Serena Williams’ Ro deal spotlights GLP-1 “peptides”

Serena Williams has returned to the public spotlight after openly endorsing GLP-1 weight-loss drugs through Ro, saying the treatment helped her lose 34 pounds after the birth of her second child in 2023 and made her feel better as she trains. Her campaign is d

Serena Williams didn’t just announce she’s coming back to tennis—she tied that comeback to a new kind of weight-loss message. In a Ro telehealth commercial for Super Bowl viewers, the former world No. 1 credited her improved movement to her lower weight and pointed to steadier blood sugar levels while she trains.

“I’m moving better on Ro,” Williams said in the ad, which plugs Ro’s prescriptions for Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. Her husband, Alexis Ohanian—cofounder of Reddit—sits on the board and is described in the deal as a major investor.

Williams said the payoff wasn’t only on the scale. In the same commercial. she described how she feels “healthier” on her injectable medication. and she has said these drugs helped her lose 34 pounds after the birth of her second child in 2023. When she first announced her paid partnership with Ro in 2025. she told the “Today” show. “After having two kids. I wasn’t able to be at a weight that was healthy for me.”.

Those remarks land with extra force in a market already buzzing over a specific category: GLP-1s—glucagon-like peptide-1 molecules—sitting at the center of today’s peptide boom.

GLP-1s are peptides, and the broader conversation has spread well beyond clinics. Injectable peptides have become wildly popular among gym-goers. athletes. and bodybuilders looking to trim fat. control inflammation. and avoid injuries. with many chasing an edge in their routines. Within that culture. gym-goers also talk about compounds such as BPC-157 (often dubbed “the Wolverine shot”) for recovery. and ipamorelin CJC-1295 for lean muscle growth.

Williams, however, is not positioning GLP-1s as performance-enhancing drugs. The point she’s making is tied to FDA-approved uses—blood sugar control and clinical weight loss—and to how the drugs can help people feel more capable as they manage their weight. Still. she has become a high-profile symbol for a trend that runs from regular patients up to competitive athletes: using GLP-1s to stay nimble as they get older.

Doctors and researchers have also been moving in that direction. The reporting notes that their patients are increasingly recognizing GLP-1s as a health optimization tool rather than only a treatment for diabetes and obesity. Research cited in the source says the medications can improve heart health. liver function. and sleep quality. and scientists are probing whether they could support healthier aging and longevity.

Exercise physiologist Pat Davidson—who is using an unapproved GLP-1 drug to shred fat for bodybuilding—frames it bluntly. “It’s the most powerful drug we’ve ever seen for helping people lose body fat,” Davidson said. “You are never putting that genie back in the bottle.”

The emphasis on GLP-1s as more than a weight-loss pill is also appearing in how physicians talk about “dangerous belly fat.” Too much visceral fat—the type that hugs internal organs like the liver and kidneys—can raise the risk of chronic disease. including Type 2 diabetes and obesity. In San Francisco, Dr. Nima Afshar. a concierge doctor at longevity-focused Private Medical. said he has “dozens” of elite clients using these drugs to remove visceral fat and feel better in their bodies.

Afshar’s patient conversations. he said. increasingly begin with people who may not look “that overweight.” In his account. he is still looking for visceral fat and the inflammation tied to it. explaining that some people can carry visceral fat without metabolic effects. though he called that “uncommon.” He also described what many patients report once the “negative signaling” from extra visceral fat is gone: a chain of health benefits.

“I almost don’t use the word weight,” Afshar said. “Some people can carry visceral fat, but tolerate it well and have no metabolic effects — that’s uncommon.” For most people, he said, extra “toxic” mid-section fat that isn’t always visible can leave them feeling “not quite as good.”

To decide whether GLP-1s make sense. Afshar said he uses multiple clinical measurements. including InBody scans. routine bloodwork. liver and kidney ultrasounds. and blood pressure readings. He also advises patients on GLP-1s to increase protein intake to “the maximum” recommended dose and to incorporate more movement into daily routines—aiming to protect muscle while losing fat as they eat less.

Even payers are starting to shape the behavior around these medications. The source says some private insurers are mandating that patients adhere to an exercise and nutrition program in order to get access to the drugs.

Dr. Mitch Biermann. an obesity medicine physician at Scripps Health in San Diego. described the shift as part of a broader move in his field toward a more holistic assessment of excess fat and body composition. Biermann said insurance may not cover every indication. but doctors are prescribing GLP-1s to a wider array of people with health concerns tied to excess weight. including joint pain. inflammation. and high blood pressure. “I think there are quite a lot of indications that people can justifiably use the medicine,” Biermann said. “There are just many different definitions of obesity now.”.

The same drugs that are framed as medical tools are also being pulled into the performance-and-physique world. Bodybuilders have long used exogenous hormones—whether steroids or insulin—alongside protein-rich diets and more strength training than cardio. GLP-1 drugs are being described as a next-generation version of that approach: powerful hunger-checking hormones that can help athletes get lean.

Davidson, the bodybuilder, is preparing for couple of Mr. Universe-style bodybuilding competitions in July. His stated aim is to cut body fat without sacrificing muscle. For that. he paired an ultra-high-protein. low-carb diet with a powerful but not-yet-released GLP-1 drug called retatrutide. which is still in development at Eli Lilly. He said he started taking retatrutide about three months ago as part of what he described as a groundswell of gym-goers tapping into underground “peptide” markets selling research materials.

Davidson told the reporting he has lost over 30 pounds in three months, and he said he feels like the GLP-1 has helped him maintain more strength than he usually does during the slim-down phase before a big event. “I really haven’t gotten any weaker,” Davidson said.

Doctors involved in this space warn against the path some people take. The source says Afshar believes “super optimizers” like Davidson are rarities in his practice. but he knows at least a few people who fit into that category. Physicians, it says, vehemently recommend against using these drugs without medical supervision. Williams is not part of this performance-enhancement-through-peptides band—she is promoting FDA-approved uses. including blood sugar control and clinical weight loss.

Even so, Williams’ high-profile return next week is landing as a major spotlight for the peptide ecosystem. Her story is being read by supporters as proof that peptides are about more than treating chronic diseases like obesity and Type 2 diabetes—and it is pushing the conversation further into what many people are now trying to optimize: movement. metabolic health. and how athletes and everyday patients feel while they pursue lower weight.

Serena Williams Ro GLP-1 Ozempic Wegovy Zepbound peptides Alexis Ohanian retatrutide Eli Lilly visceral fat obesity medicine