Why men on Ozempic are reporting a NEW highly embarrassing sex side effect

From smelly flatulence to a fertility boost, Ozempic has been linked to a host of unusual side effects. 

But men are reporting what might be the most embarrassing one yet - erectile dysfunction. 

Reddit pages dedicated to Ozempic and other medications used for weight loss are peppered with accounts from men experiencing trouble performing in the bedroom believed to stem from low testosterone caused by the blockbuster drugs. 

Safety pamphlets included with the drugs include a warning that sexual dysfunction could be a side effect, but the association has not been extensively studied. 

A study earlier this year found the problem to be a side effect in about one in 75 men taking the drugs for weight loss experience, with many of them describing frustration and humiliation in the bedroom. 

One study into the side effects of taking weight-loss drugs found about one in 75 men on them will experience erectile dysfunction and low testosterone

Many men looking to lose weight on the drugs have been surprised at their loss of ability to perform sexually and have turned to asking their fellows on Reddit for advice on how to beat the side effect, with one saying: 'I have been on Ozempic for 3 months. TT level dropped very fast and I am on treatment to fix it now. 

'Has anyone had any experiences similar to this?' 

Another man, 23, who has been on semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, for five weeks said he had never experienced ED before. 

He said: 'I have recently begun seeing someone and have dealt with a complete loss in erection now. 

'The first time worked out because I ended up getting and maintaining an erection after an hour of failed attempts. 

'But the second time, I had an erection while we were about to get it on and then just like that, done. 

'It’s a little embarrassing having to troubleshoot this in front of a new partner.' 

And another said: 'Taking [Ozempic] 1.5 weekly, had complete loss of erection. Dr prescribed Viagra did not work at all. Stopped [Ozempic] on my own, three weeks later working normally.' 

Just a handful of studies have shown men taking the drugs were more likely to experience low testosterone, something that has baffled doctors because weight loss typically regulates T levels. 

Dr Shauna Levy, an obesity specialist at Tulane University, told DailyMail.com that the side effect 'counterintuitive' because losing fat also leads to lower estrogen levels in men. 

She added: 'I'm not denying it's happening, but the pathway isn’t immediately revealing itself.' 

Top doctor warns of deadly unforeseen side effects of Ozempic 

Nutrition expert Dr Mark Hyman said that he expects even more unintended effects to come to light over time, including bowel blockages and inflammation of the pancreas. 

Weight loss is known to decrease levels of circulating estrogen, the female sex hormone, lower levels of which have helped many women at risk of breast cancer and those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). 

Meanwhile, weight loss has been associated with boosted testosterone levels, with one study showing weight loss can improve testosterone levels in overweight middle-aged men by almost 50 percent. 

Low testosterone by itself rarely causes ED, which can often be attributed to other health problems, such as hardened arteries and high cholesterol. 

But testosterone affects libido, and lower T levels could lead to reduced sexual desire, resulting in ED. 

The reason for a drop in testosterone among male Ozempic users has eluded doctors, including Dr Levy, who said: 'I can't understand the mechanism for why that would be' and SHE HAS found no patients in Tulane's system who haVE reported this side effect.

Dr Brian Liao of the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine, who was a co-author of the study, said: 'Our findings [were] in the opposite direction of the expectation, where we expected that weight loss would improve symptoms of erectile dysfunction.'

That retrospective study found more than 3.8 percent of men had ED while taking the drugs, compared to less than two percent in the control group. 

But Dr Levy remains skeptical about the side effect's prevalence even after having spoken to Novo Nordisk's medical liaison, a person in the company who serves as a link between drug makers and the doctors who administer those drugs. 

She told DailyMail.com that the representative of Novo, the maker of Wegovy and Ozempic, had never heard of this connection: 'That’s always a sign to me that it’s not the most common thing when the medical liaison has never heard of it. It doesn't mean it’s not a thing, it’s just not on their radar.'