Weight loss drug warning to bodybuilders

31 Aug, 2026

Weight loss drugs like Wegovy are now making their way into the competitive bodybuilding space, prompting caution from an AUT expert.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has added Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, and Tirzepatide, which is in Mounjaro, to its monitoring programme – noting an “alarming run” in the non-diabetic community, including among athletes.

AUT Senior Research Fellow, Dr Eric Helms, who is also the co-director of the AUT Sport Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ) and a natural bodybuilder, said these medications are already being used in the “enhanced” or untested competitive bodybuilding space.

This is particularly the case in the US, where they can be accessed through wellness clinics, as opposed to traditional GPs.

He says the drugs are also growing in popularity among recreational non-competitive bodybuilders who are simply trying to maintain lower body fat. But he says their use is typically banned in drug-tested, natural federations without a therapeutic-use exemption.

“Athletes in untested divisions tend to be more willing to experiment with performance- and image-enhancing drugs. These bodybuilders are sometimes taking high-dose anabolic steroids, androgens and other substances that enhance the ability to carry muscle mass and get leaner over decades. Natural competitors tend to be more risk-averse.”

The value the drugs offer in bodybuilding is less about a shortcut to weight loss, because these athletes are typically already well-educated and meticulous about nutrition.

“But they can make contest preparation easier, by suppressing a lot of the food noise that comes with getting as lean as possible in the cutting phase, and some people take them post-competition to have more agency over rebounded weight gain.”

The argument for and against the use of these drugs is complex, with various philosophical and moral, legal and safety reasons for why certain substances should be banned – "but ultimately it comes down to the spirit of the sport, and equitable fair play".

He says natural bodybuilding revolves around bringing whatever cards you were dealt to the table and using discipline, knowledge, training and experience to get as far as you can.

“The idea of making that process easier, to the point where it’s not a challenge, is antithetical to many and to the concept of natural bodybuilding.

“There are also access barriers, because of cost and availability, and permitting the drugs could force athletes who might not want to take them to do so, to feel they are on a level playing field.”

He says while the weight loss drugs incredibly helpful for the intended clinical population when used in the right way, there should be a notable distinction between people dieting as part of a competitive physique sport and people using the medications as an adjunct for health.

Meanwhile, Wada is tracking patterns of the drugs’ use in sports in and out of competition, but as neither of the ingredients are presently prohibited, there are no existing consequences for the athlete if found.

Wada is also reportedly considering banning slimming drugs outright before the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics – with the decision to be based on health risks, whether they give users an unfair advantage and whether they violate the spirit of sport.

Useful Links:

• SPRINZ - SPRINZ - AUT
• Eric Helms | Mōku | About | Auckland University of Technology
• Sport and Exercise Science Major - AUT
• Sport chiefs monitor slimming drugs as bodybuilding use surges - NZ Herald