![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-917897084.jpg\")
\n\t\t\u2018I\u2019m a convert\u2019 (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\t\u2018I\u2019m a convert\u2019 (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n
Admiring his new physique<\/a> in the mirror, James* finally felt confident<\/a>. Gone was the middle-aged spread and the gut that had been expanding rapidly over the past year.<\/p>\n Now, he was seeing muscles he\u2019d never noticed before and looking at least 10 years younger. But that wasn\u2019t the best bit of his transformation.<\/p>\n As he stood stark naked looking at his reflection, James couldn\u2019t help but notice that his penis also looked bigger than usual \u2014 and it was all down to \u2018miracle\u2019 weight loss drug<\/a> Wegovy<\/a>.<\/p>\n The 55-year-old tells Metro: \u2018I\u2019m not one to jump on celebrity fads, but I needed a little bit of an extra push. Dieting is the most painful, boring thing in the world<\/a> and I\u2019d heard a lot about Ozempic<\/a>, so I did a lot of research and decided to give it a go.<\/p>\n \u2018If it\u2019s good enough for Sharon Osbourne<\/a>, it\u2019s good enough for me.\u2019<\/p>\n A semi-professional sportsman of two decades, James stepped back from competing last year, and alongside the fact he no longer had fitness targets helping him stay in shape, he found himself eating \u2013 and drinking \u2013 out of boredom.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tWegovy facts\t\t\t<\/p>\n Wegovy, a brand name for semaglutide, is a GLP-1 inhibitor medication that targets the parts of the brain that regulate appetite and promotes the release of insulin when blood sugar levels are high. This makes people feel fuller, reducing hunger levels and cravings for high-fat foods. Although he was still exercising daily \u2013 clocking up an impressive 1,000km every month from cycling alone \u2013 when he stepped on the scales after a particularly indulgent Christmas<\/a>, he decided things needed to change. <\/p>\n So, 10 months ago, James started taking Wegovy. \u2018I think it\u2019s a miracle drug, to be honest,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n Getting rid of the dangerous visceral fat around his organs was the primary motivation for changing his lifestyle, but James admits: \u2018Sure, I wanted to look a little better too.\u2019<\/p>\n It was easy to get hold of Wegovy, which is a brand name for semaglutide and works in a similar way to Ozempic (though the latter isn\u2019t approved solely for weight loss in the UK, where it\u2019s specifically prescribed for the management blood sugar in type 2 diabetes<\/a> patients).<\/p>\n After putting his details into an online pharmacy \u2013 James admits he \u2018lied\u2019 on the application form to make sure he qualified \u2013 a fancy package of injectables arrived in the post.<\/p>\n \t\t Describing the process of giving himself a jab in the stomach each week, James says: \u2018It doesn\u2019t hurt at all \u2013 you don\u2019t even feel it.\u2019<\/p>\n He began to feel the effects of the drug almost straight away though, becoming full after less food and having fewer cravings.<\/p>\n At \u00a3160 to \u00a3260 (depending on the dose) per month, it\u2019s not cheap, but James reckons he\u2019s actually saving money overall.<\/p>\n \u2018My weekly shop went down by \u00a340 or \u00a350 easily, and that\u2019s not including wine and Deliveroos which I spent about \u00a380 to \u00a3100 a week on,\u2019 James explains. \u2018I\u2019ve also saved a lot on toilet paper \u2013 I only go once a day now.\u2019<\/p>\n After his first injection in February 2025, the tech business owner claims he has lost 20% of his body weight in just six months. It\u2019s not just about dropping the kilos though, as James\u2019s blood pressure and visceral fat are both now back within a healthy range \u2013 and he\u2019s even sleeping better and not snoring.<\/p>\n \u2018My body is in as good a condition as it\u2019s ever been,\u2019 he continues. \u2018I\u2019ve got muscles in my forearm I never knew were there, I\u2019ve lost fat and my muscles have come out. And my thighs look ridiculous.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tWhat is ‘Ozempic penis’?\t\t\t<\/p>\n Some men have claimed that taking GLP-1 injections hasn\u2019t just helped them lose inches from their waist, but has also added inches to their manhood \u2014 and even improved their performance in bed.<\/p>\n The phenomenon, which has been dubbed \u2018Ozempic penis\u2019 on forums like Reddit, may be due to reduced fat around the pubic region which can make the penis appear larger.<\/p>\n Dr Nidhi Kansal<\/a>, an internal medicine physician at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, tells Daily Mail<\/a> these welcome side effects may also be caused by increased testosterone levels as a result of weight loss.<\/p>\n Obesity in men has been linked to low testosterone, which can make you feel tired, lower your sex drive and impact erection quality, potentially making the penis look smaller. Losing weight (through medication or otherwise) can naturally boost the hormone, with a recent Endocrine Society<\/a>\u00a0report revealing a 20% rise in men being treated for obesity with GLP-1 medication.<\/p>\n His confidence has been boosted too; a far cry from \u2018hibernating\u2019 at home and feeling self-conscious about his \u2018gut\u2019.