Women with PCOS Turn to Weight-Loss Drugs for Symptom Relief
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are increasingly using popular weight-loss drugs from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to manage symptoms of the hormonal disorder, according to an analysis of U.S. medical records and interviews with health experts.
Sharp Rise in GLP-1 Prescriptions
A review of 120 million U.S. patient records by health data firm Truveta shows prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs among women with PCOS have surged more than sevenfold since 2021. The analysis covered semaglutide and tirzepatide, the active ingredients in Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Lilly’s Zepbound, respectively.
“We’re seeing that patients with PCOS are becoming a slightly larger proportion of the overall population of people who have a GLP-1 prescription,” said Karen Gilbert Farrar, senior research analyst at Truveta.
Truveta’s data show that 17.6% of women diagnosed with PCOS received a GLP-1 prescription in 2025, up from just 2.4% in 2021. The share of all GLP-1 prescriptions going to PCOS patients also rose, from 4.6% to 5.7%. These figures exclude prescriptions from telehealth or compounding pharmacies.
PCOS affects up to 13% of women of reproductive age worldwide and is often linked to rapid weight gain, insulin resistance and infertility. Many specialists report that patients show symptom improvement with GLP-1 treatment, though it remains unclear whether benefits result from weight loss alone or from direct hormonal effects.
Missed Opportunity for Clinical Research
Despite growing off-label use, neither Lilly nor Novo Nordisk is formally studying GLP-1 drugs for PCOS. While Lilly said it continually reviews potential new indications for its medicines, Novo declined to comment on possible plans.
Doctors view the absence of PCOS-specific trials as a significant gap in women’s health research. “It’s hard to get a large pharmaceutical company to want to have an indication for normal-weight PCOS when the vast majority of PCOS has weight issues,” said Massachusetts-based obesity specialist Angela Fitch.
Patients like 35-year-old Tai Adaya from New York share that frustration. After failing to find relief with metformin, she began using Zepbound and saw her menstrual cycles normalise within three months. “It does feel like another instance where women’s health is being deprioritised,” she said.
Understanding the Link Between PCOS and Insulin Resistance
Research suggests a strong connection between insulin resistance and PCOS. Women with a family history of type 2 diabetes face a higher risk of developing the disorder, as elevated insulin levels can trigger excess testosterone production that disrupts ovulation. “It’s this chicken-versus-egg phenomenon,” explained Judy Korner, endocrinologist at Columbia Medical Center.
Multiple studies since 2018, including some on Novo’s older GLP-1 drug Saxenda, indicate that these treatments may help regulate menstrual cycles and improve insulin sensitivity. Ongoing research includes a 100-patient clinical trial on semaglutide and at least six additional studies focused on GLP-1 use in PCOS.
While symptom relief appears largely tied to weight loss, emerging evidence suggests GLP-1 drugs may also lower testosterone or act directly on ovarian tissue. However, experts say more trials are needed—especially for women with “lean PCOS,” who are not overweight but still experience hormonal imbalance.
Adaya, part of that subgroup, said she lost around 15–20 pounds in the first few months of treatment and would join a clinical trial if given the chance. “I wish that every young woman diagnosed with PCOS had this presented as an option,” she said. “It could save a lot of years.”
with inputs from Reuters
