Ozempic warning: Experts warn of side effects from weight loss drug
Experts are warning of the possible side effects of popular diabetes medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro when used for weight loss.
“The Girls Next Door” star Kendra Wilkinson is the latest celebrity to open up about taking a GLP drug.
The reality TV personality, 40, revealed to US Weekly on Tuesday, March 24, that she will start her first dosage next week and explained what prompted her to do so.
“There’s nothing worse than being in a gym every single day, working out and not seeing any progress,” Wilkinson told the outlet. “I hit 40. I’m happy. I’m at peace, but I noticed that my jeans are a little tighter lately, so I don’t want to go out and shop anymore. Mama is on a budget, so I have to fit back in my jeans… So I’ll start my journey next week.”
The real estate broker wants to ease into her weight-loss journey by safely losing a few pounds at a steady pace. “I just want to be balanced out,” she said. “I don’t really want to be skinny, but I just want to be balanced and fit in my jeans again.”
“Look, I’m a little bit overweight at the moment, so I’m gonna start taking my weight loss shots,” she continued. “I’m starting that journey next week. But other than that, just get out and play. You know, it’s beautiful out in life.”
The use of GLP-1 drugs, which stand for glucagon-like peptide-1, has erupted in popularity in the 2020s, with many celebrities using the medication for weight loss, including Chelsea Handler, Serena Williams, Rebel Wilson, Andy Cohen and Oprah Winfrey.
The craze has garnered mixed reactions from Hollywood names, with Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia recently slamming their use in a March 10 TikTok video, saying people “who do not need Ozempic” are using the drug and said, “You’re gonna die. You’re all gonna die.”
On “The View” last month, cohosts discussed how the drug had changed their lives, with Joy Behar saying, “We all did it” and guest Savannah Chrisley adding, “GLP-1s are cool.”
How popular are GLP-1 drugs?
According to an October survey from last year via the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index, the use of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic has more than doubled between 2024 and 2025 among both men and women. The survey reported that 12.4% of respondents admitted to taking the drugs compared to 5.8% in February 2024, when the research company initially measured it.
Approved by the FDA, GLP-1 agonists are used to help lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes and to help people lose weight. Most are injectable, typically coming in pen-like syringes with short needles designed to target the subcutaneous region, or the deep fatty layer of your skin, for best absorption. However, pill forms of certain GLP-1s are also available.
“At this time, there is no other medication like GLP-1s that consistently produces the degree of sustainable, clinically meaningful weight loss while improving metabolic markers,” Dr. Asad Niazi, internal medicine physician and medical advisor at Shed, previously told USA TODAY.
Niazi said the medication must be paired with appropriate lifestyle choices and is most effective when people also maintain healthy nutrition, exercise and sleep.
Contributing: Nicole Hernandez and Saman Shafiz, USA TODAY