Before & After Photos Of Serena Williams' Ozempic Transformation
If they hadn't seen the ads all over the internet in the months leading up to it, everyone in America found out pro-Tennis player, Serena Williams, was taking GLP-1s during a Superbowl LX commercial break. While the miracle weight-loss drug has been colloquially known as 'Ozempic,' that's just one brand that provides the Semaglutide injections typically prescribed to diabetic patients. Its rapid weight-loss side effect has had celebrities in a frenzy, but fans and critics were shocked to find out that the 23-time Grand Slam winner was taking them. The results speak for themselves, as Williams has lost over 31 pounds since starting the trendy drug.
While many stars have tried to deny or conceal their use of the drug, Williams' role as global ambassador for telehealth company, Ro, has put her weight loss in the spotlight. In an interview on the Oprah podcast, Serena opened up about her struggles to lose postpartum weight naturally: "[For] my last match at the Open, I was literally [working out] for eight hours a day in the gym, training, and I never could lose an ounce." She's also shared after taking the drug for a year how "I feel lighter mentally, I feel sexier, I feel more confident" (via Vogue). Williams' doesn't appear to be planning on quitting any time soon, but fans are left to wonder how much is enough? While Ozempic can make the road to your goal weight a lot shorter, the effects of stopping the drug might leave you stuck.
Serena Williams is seeing benefits to her body and bank account since losing weight
While Serena Williams has been praising the results of taking GLP-1s, there might be more than self confidence on the line. Williams' husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, was an early investor in Ro and a member of their board since 2017. A conflict of interest is far from the reddest flag in the couple's marriage, but still worth considering as Williams promotes the product to the masses. The retired tennis star has always emphasized transparency and how "I had never taken shortcuts in my career and always worked really hard" (via People), but commercials for Ro have Williams insisting that "They say GLP-1s for weight loss is a shortcut. It's not, it's science."
Paired with a vigorous workout routine, the Olympian hardly looks as unrecognizable as other celebs taking Ozempic. However, with very few Americans financially able to sustain a lifetime supply of the drug (and even prescribed patients getting snubbed by increased demand), her position as a role model for aspiring athletes can't help but feel compromised. Regardless of the inevitable backlash and shaming of her appearance, some fans feel genuine betrayal. One Redditor shared how "It feels like she is saying that something was wrong with her body before — when she was the best in the world — but now this drug will 'correct' her body."