Oprah Winfrey says constipation was her main side effect from a weight-loss drug

Oprah Winfrey told TODAY she experienced constipation while taking a GLP‑1 weight‑loss drug and said increased water intake and magnesium helped manage it.

Oprah Winfrey told TODAY she experienced constipation while taking a GLP‑1 weight‑loss drug and discussed it during a live interview and in her new book. She said she discovered that drinking a large amount of water and using magnesium worked for her routine, and that she finishes fluids early in the day to avoid nighttime disruption. Medical commentary included the reminder that all medicines can have side effects and that techniques such as hydration and gradual dosing are discussed as ways patients and clinicians consider tolerability. Reported details: - Winfrey reported constipation as her primary side effect when using a GLP‑1 weight‑loss medication. - She said she drinks about a gallon of water a day, times her intake before 4 p.m., and uses magnesium citrate to help soften stools. - The National Library of Medicine is cited regarding water and magnesium helping stool consistency and bowel movements. - Dr. Ania Jastreboff, Winfrey’s co-author and an endocrinologist, noted that every medicine has side effects and mentioned hydration and slow dose increases in managing tolerability. Summary: The article reports that Winfrey experienced constipation while using a GLP‑1 weight‑loss drug and that she described personal measures she uses to manage the symptom. Medical sources in the report underscore that side effects are part of the risk‑benefit discussion for medications and that approaches such as hydration and gradual dosing are commonly mentioned. Undetermined at this time.