Has Stephen A. Smith confirmed which specific GLP-1 drug he used?

Smith has confirmed using a GLP-1 receptor agonist on air but has not consistently specified whether the medication was semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy), tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound), or another agent in the class. Public statements reference the drug family broadly.

How does Smith's weight loss compare to clinical trial averages?

Without knowing Smith's starting weight, specific drug, dose, or duration of treatment, direct comparison is not possible. Clinical trials of semaglutide 2.4 mg show a mean loss of 14.9% of body weight at 68 weeks. Individual outcomes range widely, with some patients losing more than 20% and others responding minimally.

Do celebrity GLP-1 disclosures influence prescribing patterns?

Evidence suggests yes. A 2024 analysis in JAMA Internal Medicine documented a correlation between media coverage spikes (often celebrity-driven) and GLP-1 prescription volume increases, particularly in the direct-to-consumer telehealth channel. The causal direction is difficult to isolate, but the association is consistent.

Are GLP-1 drugs safe for someone without diabetes?

Semaglutide 2.4 mg (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Zepbound) are FDA-approved for chronic weight management in adults with BMI ≥30 or BMI ≥27 with a weight-related comorbidity, regardless of diabetes status. The SELECT trial confirmed cardiovascular safety and benefit in non-diabetic adults. Prescribing still requires medical evaluation, and contraindications (including medullary thyroid carcinoma history and multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2) apply.

What happens when you stop taking a GLP-1 medication?

The STEP 1 extension data showed participants regained about two-thirds of their lost weight within one year of discontinuation. Appetite, which the drug suppresses through central and peripheral mechanisms, returns to baseline. Most clinical guidelines now describe GLP-1 therapy for obesity as long-term or indefinite, similar to statin therapy for hyperlipidemia.

Stephen A. Smith Compared to Other Public GLP-1 Figures

By HealthRX.com Medical Team

Published May 25, 2026Updated May 25, 2026Last reviewed May 25, 2026

Clinical image for Stephen A. Smith Compared to Other Public GLP-1 Figures Image: HealthRX.com clinical image

Stephen A. Smith's Confirmed GLP-1 Use

Stephen A. Smith discussed GLP-1 medication use on ESPN's First Take, confirming that he had taken a GLP-1 receptor agonist and describing its impact on his appetite and body composition. The specific agent (semaglutide, tirzepatide, or another GLP-1 RA) was not pinpointed in every public statement, but Smith spoke openly about the drug class and his personal results.

This places Smith in a small but growing group of public figures who have moved past the "deny or deflect" phase that characterized early celebrity GLP-1 commentary. His willingness to discuss the medication on a nationally broadcast sports show, rather than in a controlled magazine interview, is notable. Sports media reaches a demographic (men aged 25 to 54) that pharmaceutical marketing for GLP-1 agents has historically underserved.

GLP-1 receptor agonists work by mimicking the incretin hormone GLP-1, which stimulates insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon, slows gastric emptying, and acts on hypothalamic appetite centers to reduce caloric intake. A 2021 NEJM trial of semaglutide 2.4 mg showed mean weight loss of 14.9% over 68 weeks in adults with obesity, compared to 2.4% with placebo.

The Celebrity GLP-1 Disclosure Timeline

Public celebrity GLP-1 disclosures have followed a distinct arc.

2022 and earlier: whisper phase. GLP-1 agents were FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes (semaglutide in 2017) and obesity (semaglutide 2.4 mg in June 2021), but celebrity association remained largely tabloid speculation. Rumors circulated about rapid weight changes in entertainment and tech circles. Almost no public figure confirmed use on the record.

2023: the Ozempic wave. Several high-profile figures began acknowledging GLP-1 use. Comedian and television host Chelsea Handler confirmed she had unknowingly taken Ozempic, prescribed by her anti-aging doctor, and described the experience publicly. Media mogul Oprah Winfrey initially declined to confirm or deny GLP-1 use, fueling months of speculation before eventually confirming she used a GLP-1 medication in late 2023. Entrepreneur Elon Musk confirmed using Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4 mg) via social media, framing it as a practical weight-management tool.

2024 to 2025: normalization. By this period, public GLP-1 disclosures became routine. Reality television personalities, professional athletes, and media figures discussed the drugs with decreasing stigma. Smith's on-air discussion fits squarely in this normalization window.

Confirmed vs. Speculated: A Critical Distinction

The HealthRX.com Medical Team emphasizes a hard line between confirmed and speculated use. Among the most widely discussed public figures:

Confirmed users (on the record, in their own words):

Stephen A. Smith confirmed GLP-1 use on First Take and discussed physical outcomes.
Oprah Winfrey confirmed GLP-1 medication use in a December 2023 People magazine interview, later dedicating an ABC primetime special to the topic.
Elon Musk confirmed Wegovy use in an October 2022 tweet, crediting it alongside fasting for his weight change.
Chelsea Handler confirmed she had been prescribed Ozempic without initially knowing, describing the experience on her podcast.
Charles Barkley publicly confirmed taking a GLP-1 medication in 2024, discussing his results on multiple broadcasts.

