Serena Williams has built her career on grit, discipline, and an almost unmatched dominance in professional tennis. But behind her 23 Grand Slam titles lies a very different struggle, one she has chosen to share publicly for the first time: her battle with postpartum weight gain.

Now 43, Williams has revealed that she turned to GLP-1 medications, a class of injectable drugs originally designed for diabetes, to help her lose more than 31 pounds after giving birth to her second daughter in 2023. The admission has sparked both praise and debate, highlighting the growing cultural conversation around weight loss drugs.

Williams has spoken candidly about the physical challenges she faced after giving birth to her first daughter, Alexis Olympia, in 2017. Despite maintaining an elite athlete’s lifestyle, she noticed changes that resisted even the most disciplined training.

“I could never reach the weight I needed, no matter what I did, no matter how much I exercised,” she explained. “It was crazy because I had never been in a situation where I worked so hard, ate so healthily, and still couldn’t reach my desired weight.”

The experience deepened after the birth of her second child, Adira, in 2023. Despite her efforts—running, walking, and even incorporating professional-level workouts—her body seemed unwilling to return to its pre-pregnancy state.

For an athlete defined by relentless effort, the frustration was profound. “I’ve never taken shortcuts in my career and I’ve always worked very hard. I know what it takes to be the best,” Williams said. “It was very frustrating to do the same thing over and over again and never be able to change the number on the scale.”

Determined to explore new options, Williams consulted with doctors and eventually began GLP-1 treatment under supervision from Ro, a telehealth company offering direct-to-patient healthcare. Six months after giving birth to Adira, she started the injectable regimen.

GLP-1, short for glucagon-like peptide-1, mimics a natural hormone that regulates blood sugar and appetite. By slowing digestion and signaling fullness to the brain, it reduces hunger and supports weight loss. Clinical trials have shown average reductions of around 12 percent body weight with semaglutide and up to 18 percent with tirzepatide, a related drug that combines GLP-1 with another hormone mimic.

Williams said her initial hesitation gave way to results that left her feeling stronger, lighter, and more in control. “I feel great,” she told People magazine. “I feel really good and healthy. I feel light physically and light mentally.”

Williams’ decision to go public isn’t just about her personal journey—it’s part of a wider campaign. This week, she officially announced a partnership with Ro to help normalize the use of GLP-1s and to challenge the narrative that they represent an “easy way out.”

Her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, is also deeply involved as an investor and board member of the company. The move reflects a broader cultural shift, while celebrities like Oprah Winfrey have also disclosed their use of GLP-1s to manage weight fluctuations, the stigma around weight loss medication remains stubbornly present.

“Serena Williams is one of the most disciplined athletes in history,” said one physician not involved in her care. “If she’s saying that despite all her training, lifestyle changes, and effort she still needed support, that’s a powerful message for millions of women struggling with the same issue.”

What Are The Risks And Realities Of GLP-1?

While Williams is careful to emphasize that her treatment was doctor-supervised, experts caution against viewing GLP-1s as a universal solution. Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and constipation, while more serious risks can involve gallbladder disease, kidney damage, and even severe hypoglycemia when combined with certain other medications.

Doctors stress that not everyone is an appropriate candidate and that weight regain is a reality if patients do not combine treatment with long-term lifestyle changes. “Medication can be the first push,” one endocrinologist explained. “But sustaining the results requires ongoing commitment to nutrition, physical activity, and overall health.”

Have Weight Loss Drugs Become A Global Phenomenon?

What began in the United States as a medical tool for diabetes has now ballooned into a global weight-loss industry worth billions. In Europe, more than half of adults are overweight, and 17 percent are classified as obese. The World Obesity Federation projects that by 2050, 60 percent of adults worldwide could fall into this category.

GLP-1 drugs have become central to this story. Spending on obesity medications surpassed €26 billion globally in 2024, up more than tenfold since 2020. In countries like Italy, private demand has soared, with many patients paying over €1,000 per month out of pocket.

Williams’ visibility as one of the most successful athletes in history brings new attention to this debate, underscoring how widespread the challenge of weight management is—even among elite performers.

For Williams, her public acknowledgment is about removing shame. “As a woman, you go through different cycles in your life,” she said. “No matter what I did- running, walking, playing a professional sport, after my second kid, it just even got harder. So then I was like, OK, I have to try something different.”

Her candor reflects a broader movement to destigmatize the use of medical tools for weight loss. Many women, she noted, feel a sense of guilt or failure when turning to medication, despite evidence showing that obesity is a chronic medical condition with genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors at play.

“I don’t take shortcuts,” she emphasized in Ro’s promotional video. “As an athlete and as someone that has done everything, I just couldn’t get my weight to where I needed to be at a healthy place.”

