Are GLP-1s supercharging—or tanking your sex drive? Experts explain

This story originally appeared on Out.GLP-1s have revolutionized the way weight loss is treated, and while the drugs have a whole list of health benefits, they can also impact you in ways you might not expect.Not only do GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro help control Type 2 diabetes, lower blood pressure, and improve cholesterol, but they could also be impacting your libido. Sexual desire is a complicated issue, but experts say that these new drugs could tank the sex drives for some patients, and make others hornier than they ever were before. But why? And what can you do about it?What are GLP-1s and how do they work?Medications like Wegovy and Ozempic are two of the most well-known prescriptions in a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which mimic the GLP-1 hormone that regulates blood sugar and appetite. Most people are aware of GLP-1s now for their popularity as a weight loss medication, but they were originally created to treat Type 2 diabetes.“Glucagon-like peptide-1 is a hormone produced in our guts in response to food — especially sugar and fat — that signals, among many pathways, for our gut to slow down (gastric emptying) and promotes feeling full (satiety),” says Dr. Carl Streed Jr., an associate professor of Medicine at Boston University and research lead for the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery at Boston Medical Center. “Typically when folks say GLP-1s we're actually referring to GLP-1 receptor agonists, medications that act like GLP-1 and promote satiety.”The end result is that GLP-1s slow gastric emptying, suppress appetite, and keep blood sugar levels even, which means that you’ll feel full faster, eat less, and have fewer blood sugar spikes and crashes. How do GLP-1s impact your sex drive?Every medication on the market has side effects, and while most of the conversations surrounding GLP-1s are about how it impacts the gut, with people reporting nausea and bloating, this class of medication can a