Publicly speculated but not confirmed (the HealthRX.com Medical Team cannot verify):

Dozens of entertainment and sports figures have been the subject of tabloid GLP-1 speculation based on visible weight changes. Without on-record confirmation, these remain unverified and this page does not treat speculation as fact.

The FDA's prescribing information for semaglutide lists approved indications for chronic weight management in adults with BMI ≥30, or BMI ≥27 with at least one weight-related comorbidity. Off-label prescribing for cosmetic weight loss in individuals who do not meet these criteria is widespread but sits outside the drug's studied population.

How Smith's Disclosure Pattern Differs

Several features distinguish Smith's GLP-1 disclosure from other celebrity confirmations.

Platform and audience. Most celebrity GLP-1 confirmations have come through entertainment or lifestyle media. Smith's confirmation on a sports debate show reaches a male-skewing audience that is statistically less likely to discuss weight-management medication with a physician. A 2023 CDC report found that men are significantly less likely than women to use prescription weight-loss medication, even when clinically indicated.

Framing. Smith discussed GLP-1 use within the context of his overall health, not as a vanity measure. This framing matters. Research published in JAMA Network Open has documented that weight-stigma and "shortcut" framing reduce medication adherence and delay treatment initiation. When a prominent male media figure normalizes GLP-1 use as a health decision, it may lower barriers for men who would otherwise avoid the conversation.

Openness about effects. Smith described appetite suppression and body composition changes consistent with the known pharmacology of GLP-1 receptor agonists. Semaglutide's mechanism includes delayed gastric emptying and central appetite suppression via hypothalamic GLP-1 receptor activation, producing the reduced hunger and early satiety Smith described.

Clinical Context: What GLP-1 RAs Actually Do

For readers evaluating celebrity GLP-1 claims against clinical evidence, the HealthRX.com Medical Team offers this summary of expected outcomes.

Weight loss magnitude. In the STEP 1 trial, semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly produced 14.9% mean body weight reduction at 68 weeks. Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound), a dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist, produced up to 22.5% weight loss at the highest dose in the SURMOUNT-1 trial. Individual results vary substantially.

Side effect profile. The most common adverse events are gastrointestinal: nausea (reported in 40 to 44% of semaglutide patients in trials), vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. These effects are dose-dependent and typically diminish over weeks. Celebrity accounts rarely mention GI side effects in detail, which may create unrealistic public expectations.

Cardiovascular benefit. The SELECT trial, published in 2023, demonstrated a 20% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) with semaglutide 2.4 mg in adults with overweight or obesity and established cardiovascular disease, independent of diabetes status. This finding shifted the clinical framing of GLP-1 RAs from "weight loss drugs" to cardiometabolic agents.

Weight regain after discontinuation. A STEP 1 extension study showed that participants regained approximately two-thirds of lost weight within one year of stopping semaglutide. This is rarely discussed in celebrity disclosures, and the HealthRX.com Medical Team considers it the single most important gap in public understanding of these medications.

The HealthRX.com Medical Team Take

Celebrity GLP-1 disclosures function as informal public health communication, for better and worse.

On the positive side, figures like Stephen A. Smith reduce stigma around pharmacological weight management, especially for men. Smith's confirmation on a sports broadcast reaches an audience that clinical outreach campaigns have struggled to engage. When public figures describe outcomes consistent with clinical trial data (appetite reduction, gradual weight loss, improved metabolic markers), they reinforce the legitimacy of evidence-based treatment.

The risks are real, too. Celebrity disclosures rarely include dosing details, monitoring protocols, or the reality that GLP-1 agents require ongoing use to maintain weight loss. They almost never discuss contraindications such as personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, or the need for screening per FDA labeling. The "I took it and it worked" narrative skips the clinical infrastructure (physician assessment, dose titration, metabolic monitoring, dietary counseling) that separates safe prescribing from unsupervised use.

Smith's case is instructive because his public persona carries credibility with a demographic underrepresented in obesity pharmacotherapy research and prescribing data. The HealthRX.com Medical Team sees his disclosure as a net positive, with the caveat that any viewer considering GLP-1 therapy should pursue it through a prescribing clinician who can evaluate indications, titrate appropriately, and monitor for adverse effects including pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, and the GI symptoms that celebrity narratives tend to gloss over.

At a glance

Stephen A. Smith has publicly confirmed GLP-1 receptor agonist use on ESPN's First Take.
His disclosure is part of a wave of celebrity GLP-1 confirmations spanning 2022 to 2025.
Confirmed public GLP-1 users also include Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk, Chelsea Handler, and Charles Barkley. Many other attributions remain speculated and unconfirmed.
Clinical trials show 14.9% to 22.5% mean weight loss with GLP-1/GIP agonists over 68 to 72 weeks.
Weight regain of roughly two-thirds within a year of stopping is documented but rarely mentioned in celebrity accounts.
Smith's sports-media platform reaches a male audience that is statistically less likely to use prescription weight-management medication.

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