Serena Williams says she used a GLP-1 through Ro and joins the company as a paid ambassador

Serena Williams said on Aug. 21, 2025 that she used a GLP-1 medication through the telehealth company Ro to lose weight after her second child, and that she is joining Ro as a paid celebrity patient ambassador in a multi-year campaign the company describes as an effort to normalize GLP-1 use for weight loss ^[1].

Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist, is speaking publicly for the first time about using the drugs, according to Ro's announcement ^[1]. The company said she turned to Ro for "GLP-1 treatment, high-quality clinical care, and ongoing support" after her body changed postpartum and more time in the gym and healthier eating were not enough ^[1].

The announcement did not name the specific medication Williams used, and she has not disclosed how much weight she lost ^[1]. In an interview with TODAY, she described it only as a GLP-1 medication and said her blood sugar levels have improved and her joints feel lighter ^[2].

"I trained at the highest level, ate a clean diet, pushed myself, and still, after having kids, my body just wouldn't respond. I realized it wasn't about willpower; it was biological. My body needed the GLP-1 and clinical support," Williams said in the announcement ^[1].

She rejected the idea that the drugs are an easy route. "This isn't a shortcut. It's healthcare," she said ^[1]. She made a similar point to TODAY, saying a misconception is that a GLP-1 is a shortcut, adding, "believe me, I don't take shortcuts" ^[2].

Ro co-founder and CEO Zach Reitano said Williams is "redefining what it means to be strong" by talking about her own health, and that the company is "proud to be Serena's care partner" ^[1].

Williams stars in a national marketing campaign running across digital, broadcast, and out-of-home advertising ^[1]. Ro called the partnership multi-year but did not disclose the financial terms ^[1]. The company did disclose that Williams' husband is an investor in Ro and serves on its board ^[1]. The announcement follows Ro's April partnership with Charles Barkley, whom the company called its first GLP-1 celebrity patient ambassador ^[1].

Williams joins a growing list of public figures who have said they use these drugs ^[2]. Meghan Trainor said she used Mounjaro (tirzepatide) after her second pregnancy, and Rosie O'Donnell and Eric Stonestreet have both said they take Mounjaro; Stonestreet takes it for type 2 diabetes ^[2]. Chrissy Teigen said she turned to Ozempic (semaglutide) after a miscarriage ^[2]. Oprah Winfrey and Kelly Clarkson have each said they use a weight-loss drug without naming which one ^[2]. Experiences are not all positive: Bunnie XO told People she had "a bout of suicidal ideation" while taking a GLP-1, describing it as one of the darkest times of her life ^[2].

Why it matters for patients

The announcement is marketing as well as a personal disclosure. Ro sells GLP-1 treatment, and Williams is paid to represent it, a relationship the company disclosed along with her husband's board seat and investment ^[1]. The size of her payment has not been disclosed ^[1]. Readers who see the campaign should weigh it as advertising from a company that profits when patients sign up.

The "shortcut" question is one patients often hear. Williams is arguing that using medication for weight loss is medical care rather than a failure of willpower, and says her own training and diet changes were not enough on their own ^[1][2]. Side effects vary by person and by drug, and one celebrity has described serious mental health symptoms while on a GLP-1 ^[2]. What a given patient experiences has not been reported in these accounts.

Access is the other practical thread. Ro describes itself as a direct-to-patient company offering telehealth visits, labs, pharmacy services and insurance coordination, and says it has served patients in 99% of what it calls primary care deserts since 2017 ^[1].

What happens next

The Williams campaign is described as multi-year and is already running across digital, broadcast and out-of-home channels ^[1]. No end date, spending figures or additional ambassadors have been announced ^[1].