<\/p>\n James (who is single and says he\u2019s \u2018blessed\u2019 to have never been married), adds: \u2018I look in the mirror and think, \u201cF*** me, I look good\u201d these days.\u2019<\/p>\n Others have been equally complimentary about the newfound spring in his step too, and his exes remarking \u2018wow\u2019 when they see him now is a welcome consequence.<\/p>\n Some people find their sex drive drops on semaglutide, as it can decrease the amount of dopamine<\/a> (the pleasure neurotransmitter) released by more than just eating. Not for James, though, who says he\u2019s having \u2018better sex\u2019 as a result of the drug.<\/p>\n \u2018If you have an impulsive drive for sex, it would affect that,\u2019 he explains. \u2018But I have a normal sexual appetite, so actually it\u2019s made me enjoy sex more because I\u2019m not as self-conscious of my body and I\u2019ve got more energy.\u2019<\/p>\n Apparently, Wegovy has also made an impact down below, and any fears people might have about it causing penis shrinkage are unfounded.<\/p>\n \u2018If anything, my penis looks bigger, because you lose body fat around it and your overall mass gets smaller,\u2019 James says with a smile. \u2018It\u2019s like when you shave your bush and it makes it look bigger.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t While he has managed to avoid the vast majority of potential side effects these weight loss drugs can cause, from diarrhoea\u00a0to dizziness, James admits there have been some other downsides.<\/p>\n His transformation meant he needed to buy a whole new wardrobe, and he finds he gets much colder now, needing to wear thermals and multiple layers, even in the summer.<\/p>\n And while James did notice his face becoming more sallow as he lost weight, he leaned into the image overhaul and decided to have fillers, which \u2018made a massive difference\u2019 to counteract the telltale \u2018Ozempic face<\/a>\u2019.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tHow Wegovy impacts your appetite\t\t\t<\/p>\n Wegovy impacts your appetite, but you won\u2019t go off your food altogether. <\/p>\n James says: \u2018I eat normally \u2013 low GI cereal with fruit for breakfast and a protein shake for lunch; I gave up my lunchtime bagel. Dinner is normally a salad of some type with chicken, maybe pitta and hummus.<\/p>\n \u2018On Sunday I had a sausage and a burger, as well as a bottle of wine with friends. Before I would have thought, \u201cthat burger was great\u201d, and have a second one. I don\u2019t do that now.\u2019<\/p>\n You\u2019ll likely want fewer fatty foods while taking Wegovy, but it\u2019s important to balance eating in a caloric deficit with ensuring you get the nutrients you need.<\/p>\n Like many users, James tends not to tell people he\u2019s taking Wegovy, as some consider it \u2018cheating\u2019 \u2013 a viewpoint he refutes. Instead, he thinks it should be made universally available for free or cheap.<\/p>\n \u2018I think it\u2019s a tool, much like you can use anything as a tool,\u2019 he says. \u2018It\u2019s impossible to succeed without training and working out and eating more healthily. Yes, I perhaps wanted a bit of a quick fix. But it hasn\u2019t been a quick fix.\u2019<\/p>\n After reaching a plateau, James is now looking to come off the medication. But is he worried he\u2019ll revert back to his old ways once he does?<\/p>\n \u2018I don\u2019t know,\u2019 he admits. <\/p>\n \u2018I don\u2019t want to be on it for the rest of my life, but it was almost impossible for me to lose the weight I wanted to lose without it. It\u2019s like a little guardian angel on your shoulder saying \u201cDon\u2019t eat that!\u201d.\u2019<\/p>\n This article was first published in August, 2024, and has since been updated.<\/p>\n Do you have a story to share?<\/p>\n Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow
\nAlongside Mounjaro<\/a> and Saxenda, it\u2019s one of three GLP-1 drugs prescribed by the NHS specifically for weight loss (whereas Ozempic \u2013 which uses the same active ingredient as Wegovy \u2013 is only approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes) and is also available to purchase privately through specialist pharmacies.
\nAccording to the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), it can help reduce the risk of heart and circulatory disease <\/a>in people living with excess weight.
\nWegovy is self-administered weekly with an injector pen, into the upper arms, stomach, thighs or buttocks.\u00a0\u00a0
\nIt\u2019s not a magic cure<\/a> though. Patients still need to change their diet and reduce the amount of calories eaten to see effects, and regular exercise is also recommended. Additionally, there is evidence of weight regain when people stop using Wegovy<\/a>.
\nCommon side effects of <\/a>semaglutide include sickness, diarrhoea or constipation, headaches, tiredness, heartburn and bloating, while rarer problems can include gallbladder disease, inflammation of the pancreas, an increased heart rate and kidney issues.<\/p>\n![\"Still](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_203997726-3515.jpg\")
\n\t\tWegovy was approved on the NHS in 2023 (Picture: Michael Siluk\/Universal Images Group\/Getty)<\/p>\n![\"Couple](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-1431332781.jpg\")
\n\t\tJames is still able to go out to eat and drink, but he\u2019s now more confident on dates (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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