Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound have transformed the lives of millions of people, helping them control their appetites and lose weight that once seemed impossible to shed. They have shifted the obesity paradigm, demonstrating that the disease is rooted in biology, not willpower. Studies have also found that the drugs may reduce the risk of heart and kidney disease.
And for some patients, they have offered another benefit: a boost in their intimate lives.
Biology could explain changes that some people are reporting. “These drugs do work in the same places that pleasure and sexual interest are located in the human brain—male and female,” says Dr. James Simon, a reproductive endocrinologist, OBGYN and clinical professor at George Washington University.
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The drugs’ effects on the brain’s reward system are drawing the interest of global researchers, who are studying potential applications such as curbing alcoholism and drug addiction. While Wegovy and Zepbound are approved by the FDA for weight loss, Ozempic and Mounjaro, which contain the same active ingredients, are approved only for diabetes treatment.
