Serena Williams has long been known for her dominance on the tennis court, but her latest headlines have nothing to do with championships.
The 43-year-old former world No. 1 revealed last week that she lost 31 pounds with the help of GLP-1, a prescription drug that’s become widely discussed for its rapid weight-loss results.
The announcement quickly drew attention from actress and activist Jameela Jamil, who took to Instagram to caution fans about the potential dangers of the medication. “The thing I feel most uncomfortable here is that celebrities have access to doctors most others don’t have access to,” Jamil wrote in a post on August 24. “These ‘miracle’ weight loss drugs come at a price.”
She included a list of possible side effects pulled directly from the drug manufacturers’ websites, ranging from “paralysis of the gastric system” and pancreatitis to hair loss, osteoporosis, muscle mass loss, thyroid issues, and even depression. Jamil added that lawsuits are already emerging from people who experienced complications.
In the caption, the 39-year-old performer emphasized that her message was not about body-shaming Williams or anyone considering the treatment, but rather about transparency. “Go ahead and take the drug or anything you like… Please just make sure you have access to proper healthcare before you make the decision to take any drug that has drastic results,” she wrote.
Jamil also pointed out another layer of concern: reports that Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, is an investor in the company behind the drug. “Another reason we should take every celebrity endorsement with a pinch of salt,” she noted.
Williams, meanwhile, has spoken positively about her experience. “It was crazy because I’d never been in a place like that in my life where I worked so hard, ate so healthy and could never get down to where I needed to be at,” she explained.
As of this writing, Williams’ representatives have not issued a public response to Jamil’s remarks.