{"id":386941,"date":"2026-04-11T16:03:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T16:03:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/386941\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T16:03:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T16:03:15","slug":"glp-1-patients-report-new-side-effect-and-its-hitting-relationships-hard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/386941\/","title":{"rendered":"GLP-1 Patients Report New Side Effect\u2014and It\u2019s Hitting Relationships Hard"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Woman<\/p>\n

(c)jonchallicom.com\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Move over, \u201cOzempic itch<\/a>.\u201d A new side effect is raising alarm among experts, and it goes well beyond the physical effects associated with weight-loss drugs.<\/p>\n

Medical experts warn that getting jabs of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist drugs, more commonly known as GLP-1s, may lead to separation or divorce.<\/p>\n

A 2022 study<\/a> found that married patients who underwent bariatric surgery were more than twice as likely to divorce compared to the general public. The study\u2019s results also indicated a possible connection between greater weight loss and higher divorce rates among participants.<\/p>\n

Now, similar effects are expected for GLP-1 users on medications such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, or Wegovy.<\/p>\n

Get a First Look<\/p>\n

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After a significant amount of weight is lost, “changes in relationship dynamics may begin to emerge,” researcher Per-Arne Svensson said.<\/p>\n

Love Employee\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cThe effect likely unfolds in several stages,\u201d Per-Arne Svensson<\/a>, a professor and researcher at the University of Gothenburg\u2019s Institute of Health and Care Sciences in Sweden, told Fox News Digital<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, a substantial amount of weight must be lost, which typically occurs within the first year. Subsequently, changes in relationship dynamics may begin to emerge, followed by the legal processes associated with divorce.\u201d<\/p>\n

The change in relationship dynamics following a physical transformation may be driven by newfound confidence and increased attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cWeight loss itself may increase a sense of autonomy or confidence, potentially empowering individuals to leave unhealthy relationships,\u201d Svensson told the outlet.<\/p>\n

Another reason is a possible change in lifestyle: people who have experienced weight loss often become more social, which the other partner must then adapt to.<\/p>\n

These concerns aren\u2019t merely hypothetical: In the r\/GLP1Researchtalk<\/a> Subreddit, where members share information and firsthand experiences, one Zepbound user reported feeling distant from their husband, who is not taking any medication.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s almost like he considers it cheating,\u201d they wrote. \u201cHe keeps mentioning doing it the natural way and that the side effects are unnatural and shouldn\u2019t be there when you\u2019re losing weight. While I\u2019ve lost 12 pounds, he\u2019s gained 12.\u201d<\/p>\n

The poster concluded, \u201cI\u2019m losing my husband now, together with the weight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Pills<\/p>\n

Yevgen_Rychko\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Another user in the group responded with sympathy and reassured the original poster that their experience is “very common.”<\/p>\n

\u201cBuckle up, friend,\u201d the commenter wrote. \u201cIt\u2019s really worth starting couples therapy now to address some of these issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

They added a warning that \u201cif this is happening after 12 pounds of weight loss, things are likely to get even more strained and tense when you lose enough weight to see improvements in your quality of life, mobility, stamina, [etcetera], and when your weight loss becomes noticeable to others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Social media platforms like TikTok<\/a>, too, are filled with users who say that going on GLP-1s \u201cruined\u201d their relationships.<\/p>\n

There is good news for couples in which both spouses are candidates for weight-loss treatment: Svensson said that taking the journey together can actually benefit the relationship.<\/p>\n

The medication has been linked to changes in libido, directly impacting intimacy in relationships.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom a physical perspective, GLP-1 medications affect smooth muscle activity, which can influence arousability and orgasm due to changes in blood flow to the genital area,\u201d general practitioner Naveed Asif told The Guardian<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cChemically, the effects may vary among different patient groups, but there\u2019s also a dopaminergic component: dopamine, a hormone released in the brain in response to stimuli, may decrease when using these peptides,\u201d Asift explained. \u201cThis creates challenges related to desire and sexual attraction, potentially impacting overall sexual function.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

According to him, GLP-1s can also disrupt the balance of the estrogen hormone, noting that \u201cthis issue appears to be more pronounced in women using these peptides.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued, \u201cI have observed that many women experience significant side effects that lead them to discontinue the medication. Some patients reported worsening mental health, including increased depression and anxiety, which likely affects sexual function as a secondary consequence.\u201d<\/p>\n

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