Billie Jean King says she took GLP-1 injections for binge eating, not weight loss

Billie Jean King said she has used a GLP-1 medication to quiet her thoughts about food, describing herself as a binge eater — a disclosure framed around disordered eating rather than weight loss.

Speaking on the Wiser Than Me podcast, King said she took "a few injections" at her doctor's recommendation, hoping the drug would reduce her preoccupation with food. She did not name the medication. Her dose, how long she took it, and whether she still uses it have not been reported, and whether she has a formal diagnosis of binge eating disorder has not been disclosed.

Most public figures who have discussed this drug class have described it in terms of weight or a related condition. Eric Stonestreet said he takes Mounjaro for his type 2 diabetes, which he kept secret for years ^[1]. Renee Graziano said she had lost 52 pounds with Mounjaro by May 2025 ^[1]. Savannah Chrisley said she lost 25 pounds on tirzepatide after stopping a different weight-loss drug she said interfered too much with her appetite ^[1]. Rosie O'Donnell said Mounjaro brought her to a size 12, Meghan Trainor used Mounjaro after her second pregnancy, Serena Williams used a GLP-1 after her second child, and Chrissy Teigen turned to Ozempic after a 2020 miscarriage ^[1]. Oprah Winfrey and Kelly Clarkson each said they used a weight-loss drug without naming it; Clarkson said hers was not Ozempic ^[1].

The medications King referred to only as injections belong to a class with specific approved uses. Semaglutide is sold as Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and as Wegovy for obesity. Tirzepatide is sold as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and as Zepbound for obesity ^[1]. Novo Nordisk, which makes Ozempic, has said it does not support off-label use of its medications ^[1].

Not every public account has been positive. Bunnie XO said she experienced "a bout of suicidal ideation" while taking a GLP-1 ^[1]. Chrissy Teigen said the drop in hunger cues was "frustrating," because she knew she needed food for energy ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

Disclosures like King's draw attention to a group of patients — people who describe their eating as disordered rather than simply overweight — that rarely appears in celebrity coverage of these drugs. The approved uses reported for semaglutide and tirzepatide are type 2 diabetes and obesity ^[1]. Whether GLP-1 medications reduce binge eating or treat binge eating disorder has not been established in these accounts, and no study results on that question were released with King's comments.

King's account also illustrates how much patients often do not know when they start: which drug, what dose, how long. None of that has been reported in her case.

The range of experiences described publicly runs from weight loss and improved blood sugar to appetite loss that felt unwelcome and, in one account, suicidal thoughts ^[1]. Anyone weighing these drugs is making a decision that involves their own medical history, which is why the public statements of celebrities are not a substitute for a clinician's assessment.

What happens next

No follow-up from King or her representatives has been reported, and no company, regulator or research group has announced any action connected to her comments. The podcast episode is the only account of her GLP-1 use made public so far. No date has been given for any further statement.