Serena Williams, GLP-1s and the Research Gap Affecting Black Women

Celebrity endorsements are drawing new attention to weight-loss drugs, yet research on their long-term effects on Black women’s muscles and bones is still catching up.

By EEW Magazine Online Health & Wellness Editors

Serena Williams appears in a promotional photo for Ro, the telehealth company she has represented as a paid ambassador since 2025. (Photo courtesy of Ro)

Tennis legend Serena Williams became a paid ambassador for Ro in 2025. Ro is a telehealth company that prescribes GLP-1 weight-loss medications, and Williams has credited one of those drugs with helping her lose weight and improve her health. Her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, is an investor in Ro and sits on its board.

Oprah Winfrey has also spoken publicly about using a GLP-1. Together they have brought these medications into conversations among women who have followed and trusted them for decades.

“Some of my health stats are even better than they were when I was playing tennis professionally,” Williams said.

For Black women considering Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound, an important question remains: How thoroughly have these drugs been studied in women like them?

Mounjaro, Wegovy and Zepbound are among the GLP-1-based injections at the center of the weight-loss medication boom. (Credit: Illustration by EEW Magazine Online)

The answer is limited, especially when it comes to muscle and bone. In one semaglutide trial of nearly 2,000 participants, just 111, about 6%, identified as Black or African American. A follow-up analysis of body composition included only 140 people in total. Those numbers are too small to show how the drugs affect Black women’s muscle strength, bone density and fracture risk over time.

What the research does show deserves attention, especially for women approaching menopause. A 2025 study of tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound, found that about a quarter of the weight participants lost was lean tissue, which includes muscle, water and organs. Some lean-tissue loss is common with any substantial weight loss. Researchers are still studying how it affects strength, balance and mobility.

Bone health raises more questions. In a 2024 trial of 64 adults, most of them postmenopausal women, those taking semaglutide lost more bone density at the hip and lower spine than those on a placebo. They also lost more weight, which researchers said may explain the difference.

Black women made up about 6% of participants in a major semaglutide trial, which leaves gaps in what researchers know about the drugs’ long-term effects on muscle and bone. (Credit: Getty Images)

Larger studies are more reassuring. A review published in September covering more than 1.2 million people found no significant overall effect on fractures. Most of that research, however, involves people with type 2 diabetes. One large study published this summer linked GLP-1 use to fewer fractures in adults with diabetes and to a higher fracture risk in adults without it. The researchers said their study design could not prove the drugs were the cause.

Osteoporosis is less common in Black women than in White women, yet it can develop silently and lead to serious injury. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has warned that common fracture-risk calculators may underestimate risk in Black patients, which can affect who is offered treatment. The task force recommends osteoporosis screening for all women 65 and older and for younger postmenopausal women with added risk factors.

Protein and strength training can help protect the body during treatment. A 2025 advisory from four professional organizations encourages both. A 2024 study found that pairing an older GLP-1 drug with structured exercise preserved bone density better than the drug alone.

Women weighing these medications can ask their doctors about bone-density screening, nutrition, exercise and changes in strength. These questions hold greater significance for women nearing menopause, women with existing bone problems and women who are losing weight quickly. Researchers are also studying what happens after treatment stops, including whether regained weight returns as muscle or as fat.

Williams and other prominent women have reported real benefits, and the drugs have performed strongly in clinical trials. The research on Black women’s long-term health has more ground to cover. Until it does, a woman’s best guides are a doctor who knows her medical history, reliable research and regular check-ins on her health.

This article is for informational purposes and does not replace medical advice from your physician.