Ozempic use is causing worrying bedroom side effect as doctor explains what is going on
An Ozempic user has revealed one unexpected side effect that's 'causing issues in their relationship'.
While many people are having a lot of success taking GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy, the drugs have a wide range of potential side effects.
Ozempic in particular - which is designed to treat type 2 diabetes and has not been approved in the UK for weight loss - led Jeremy Clarkson to have some pretty horrible sickness, while others have noticed changes in their muscle strength, face structure and even in their downstairs area after being on the drug.
Although you might expect that an improvement in cardiovascular health and body weight might well lead to more success in the bedroom, some users on Reddit are now suggesting that their sex drive is 'completely gone' after taking the drug.
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The original poster wrote: "I've been on Ozempic for a few months now and I love it. Almost no side effects and I'm down 30lbs. Halfway to my goal weight. I'm on 1.5mg compounded with Vitamin B.
"The only side effect I have noticed that's causing issues in my life is that I have absolutely no sex drive at all, and I'm almost repulsed by the notion of it. I have more or less the same feelings that I have when presented with a big meal. Like the thought of having sex is almost nauseating.
"If I was single this really wouldn't impact my life very much, but I live with my boyfriend of about 2.5 years, and the sharp decrease in our sex life is causing issues in our relationship. He isn't pressuring me or anything, but we have been kind of growing distant, and we have been bickering."
Plenty of commenters on the post shared that they'd been experiencing the same problem after taking the drug, with one writing their libido has 'left the building' and they 'miss it', and it seems as if there's a biological explanation for it.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Dr. James Simon, a reproductive endocrinologist, OBGYN and clinical professor at George Washington University, said: “These drugs do work in the same places that pleasure and sexual interest are located in the human brain—male and female."
The drugs work to reduce someone's appetite by making them feel full, and while it's a different area of the brain, the desire to have sex may well work in the same way.
Novo Nordisk, which manufactures Ozempic, said: "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. "
James Moorhouse