Here’s a shocking number: One out of eight American adults is taking a GLP-1, like Ozempic or Zepbound, according to a KFF poll.
GLP-1s are the biggest pharmaceutical story since antidepressants. But there’s still so much we don’t know.
“We’re only at the beginning of what’s been called this Ozempic era,” the journalist Julia Belluz told me. “I think we’re really just at the beginning of discovering the benefits and the harms of these drugs.” These discoveries begin in the research but are also expanding into how we think about our punishing beauty standards and the blurry lines between illness and wellness.
Belluz is a contributing Opinion writer and the author, with Kevin Hall, of “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/671334/food-intelligence-by-julia-belluz-and-kevin-hall-phd/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Food Intelligence</a>.” She’s one of the best health and science reporters I know and has been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/04/15/opinion/glp1-health-effects.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reporting on GLP-1s</a> for years.
In this conversation, Belluz takes me through what we know — and don’t know — about GLP-1s, their unexpected uses, how they are clashing with a culture obsessed with thinness and looksmaxxing, and whether everyone should be on them.
Mentioned:
“<a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/11/23/the-obesity-pay-gap-is-worse-than-previously-thought" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The obesity pay gap is worse than previously thought</a>” by The Economist
“<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/04/15/opinion/glp1-health-effects.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Great Ozempic Experimen</a>t” by Julia Belluz
Book Recommendations:
<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/311787/behave-by-robert-m-sapolsky/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Behave</a> by Robert M. Sapolsky
<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/312067/the-poison-squad-by-deborah-blum/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Poison Squad</a> by Deborah Blum
<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/744755/ultra-processed-people-by-chris-van-tulleken/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ultra-Processed People</a> by Chris van Tulleken
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/column/ezra-klein-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast</a>, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs</a>.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Julie Beer. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Johnny Simon. Our recording engineer is Aman Sahota. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Marie Cascione, Rollin Hu, Kristin Lin, Emma Kehlbeck, Jack McCordick, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Transcript editing by Sarah Murphy and Marlaine Glicksman.
Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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