Serena Williams Says Weight Loss Drug Made Her Healthier Than During Tennis Career
23-time Grand Slam champion credits GLP-1 medication for lowering cholesterol, stabilizing blood sugar, and reducing joint stress
By Aria Bendix
NBC News
Published: January 30, 2026 | 3 min read
NEW YORK — Serena Williams has achieved something remarkable: at 44, she says she’s healthier than she ever was during her record-breaking tennis career.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion revealed in an interview with NBC News that a GLP-1 weight loss medication has transformed her health metrics—lowering her cholesterol, steadying her blood sugar, and reducing stress on her injury-prone knees.
| Metric | 2021 (Peak Career) | 2026 (Current) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Cholesterol | 185 mg/dL | 129 mg/dL | ↓30% |
| Weight Loss | — | 34 lbs | Over 12 months |
“Some of these numbers are from when I was literally winning Grand Slams. So it wasn’t like I was just playing tennis. I was dominating,” Williams said.
Her cholesterol drop is particularly striking. The average GLP-1 user sees only a 5% decrease in total cholesterol—Williams achieved six times that.
Why She Started
Williams announced in August 2025 that she had begun taking a GLP-1 receptor agonist—the class of drugs that includes Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. Her decision was driven by multiple factors:
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Family history of diabetes, which disproportionately affects Black Americans
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Knee injuries that plagued her career and could be eased by weight loss
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Inability to lose weight through diet and exercise alone, even during her peak playing days
“Sometimes, no matter what you do, no matter how many steps you take, how many miles you run, you just can’t get over that hump. I know that for a fact. As a woman, as I age, I definitely couldn’t get over that hump.”
Williams’ announcement came as part of a campaign with Ro, a telehealth company that prescribes GLP-1 medications. Her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, is an investor in Ro and serves on its board.
Williams made clear she views the medication as permanent.
“It’s a lifetime thing.”
Stopping GLP-1 drugs often leads to weight regain—an average of 10 pounds in the first year after discontinuation, according to studies.
Health Scare Averted
Beyond aesthetics, Williams emphasized the serious health implications.
“I was at risk for heart disease, and I didn’t even know that. That’s kind of scary, and that’s the No. 1 thing that kills Americans. So I could have been a statistic.”
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. Black adults are 54% more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than white adults, according to a 2023 study.
When asked on the TODAY show whether she plans to return to professional tennis, Williams kept the door slightly ajar:
“It’s not a yes or a no. I’ll see what happens.”
For now, she’s focused on a different kind of longevity—one measured not in Grand Slams, but in years.