Weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are not just about shrinking waistlines or just about them changing people’s dates and romantic connections.
A new survey by the Kinsey Institute shows that 59% of GLP-1 users have reported significant changes in their dating lives, while men have particularly big shifts in their confidence and romantic success.
A nationally representative study of 2,000 U.S. adults found that 8% of people used GLP-1 to lose weight, with no significant difference between men and women. However, the effects of drugs on dating behavior vary by gender, suggesting that these drugs are reshaping modern romance in unexpected ways.
Dating confidence gains chemistry boost
The survey shows that the dating behavior of GLP-1 users has changed a lot. One in five (17%) bought new clothes to show off their transformed corpses, while 16% reported hearing from EXES that wanted to reconnect. Perhaps most obvious, 14% said they got more matches on the dating app.
“The use of GLP-1 is increasing in single adults, and it is starting to affect more,” said Dr. Amanda Gesselman, a research scientist at the Kinsey Institute and an author on the study. “These transformations have the potential to reshape how people build intimacy in today’s dating landscape.”
The effect of the drug goes beyond the appearance. Users reported that the willingness to put themselves there romantically increased, with 13% posting photos online more confidently and 12% willing to ask others.
Gender Differences Tell a Complex Story
Men seem to experience greater dating improvements than women. The investigation found that men reported higher confidence in appearance and might say their dates were higher. They also showed greater success on the dating platform, and men were more likely to report increased matches.
Key gender differences include:
- The possibility of men reporting more dates is
- Men show three times confidence in appearance
- Men experience more dramatic fluctuations in sexual function – positive and negative
- Men report more anxious about drug use
“These results suggest that GLP-1 drugs have a larger dating life than women,” said Dr. Justin Lehmiller, a senior researcher at the Kinsey Institute and study co-author.
Sexual health shows different results
The effects of these drugs on sexual satisfaction have proven to be more complex. About 52% of users reported changes in their sex life, but the effects vary widely between individuals. Despite an increase in sexual desire in 18%, 16% reported a decrease in sexual desire. Similarly, 16% said their sexual function improved, while 12% worsened their performance.
Lehmiller explains variability: “How these drugs affect your sex life will depend on a variety of factors, including drug dosage and type of medication, weight loss rate, starting weight and ending weight and your changes in health and fitness habits at the same time.”
Men again showed more extreme responses, twice as likely to report improvements and worsening of sexual function than women. This pattern suggests that drugs may expand existing trends rather than have a unified impact.
Social stigma and masculinity concerns
Despite positive dating results, many users (especially men) are still obsessed with social judgment. The survey found that 60% of men were judged for taking GLP-1 drugs, compared with 35% of women. This difference may reflect a broader cultural attitude toward masculinity and weight loss assistance.
The study highlights how these widely used drugs can have a chain reaction throughout the modern dating culture. According to some polls, as usage rates may reach 12% of the adult population, understanding these social and psychological effects is becoming increasingly important for both users and healthcare providers.
The study shows that dating norms may continue to evolve as GLP-1 use continues to grow, and may get rid of traditional dinner and drinking dates as users report less appetite and lower interest in alcohol.
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