Oprah Reveals Why She Went Back on GLP-1 Meds After Year-Long Break

Oprah Winfrey, 71, revealed the reason she returned to taking GLP-1 drugs after taking a year-long break while voicing strong opinions about the lack of accessibility to them.

“There are so many people who are literally dying inside and are going to die from diseases caused by obesity because they don’t have access to [GLP-1 drugs],” Winfrey said during a CBS Mornings segment hosted by longtime friend Gayle King.

During the appearance, Winfrey spoke candidly about her extensive personal battle with weight loss and the success she found with semaglutide medication.

“This needs to be covered by insurance so that it can be exposed and accessible to people who cannot afford it,” Winfrey said.

The media mogul is such a fan of GLP-1 meds that People magazine recently reported she pays the out-of-pocket cost for “several acquaintances who couldn’t otherwise afford it.” While Winfrey can certainly afford it—she has an estimated net worth of $3.2 billion—it is rare to hear of a celebrity picking up the tab for their friend’s medical expenses.

Winfrey appeared as a guest on the show alongside endocrinologist Dr. Ania Jastreboff, with whom she authored the upcoming book, Enough: Your Health, Your Weight and What It’s Like to Be Free. In it, Winfrey and Jastreboff posit that pure willpower alone is not enough for most people struggling to shed weight and keep it off.

Winfrey started taking GLP-1 medication in 2023, then took a one-year break from 2024 to 2025. During her year-long medication hiatus, Winfrey wanted to prove that she could keep the weight off without taking GLP-1s through exercise and a healthy diet. However, despite hiking six miles a day and eating less, Winfrey found herself steadily gaining weight.

“So, now I realize that I’m on the medications and will have to be on the medications...for the rest of my life,” she said.

Winfrey has not spoken out about the specific GLP-1 she takes. Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are three popular semaglutide medications. However, she told the Today hosts that, of the three most common effects—nausea, diarrhea, and constipation—she suffered most from constipation. She eventually resolved the issue by integrating magnesium and a gallon of water into her diet each day.

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Ultimately, Winfrey’s advice to those struggling with their weight loss is to be kinder to themselves. “I just want people to stop blaming themselves and stop shaming themselves, because it’s not about willpower.”