Serena Williams Weight Loss: Is This Breaking Stigma Or Joining The Trend?

It’s both, really, and the distinction is subtle but important. Serena Williams’ openness about using GLP-1 medication reflects a broader shift in the public conversation about weight loss, health, and medical interventions, but it also intersects with a growing trend of high-profile figures publicly embracing these treatments. On one hand, her candor helps break stigma. For decades, women—especially those in the public eye—have faced judgment, scrutiny, and moralizing whenever they discussed weight management.

By sharing her personal journey, Williams is normalizing the idea that seeking medical support for weight is not a moral failing, a shortcut, or something to hide. On the other hand, she is undeniably participating in a trend: GLP-1 medications have exploded in popularity, fueled by social media, celebrity endorsements, and widespread public interest.

Her visibility amplifies both aspects, she lends legitimacy to a medical tool while also shining a spotlight on a hot, rapidly growing weight loss phenomenon. What this really means is that breaking stigma and joining a trend aren’t mutually exclusive; in Williams’ case, they coexist.

The number of autistic women is same as the number of autistic men, but women know to hide it well, says research. A study published in the BMJ, found that while the rates of diagnosis for autistic is found among young boys and girls, rates are almost identical by the time they reach adulthood. However, these new findings have also shown that women are more likely to "mask" signs of autism in order to fit in. This is why their diagnosis is done far later.

What Did The Study Find Out?

This is the first major study to find such high levels of condition among women. Previously, diagnoses rates were four times higher among boys and men than females.

Specialists say the findings highlight the urgent need to move away from outdated stereotypes that still influence how autism is recognized and diagnosed.

The international study, led by researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, examined autism diagnosis rates among people born in Sweden between 1985 and 2000. More than 2.7 million individuals were followed for up to 37 years, making it one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind.

By 2022, around 2.8 per cent of the population studied had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The data revealed a clear pattern. In early childhood, boys were far more likely than girls to receive an autism diagnosis. However, this gap steadily narrowed during adolescence.

By the time participants reached their late teens and early 20s, diagnosis rates among men and women were broadly similar. Researchers noted that the male to female ratio of autism diagnoses decreased over time to the point that it may no longer be distinguishable in adulthood.

A Catch-Up Effect in Adolescence

Dr Caroline Fyfe, lead author of the study from the University of Edinburgh, said autism has long been viewed as a condition that mainly affects males. While that pattern was still visible in children under 10, the picture changed rapidly during adolescence.

Read: Mattel Launches First-Ever Barbie With Autism

She explained that diagnoses among girls rose sharply in the teenage years, creating what researchers described as a female catch-up effect. By the age of 20, autism rates were almost equal between men and women. According to Dr Fyfe, this suggests late or missed diagnoses in females rather than a true biological difference between sexes.

Masking and Mental Health Misdiagnoses

Experts say one major reason for delayed diagnosis is masking. Girls and women are often more likely to imitate social behavior, maintain eye contact and suppress traits traditionally associated with autism. While this can help them fit in socially, it can also make their difficulties harder to identify in clinical settings.

Dr Judith Brown from the National Autistic Society said gender should never be a barrier to diagnosis or support. She noted that autistic women who are misdiagnosed often develop additional mental health challenges due to years without appropriate understanding or help.

She added that the exhaustion of constant masking can contribute to anxiety and depression, reinforcing the importance of recognizing autism earlier in girls.

Clinical Biases Under Scrutiny

Dr Steven Kapp, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Portsmouth, said research has consistently shown that clinical biases play a role in under-recognizing autism in women and girls. He explained that subtler behaviors and social adaptation often lead clinicians to overlook autism in females.

A linked editorial written by a patient and advocate echoed these concerns, warning that autistic women are frequently labelled with mood or personality disorders while waiting for a correct diagnosis. As a result, many are forced to self-advocate simply to be recognized as autistic.

Experts say the findings should prompt changes in diagnostic approaches, ensuring that autistic girls and women are no longer left unseen.

Actor Claire Foy has revealed that a long, uncomfortable health struggle picked up while travelling ended up reshaping her relationship with caffeine. The Crown star, 41, said she gave up tea and coffee after discovering she had stomach parasites, an experience she described as “gross” and “absolutely rank.”

Foy shared the story during her appearance on The Table Manners Podcast with hosts Jessie and Lennie Ware on February 4, where the conversation moved from food to a period of unexplained weight loss and constant hunger.

“I kept losing weight, and I didn’t know what was going on,” she told the hosts. Despite eating regularly, she said she never felt full. “I was so hungry,” Foy recalled, adding that the situation left her confused and worried.

