Serena Williams loses 14 kg using GLP-1 drug; says it was never a shortcut: 'I'd never go back'

Serena Williams reveals she has been using GLP-1 medications for weight loss, shedding 31 pounds. The tennis star highlights its benefits on her health.

Serena Williams recently confessed that she has been taking GLP-1 medications to lose weight in a bid to be more transparent about her fitness journey and weight loss. The tennis legend told TODAY that she has been taking a medication prescribed to her by Ro to help her with weight loss, and she's down 31 pounds.

Serena Williams managed to lose 14 kg using GLP-1 medication.

Serena Williams announces she is taking a GLP-1 medication

In an August 21 interview with TODAY, Serena Williams talked about taking weight loss GLP-1 medication and losing 31 pounds/14.06 kg approximately. “This all started after I had my (first) kid. As a woman, you go through different cycles in your life... No matter what I did — running, walking, I would walk for hours because they say that's good, I literally was playing a professional sport — and I could never go back to where I needed to be for my health. Then, after my second kid, it just got even harder. So then I was like, OK, I have to try something different,” the tennis champion confessed.

Though she often works out at the gym and posts about her fitness on social media, Serena highlighted that after she started taking the medication, she saw its positive impact on her health, including improved blood sugar levels and her joints feeling ‘lighter’. "A misconception is that it [GLP-1 medicine] is a shortcut. As an athlete and as someone who has done everything, I just couldn't get my weight to where I needed to be at a healthy place — and believe me, I don't take shortcuts," she adds.

‘I feel light physically and light mentally’

Serena told People that after taking the medicine, she has felt light physically and mentally, especially ever since she gave birth to her two kids and struggled with returning to her desired fitness levels.

“I had never taken shortcuts in my career and always worked really hard. I know what it takes to be the best. So it was very frustrating to do all the same things and never be able to change that number on the scale or the way my body looked,” the 23-time Grand Slam champion confessed.

What is GLP-1?

According to the National Institutes of Health, GLP-1, or Glucagon-like peptide-1, agonists are a class of medications utilised to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. As a class of medications, they are among several pharmacological options for these endocrine diseases.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.