Are weight loss jabs changing our relationships and sex lives?
Robert Price | Last update: 23rd July 2025
For those of us who have experienced weight loss drugs, like Mounjaro and Wegovy, the transformational effect they can have is clear. There are more than 1.5 million people in the UK now taking GLP-1 weight loss drugs according to recent data from IQVIA. And there’s now growing insight into how weight loss drugs are changing people’s relationships and sex lives.
Here’s a quick SlimrChat update on what we’re hearing
It’s more than just weight loss
People on weight loss drugs are seeing an impact on their dating and sex life, according to a survey from the Kinsey Institute. Working with DatingAdvice.com, there were some surprising results showing the halo effect extends beyond weight loss and impacts our social lives and emotional well-being too.
Dr Amanda Gesselman, co-author of the study, highlighted how GLP-1s may be changing how people flirt, bond and build intimacy.
It won’t be a surprise to the SlimrChat community to discover that people express a lower interest in food and alcohol. This means traditional dinner-and-drinks dates are being replaced with different ways of connecting.
Confidence boosted in and out of the bedroom
The big takeaways:
- 17 per cent bought new clothes to show off their changing bodies
- 16 per cent heard from ex-partners looking to reconnect
- 14 per cent reported more matches on dating apps
- 13 per cent felt more confident posting photos of themselves online
- 12 per cent were more confident asking others out
- 12 per cent said they were going on more dates
The effects are extending into our bedrooms, with 52 per cent of users saying they’ve seen a change in their sex lives.
And the improvements in sexual desire, body comfort and sexual function were all higher than any decreases.
Dr. Justin Lehmiller from Kinsey said:
“How these drugs impact your sex life will depend on a variety of factors, including drug dosage and drug type, speed of weight loss, starting and ending weight, and how much you changed your health and fitness habits at the same time.”
Men feel they have more dramatic effects than women. Maybe because they have weight loss objectives that are more focused on dating and improving their sex lives.
Of course, none of this is super surprising because we’re all different. And we all have different expectations for our weight loss journey.
Disapproval of weight loss drugs
We all know that how our friends, family and work colleagues feel about weight loss drugs, can affect us profoundly. The survey underlined this, showing how 60 per cent of men said they feared judgement for using a weight loss drug, compared to 35 per cent of women.
One in four people surveyed said they would not date someone who was taking a GLP-1 treatment, and nearly a third were unsure. Reasons included concerns about side effects, belief that weight loss should come from diet and exercise and the view that taking the drug for appearance was limiting access for people with a medical need.
Things are changing
At SlimrChat, we think these preconceptions about treatments are starting to change, but it’s a slow process. We often encounter poorly researched media coverage.
American sex educator Stefanie Neumann, commented: “I’m fascinated by the trend of GLP-1 meds like semaglutide. I’m seeing it pop up in more of my conversations around sexual wellbeing and body confidence.”
We know that weight loss jabs are doing more than helping people lose weight. They are changing how users see themselves, how others respond to them and their relationships. And this includes opening new doors in dating and intimacy.
Ultimately, everyone’s experience is unique, and everyone needs support. And that’s why we’re here to help.