Is Ozempic Causing an Increase in Women's Breasts?

The drug Ozempic (a drug for Type 2 Diabetes to manage blood sugar) has become popular as a weight loss drug, despite that weight loss is not the indication for the drug. Still, it is rather widespreadly acknolwedged as a common result (the active ingredient in Ozempic, known as

semaglutide, is FDA-approved at higher doses for treating individuals with obesity and other weight related medical problems under the name Wegovy). In addition to weight loss, however, some women have said Ozempic increased their breast size. In a recent Reddit post, one user said that he and his wife had been taking taking 0.5mg of semaglutide for just over a month and that "[n]ot only have we not lost ANY weight, her breasts are getting huge." He added, "[s]he says she is more uncomfortable because now her tops are getting tighter." Commentors asked if she was pregnant, but he responded there was no chance she was. Another user shared she was also experiencing an increase in breast size after taking GLP-1 drugs. "I'm also experiencing this and am 100,000% sure there's no way I'm pregnant," she wrote. But, she added, her larger looking breasts might be because she has lost fat in other areas of her body. "I think in my case it's actually that I'm losing the fat on my sides so my boobs both look and feel bigger," she explained. "This happened to me AND my friend!" a third commenter said.

But the experts are skeptical, according to the DailMail. Dr. Smita Ramanadham, a New Jersey-based plastic surgeon, said, "[f]or our breasts, the majority of the tissue is actually fat and, in general, when you lose fat you lose that size in your breasts too." He added, "I think what we have to remember is that any weight loss affects the whole body, and one person's experience will likely be different from another's. It is best to consult your doctor before using the medications." He and Dr. Andrew Peredo, a New York-based plastic surgeon, said it was "plausible" that fat loss could initially cause the breasts to swell, but they they stressed that this would be a "rare" side effect.