Diagnosis After Years of Symptoms

The actor explained that the cause was eventually traced back to stomach parasites she had picked up while travelling in Morocco. The diagnosis came after medical tests, including stool samples, which she candidly described as unpleasant but necessary.

According to Foy, doctors told her she had been carrying the parasites for around five years, a length of time she herself described as “quite a long time.” While she did not name the specific parasites, she shared one detail that stuck with her. “They travel as a pair, I got told by the doctor,” she said, reacting with visible disgust even years later.

Living with the condition took a toll on her body and routine. The ongoing symptoms pushed her to rethink how she approached treatment and daily habits, including what she consumed.

Read: 10 Signs You May Have A Parasite

Clair Foy Had Parasites For 5 Years: Why Caffeine Had to Go

It was during treatment that Foy made the decision to give up caffeine entirely. She explained that she wanted to avoid very strong antibiotics if possible and instead followed a strict diet alongside other treatments. “I basically had to go on this diet,” she said. “I didn’t want to take really hardcore antibiotics.”

As part of that process, caffeine was cut out. “I took all this gross stuff and part of that was giving up caffeine,” Foy told the hosts. At the time, it was a major shift. She admitted she had been a heavy caffeine consumer, drinking around 15 cups of tea a day along with two coffees she had carefully planned into her schedule.

A Habit That Never Came Back

Giving up caffeine was not easy, but once she did, Foy decided to stick with it. “Once you’ve given it up, it’s such a mission to give it up, that I was like, well, maybe I’ll just give it a go,” she said.

Now fully caffeine-free, she even brought her own tea bags to the podcast recording. The show is known for hosts and guests sharing food and drinks in the Ware family kitchen, making her preparation a small but telling detail of how seriously she takes the change.

Medical experts note that parasitic infections usually require medication to clear completely, often involving antiparasitic drugs and sometimes antibiotics or antifungals. In many cases, a combination of treatments is needed.

"I went into chemo-induced menopause at 37," said Lisa Ray, a Canadian actress during an interview with BBC. She also shared the clip of the interview on her Instagram account talking about the importance of awareness about the side effects of cancer and its treatment on women. Sharing the clip on her Instagram story, she wrote "This is me in menopause. Menopause does not have one face...I went into premature chemo-induced menopause at 37."

She revealed that she had blood cancer, called Multiple Myeloma. "At that time, it was the least of my worries. I had a blood cancer called Multiple Myeloma to contend with… But after recovering, I could focus on what being in menopause suddenly at 37 would mean. And I had no one to talk to," said Lisa, now 53.

What Is Chemo-induced Menopause?

Chemotherapy do not just target cancer cells, but it can also harm healthy cells, which are fast diving. Ovaries fall into that category and thus they stop producing hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which pushes the body into sudden menopause.

This condition is called iatrogenic menopause or chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure. While it could be temporary for some people, for others, it could be permanent. Experts explain that women under 30 could see their periods return after the treatment.

Chemotherapy works by attacking cells that grow and divide rapidly. While this helps destroy cancer cells, it also affects healthy cells, such as those responsible for hair growth, which is why hair loss is a common side effect.

This process can also impact reproductive organs, including the ovaries, and disrupt hormone production. As a result, levels of estrogen and progesterone—the key hormones involved in menopause—may become imbalanced due to chemotherapy’s effects on the endocrine system.

Damage to cells and these hormonal shifts can trigger menopausal symptoms and, in some cases, cause periods to stop altogether.

For people over 40, hormone levels may already be naturally declining. In such cases, chemotherapy can accelerate a menopausal transition that has already begun.

Chemo-induced Menopause Symptoms

The symptoms are same as one experiences in natural menopause, which include:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Mood swings
• Fatigue
• Vaginal dryness
• Loss of libido

However, Lisa also points out the emotional impact, which could be intense especially for someone who is young and was not expecting to face menopause for decades. “Both menopause and disease-induced menopause have been treated with shame and silence for too long,” Lisa wrote on her Instagram post.

Chemo-induced Menopause: What Can Help?

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): When considered safe and not restricted by hormone-sensitive cancers, HRT can help manage symptoms while supporting bone strength and heart health.

Non-hormonal treatments: Certain medications, including SSRIs, SNRIs, and gabapentin, may reduce hot flashes, while vaginal moisturizers and lubricants can relieve dryness.

Lifestyle changes: Staying physically active, following a calcium and vitamin D-rich diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing stress can significantly support overall wellbeing.

Fertility support: Options such as egg or embryo freezing before treatment, along with consultations with a fertility specialist afterward, may help preserve future parenthood possibilities.