That’s some serious star power!
Shortly after his baffling Pizza Hut commercial dropped, ex-NFL star Tom Brady was named chief wellness officer of eMed, a digital health platform for GLP-1 drugs and more.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion, 48, joins the ranks of superstar athletes promoting the blockbuster weight loss and diabetes meds, a head-scratching move that some experts are hailing as a game-changer.
The number of Americans who have turned to drugs like Zepbound, Wegovy and Ozempic to slim down or control their blood sugar has more than doubled since early 2024.
Since these drugs are prescribed to those who are obese or struggling with Type 2 diabetes, athletes backing or even using GLP-1 treatments is bewildering.
Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight loss specialist based in New Jersey, argues that there are several benefits to GOATs encouraging the use of the medications.
“It opens the door to healthy discussions, allowing medical professionals to address risks, benefits and create a safer environment,” Balazs told The Post.
“Throughout their fame and hard-earned credibility, it encourages their followers to make the first step towards a healthier lifestyle,” he added. “It can also redefine their legacy by transforming from sports icons to champions of public health.”
While 28-year-old Simone Biles doesn’t take Mounjaro, the eight-time Olympic medalist partnered with Eli Lilly after her mother started the medication for Type 2 diabetes.
Legends pairing with drugmakers and telehealth companies also helps ease their transition from an athlete with a rigorous training schedule and nutritional planning to the very real possibility of weight gain, something Balazs calls a “silent post-career crisis.”
“Promoting GLP-1 agonists is more powerful when paired with the foundational principles they embodied as athletes, such as emphasizing adequate protein intake and resistance training to combat sarcopenia,” Balazs said.
Sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass, is a real and unfortunate side effect of GLP-1s.
Athletes can also destigmatize GLP-1 use after life-changing events that may bring on additional pounds, just as 44-year-old tennis pro Serena Williams did when she teamed up with telehealth platform Ro (her husband, Alexis Ohanian, is an investor and board member).
“Celebrity endorsements of GLP-1s can normalize the conversation and use of GLP-1s,” Dr. Shiara Ortiz-Pujols, the director of obesity medicine at Northwell’s Staten Island University Hospital, told The Post.
“Despite the fact that Serena Williams is an elite athlete, she — like so many women — struggled with weight loss after giving birth.”
It also highlights the fact that even athletes can struggle to shed pounds, just like us mere mortals.
“Their openness can help break the stigma and give people permission to seek the treatment they need and to stop blaming themselves,” Dr. Rachel Goldman, a clinical psychologist and obesity psychology adviser with Ro, told The Post.
“It allows one to shift the way they are thinking about health and weight struggles to a medical lens rather than a moral one.”
But the support from sports heroes does come with a few caveats, Ortiz-Pujols warns.
“Their job is to be top-performing athletes, which entails hours of training, optimal nutrition and adequate sleep,” she said. “Many people who take these medications have struggled their entire lives with weight and… these athletes rarely have.”
There’s also the misconception of potential enhanced performance, a claim Ortiz-Pujols debunks with the reminder that these athletes “have access to personal trainers and personal chefs with hours to train.”
