Serena Williams loses 31 lbs. from GLP-1. Here's what to know about the medication
Former athlete Serena Williams shared that she has lost 31 pounds due to a medication.
The tennis champion has been opening up about her weight loss journey on Instagram, where she shared she has been taking GLP-1 medication from healthcare company Ro.
"Yes, I am on GLP-1 and I'm not ashamed to say it out loud," she shared in an Instagram video. She added that when she gave birth to her daughter, Olympia, in 2017, and her second born, Adira River, in 2023, she struggled to lose weight despite being in the gym and eating clean.
She said that taking it was the "best decision" she made for her body.
In her interview with PEOPLE, Williams, an ambassador of Ro, said that while she had never taken any "shortcuts" in her career and had "always worked really hard," it was "very frustrating" not to see "any changes on the scale or the way my body looked."
“I just thought, gosh, I don't know if I would ever be able to get back to where I needed to get to,” she recalled.
“I did a lot of research on it. I was like, 'Is this a shortcut? What are the benefits? What are not the benefits?' I really wanted to dive into it before I just did it," she told the outlet. In the promotional video, Williams revealed that she lost 31 pounds over eight months.
Talking about feeling better overall under the medication, she said, "I just can do more. I'm more active. My joints don't hurt as much. I just feel like something as simple as just getting down is a lot easier for me. And I do it a lot faster.”
“I feel like I have a lot of energy and it's great. I just feel pretty good about it,” she added.
Here's what to know about GLP-1.
What is GLP-1?
Dr. Eds Payumo-Vizconde, an endocrinologist, explained to PhilSTAR L!fe that GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, is a hormone that occurs naturally in the human body. It regulates blood sugar "by stimulating insulin release, slowing gastric emptying, and reducing appetite."
"GLP-1 receptor agonists are medications that mimic this hormone’s effects, and are originally developed for type 2 diabetes management," she said.
You might be wondering how this differs from Ozempic, a popular drug known for its significant weight loss effect. As Payumo-Vizconde explained, Ozempic is a type of GLP-1 medication. It belongs to a class of drugs that mimic the GLP-1 hormone to achieve its effects.
"Ozempic is actually a brand name for semaglutide, which is one of the GLP-1 receptor agonists," she said. "While marketed primarily for diabetes, semaglutide is also used in some countries (under the brand Wegovy) specifically for weight management."
In the Philippines, GLP-1 medications like these are currently only approved for treating type 2 diabetes.
"It requires a doctor’s prescription and is typically accessed through hospitals or accredited pharmacies," she told L!fe. "The formulation specifically for weight management (Wegovy) is not yet available locally."
While Payumo-Vizconde noted that it can be safe when prescribed and monitored properly, and has significant weight loss properties, she warns that medication is not suitable for everyone.
"The most common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal discomfort. Rare but serious risks include pancreatitis and gallbladder disease," she said.
She stressed that the use of GLP-1 medications "should always be individualized and closely supervised by a physician."
