The Ozempic era is coming for our sex lives

Anecdotal reports suggest that semaglutide reduces libido and increases your risk of ED, but why?

So, everyone you know is on Ozempic. Those influencers you see at every event, your old friend from school, your estranged father….yep, basically everyone that can afford it.

GLP-1s are everywhere, a natural response to the cultural shift away from body positivity, where thinly veiled pro-ana content proliferates across FYPs, BBLs are being reversed, and casting directors dramatically swerve away from body diversity on the runway.

Whether it’s because of the noughties throwback we’re experiencing as part of the twenty-year trend cycle, the fact that so-called ‘anti-woke’ (neo-fascist) sentiment is taking ahold of electoral politics in the west’s most culturally influential nation, or a media distribution model which promotes mindless consumption over critical thinking, regressive beauty standards have come out of hiding.

Of course, when culture is waging war on any bodies above a UK size 6 – notwithstanding the fact that the tangible benefits of ‘pretty privilege’ are obvious in a society where appearance is everything – it makes sense that those who exist beyond this narrow, narrow ideal are exploring their (pharmaceutical) options.

And while much has, rightly, been written about the body positivity recession in terms of how it’s affecting our self-esteem, friendships and careers, substantially less has been written on how it’s affecting our sex lives*. But, obviously, the impact is huge.

When bodies are under even more cruel scrutiny than ever before, when the pressure for femmes to be toned, skinny and mascs to be, well, toned and skinny, is ticking away at the back of our minds at all times, our sexual confidence can take a hit.

Taking our clothes off – whether for a stranger, or a long-term partner, is innately vulnerable. But as the negativity around bodies becomes cacophonous, we’re alienated from the concept that our bodies can be a route to pleasure. Instead, they are something to fight against, a source of conflict and shame. Or, to put it more simply it’s hard to be present enough in your body to actually cum if you despise how you look.

But it’s not just about how we feel in, or about, our bodies – the Ozempic era could be introducing a chemical change to our sex lives.

Specifically, there are lingering questions over how semaglutide is impacting us in the bedroom. While some reports and data analysis suggest that it could have a positive influence, potentially due to a boost in confidence, research in mice exploring the sexual impact of the drug saw a downtick in sexual interactions.

There are also anecdotal reports (check Reddit!) suggesting that GLP-1s can lead to a dip in libido as well as erectile dysfunction for those who have dicks. (FYI: these aren’t listed side effects on brand name versions of the drug, like Ozempic.) The research to support this is currently slim but, on the topic of ED, there’s a study from 2024 suggesting that non-diabetic men with a semaglutide prescription had a 1.5% likelihood of an ED diagnosis as opposed to the 0.14% of men in the control group.

Putting out an open call on Instagram on the topic of Ozempic and sex, I received a single response, but a telling one: “I’m on Mounjaro and I basically never think about sex [and I] can’t be arsed to masturbate.”

So, why would a weight-loss drug impact how you have sex? Well, GLP-1s lead to a decrease in dopamine release, with dopamine being the hormone that makes activities like eating food, drinking alcohol and having sex so pleasurable – so bye, bye libido (at least for some).

There’s also the fact that it impacts your glucose levels, potentially making you tired and less in the mood for sex. For people with dicks, ED may potentially be an issue to a decrease in testosterone. But the experience of being on GLP-1s is hugely subjective, with it seemingly interacting with each person’s hormones and pleasure receptors in different ways.

While the decision of whether or not to go on Ozempic is each individual’s to make, and I’m talking from a place of thin privilege here, it is sad that the drug has such an impact on our pleasure – whether it’s sexual, or simply the joy we derive from the food we eat.

It’s sad that you have to choose between having a body which society approves of and your fundamental right to enjoy your life. When the price of beauty is forfeiting your pleasure, is that too high a price to pay?

[Finally: If you’re taking these medications and experiencing side effects you’d rather change, like not wanting to have sex, talk to your doctor – even if you’re getting your Ozempic from a dodgy online pharmacy.]

*If you want more perspectives on this topic, check out this great article on skinny fetishism and sex by Eloise Hendy for Cosmo UK.