Weight loss jabs are becoming more and more popular, but alongside this trend, there’s a number of people sharing some unexpected side effects online. One of them is erectile dysfunction.

Semaglutide, which is available under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, and Mounjaro, or Tirzepatide, are licensed weight loss injections that were originally prescribed to improve blood sugar levels for adults with type 2 diabetes. They work by reducing insulin in the body by producing hormones, which are thought to influence appetite.

Erectile dysfunction is a condition where people cannot or struggle to maintain an erection during sex. While lots of men can experience this because of stress, a traumatic event or alcohol, sometimes it can be caused by medication, according to the NHS.

But is it an accepted side effect of weight loss jabs? NHS Inform states that common side effects of the drug include constipation, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, headaches, low blood sugar and fatigue. While the NHS does not explicitly label erectile dysfunction as an issue, Superdrug doctor, which sells the drug, states: ‘Mounjaro is not known to cause erectile dysfunction. If you find you can’t get or stay hard enough to have sex, you can request erectile dysfunction treatment.’

Despite this, several studies have investigated the connection between weight loss jabs and erectile dysfunction. A 2024 study from the International Journal of Impotence Research found that men aged between 18 and 50 were more likely to develop erectile dysfunction and low testosterone levels when taking Semaglutide for weight loss compared to the group who didn’t. Experts have stated that the study can’t confirm the medication is the cause and more research is needed to understand that.

Also, the important context is the levels of people developing erectile dysfunction in the study were low, less than 2%, even if they took weight loss injections.

‘We know that weight loss generally has a positive effect on testosterone levels and sexual function, and as it turned out, the data showed the exact opposite,’ the study’s author Joseph Sonstein, MD, assistant professor of surgery in the Division of Urology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, told Men’s Health.

Regardless, all experts and studies stress if you are considering taking weight loss medication to consult with your doctor first, and if you’re  experiencing any side effects to share this with a medical professional. This way they can find out whether weight loss jabs are contributing to the issue or not.

Suddenly stopping the drug could be dangerous too. ‘If you stop taking [weight loss] jabs it often leads to weight being put back on as you regain a full appetite and increase your food consumption. Those taking Ozempic as diabetes medication will experience an increase in blood sugar levels, which may be damaging to their health,’ Dr Alexis Missick, a GP who works with UK Meds, previously told Grazia.

‘When people stop taking Ozempic or any other jabs, all effects are reversed. Those using the medication for weight loss may experience rapid weight gain.’

Speculation over which celebrities have opted to use weight loss drugs continues to circulate. But ones who have been open about trying Ozempic include Kelly Osbourne, James Corden, Elon Musk, Amy Schumer, Oprah Winfrey, Chelsea Handler and Jeremy Clarkson.

Former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne has been upfront about her use of the drug on multiple occasions, telling Daily Mail, ‘I’m too gaunt and I can’t put any weight on. I want to, because I feel I’m too skinny. I’m under 100lb and I don’t want to be. Be careful what you wish for.

She added, ‘I started on Ozempic last December and I’ve been off it for a while now, but my warning is don’t give it to teenagers, it’s just too easy. You can lose so much weight and it’s easy to become addicted to that, which is very dangerous. I couldn’t stop losing weight and now I’ve lost 42lbs and I can’t afford to lose any more.’

One of the other side effects reported anecdotally is hair loss. Reality star Sophia Umansky, known for Buying Beverly Hills, has documented her experience of weight loss jabs on TikTok, saying she’s lost hair as an indirect result.

‘I am very lucky that I have so much hair because at the rate that I have been losing hair, I’m gonna be bald in about a week. I started Mounjaro about four months ago and I would say for the past three weeks to a month, I’ve noticed a dramatic hair loss situation,’ she said.

‘I don’t think it’s a direct result of the medication, I think it’s a direct result of rapid weight loss because of the medication and not eating enough vitamins, protein and all that kind of stuff. I feel like at the beginning of starting this medication, I was just making sure I was eating enough. I wasn’t really thinking about enough protein or vitamins,’ she added.