Serena Williams and weight loss medications : what is actually known
Searches are spiking, the question is blunt : did Serena Williams slim down thanks to weight loss drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy. The answer that matters for readers right now is clear. There is no verified evidence, no on-record statement, and no publicaly documented use of weight loss medications by Serena Williams.
Context helps. Serena Williams stepped away from competition after the 2022 US Open, then welcomed her second daughter in August 2023, a moment widely reported by People on August 22, 2023, with the baby’s name and birth announcement (People, 22 Aug 2023). Bodies change after pregnancy and retirement from elite sport. At the same time, interest in modern weight loss drugs has surged, which makes every new photo spark speculation.
Serena Williams, body changes and the rumor economy
The timeline is straightforward. Serena Williams’s farewell run came in New York in September 2022 after signaling her transition earlier that summer (US Open, Sept 2022 ; Vogue, 9 Aug 2022). One year later, Serena Williams became a mother of two. That alone can shift training volume, muscle mass and look. None of this equals proof of medication use.
What fuels the rumor mill is the parallel boom of GLP-1 drugs. The United States Food and Drug Administration approved semaglutide for chronic weight management under the brand Wegovy on June 4, 2021 (FDA, 4 June 2021). Since then, celebrity culture often blends with health headlines. But when the celebrity is Serena Williams, a 23 time Grand Slam champion known for transparency around motherhood and career, the record remains silent on any weight loss prescription.
Another piece of reality : obesity and overweight are common in the United States, which makes interest in solutions intense. In 2022, 22 U.S. states had adult obesity prevalence at or above 35 percent according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 21 Sept 2023). That broader backdrop keeps the rumor machine running on every high profile body transformation.
GLP-1 weight loss drugs : what science shows, what labels say
GLP-1 medicines are not magic. They are rigorously studied prescription drugs for specific patients. In the STEP 1 randomized clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2021, adults with obesity taking once weekly semaglutide plus lifestyle support lost an average of 14.9 percent of body weight at 68 weeks versus 2.4 percent with placebo, a sizable difference that explains the buzz (NEJM, 2021).
Regulators also spotlight risks. The FDA label for semaglutide for weight management carries a warning about thyroid C cell tumors seen in rodents, lists common gastrointestinal side effects, and sets who qualifies : adults with BMI of 30 or higher, or 27 or higher with at least one weight related condition such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes or dyslipidemia (FDA, 4 June 2021).
Key facts to keep in mind about GLP-1 weight loss medications :
- Efficacy in trials : around 10 to 15 percent average weight loss over about 1 year when combined with lifestyle changes, depending on the study and dose (NEJM, 2021).
- Side effects are common : nausea, diarrhea and vomiting were frequently reported, with nausea affecting more than 40 percent of participants in STEP 1 on semaglutide versus about 17 percent on placebo (NEJM, 2021).
- Regulatory status and eligibility : prescription only, indicated for BMI thresholds noted above, not approved during pregnancy and not recommended while breastfeeding (FDA, 4 June 2021).
- Broader health impact : in adults with overweight or obesity and established cardiovascular disease, semaglutide reduced major adverse cardiovascular events by 20 percent in a large outcomes trial reported in 2023, expanding medical interest beyond weight (NEJM, 2023 ; company release, 8 Aug 2023).
Reading celebrity body chatter in 2025 : signals that actually matter
So where does this leave fans who simply wonder about Serena Williams. Start with the record. There is no documented confirmation that Serena Williams uses or has used weight loss medications. Reputable outlets have covered Serena Williams’s retirement timing and second childbirth with dates, photos and family details, not prescriptions (People, 22 Aug 2023 ; US Open, Sept 2022).
Then, check the science before the scroll. GLP-1 drugs can deliver clinically meaningful weight loss for eligible patients, and labels spell out risks, contraindications and monitoring. That is the practical lens, the one that cuts through speculation.
One last layer helps explain the noise. The drugs are real, the demand is high, and the visual culture around celebrities magnifies any change. When a champion like Serena Williams appears at an event, the conversation flares. The reliable path is unchanged : look for on record statements, medical sources and dated data. The rest is background chatter, not evidence.
Sources : FDA, 4 June 2021 ; NEJM, 2021 STEP 1 trial ; CDC, 21 Sept 2023 ; People, 22 Aug 2023 ; Vogue, 9 Aug 2022 ; NEJM, 2023 SELECT trial ; Novo Nordisk, 8 Aug 2023 ; US Open, Sept 2022.