“It’s so weird cause I always had a low sex drive, but when I started [Ozempic] the levels of libido just went so DOWN like I can’t feel anything,” agreed one commenter.
“Literally, all desire of any kind gone,” said someone else, while another added, “Yes it completely crushes my libido! I just have no need/desire.”
A second Redditor who shared she’s female started a thread by saying: “I have been on Ozempic for about 3-4 months and I feel like my sex drive has disappeared.”
“I have zero sex drive in the almost 2 years I’ve been on glp1s,” someone commented.
Men have also reported cases of erectile dysfunction.
A recent study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research found that obese, non-diabetic men prescribed semaglitude (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) “were significantly more likely to develop erectile dysfunction” than those who hadn’t taken the drug.
In speaking about these results with The Wall Street Journal, doctors said this side effect is rare and could be attributed to the fact that obesity drives cardiovascular risk factors that can make erectile dysfunction more common.
RELATED: Ozempic and Wegovy May Have Landed 25,000 People in the ER—Here’s the Scary Reason Why.
Doctors say Ozempic really can deplete sex drive.
To better understand these complaints, Best Life reached out to several medical experts.
Stewart Parnacott, PhD, CRNA, a certified registered nurse anesthetist and the chief clinical officer at Ready Wellness (a concierge medicine company that prescribes GLP-1 drugs), points to the well-documented fact that these medications “change the way the brain responds to reward.”
The main example, of course, is food, but studies also show that Ozempic and Wegovy can curb cravings for alcohol, cigarettes, and opioids. There’s even anecdotal evidence to suggest they can help with compulsive behaviors such as gambling and shopping addictions.
“The mechanism in the brain that regulates overeating overlaps with those responsible for the development and maintenance of addiction, including alcohol disorder,” Lorenzo Leggio, MD, the clinical director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse, told NPR.
Parnacott points out that hormonal changes could also be to blame, as testosterone (the primary male sex hormone), estradiol (the primary form of estrogen, the main female sex hormone), and DHEA (a hormone that helps the body produce testosterone and/or estrogen) may drop alongside weight loss.
“Very low-fat diets can tank hormone production,” he notes.
RELATED: People Are Complaining About Ozempic and Wegovy’s “Life-Ruining” Side Effect.
What can you do about Ozempic-related libido drops?
If you’re experiencing this unpleasant side effect, first note whether you’ve just started the medication.
“In my clinical experience, the reduction in sex drive is a part of the general fatigue associated with the beginning of treatment,” explains Sue Decotiis, MD, a medical weight loss doctor. “The body is rebooting itself, and therefore major changes occur.”
She adds that dehydration, lack of sleep, and inadequate nutrition can contribute to this overall feeling of fatigue and related loss of libido.
However, “As body fat is lost, patients generally feel sharper, more mentally focused and confident in their appearance,” Decotiis shares.
If this isn’t the case, Parnacott recommends speaking to your doctor about hormone labs that can test your levels. He also suggests upping your intake of “healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, even egg yolks.”
But as is the case with any side effects you experience, always consult your healthcare provider.
“Sex drive is not a luxury. It’s a signal. If it disappears, it’s worth asking why—and more importantly, what can be done to bring it back,” Parnacott concludes.