Reta killing my sex drive?

Hey all - has anyone else noticed a serious dip in libido since starting Reta? I've been on it since summer 2025, slowly increasing from 0.25mg to 3mg weekly. I've trimmed down quite a bit and am now maintaining, which is awesome! But I've also noticed my sex drive is basically gone. It wasn't super high to begin with, but now it's like... nonexistent. I think it started around the same time as the Reta. Anyone else experiencing this? Or is it just me?

That's understandable, actually. It very well could be related to the Reta. There are several reasons why this might be happening.

Many people on GLP-1s or similar meds report a lower sex drive. This is often connected to how the medication impacts your hunger, energy, and even your mood.

Even when you're just maintaining, your calorie intake is probably lower than before. This can lead to fatigue as your body adjusts to fewer calories. When you restrict calories, your body conserves energy, which can decrease libido.

Reta can also cause emotional blunting or a lack of motivation for some, because it affects the brain's reward pathways. Activities or things that used to excite you might not feel as enjoyable anymore. GLP-1 signaling has been shown to have effects on the brain's reward and motivation centers, which can explain why some people experience decreased motivation or feel emotionally 'blah'.

Furthermore, losing weight and eating less can change hormone levels, like estrogen and testosterone, which also play a role in sex drive.

So, while a decreased sex drive might not be a listed side effect, the combined effects of low energy, calorie deficits, hormonal changes, and emotional flatness could definitely be contributing factors.

I've been dealing with this for about a year and a half. Zero desire.

Before Tirz, I was always in the mood, but about 4 months in, I'd lost maybe 20ish pounds and my interest just vanished. I've barely been intimate with my wife in over a year. Luckily, she's been really understanding, but it's frustrating for me.

I've done some digging, and while it's apparently rare, it can happen. It's supposedly linked to the same mechanism that makes us crave food – a reward system thing.

Switching to Reta didn't help. I thought I was stuck, but then I read that it could be how antidepressants interact with GLP-1s. So, I cut my antidepressant dose in half.

Two weeks later, I'm not back to normal, but I'm definitely feeling more desire.

Maybe it's wishful thinking, but either way, it's a welcome change!

Just food for thought!

That hasn't been my experience at all. Quite the opposite, actually.

It could be related to high cortisol. Are you doing resistance training and eating properly? And if you don't mind me asking, what's your age and gender?

Nope, it's like I'm a wild animal, lol!

I did at first but after about a month it came back.

Wow! It's like you knew exactly how I've been feeling! I've been struggling to describe it, and "emotional flatness" is spot-on! I asked my doctor at my annual checkup if it's normal to lose interest at my age (42), and she said it's just part of life. But she doesn't know I'm on Reta. This makes so much sense, and I'm relieved to know I'm not alone. Thank you!

I didn't even think about how Reta might interact with my bupropion, which I take daily at a low dose. I'll try taking it every other day and see if that makes a difference. Thanks!!!

I workout hard 5-6 times a week. Bootcamp style, so some days are strength, some are cardio. I'm female, turning 42 next month. Eating well... not so much. My appetite isn't great, but I try to get some protein, though I'm not even hitting 50g daily, which I know is bad.

Yep, bupropion here too. I went from 300mg to 150mg. It's definitely helped a bit.

Jumping in with my 2 cents!

Disclaimer: not a doctor, just sharing my experience.

6 months on Reta, with about 2 months of calorie restriction before starting. Recently had a full blood panel because I felt 'flat' and had low libido. Wanted solid evidence, not guesses, as I feared something else was wrong.

Thankfully, all is healthy!

However, and this may not be your case, my SHBG (Sex-Hormone Binding Globulin) levels were high (81). I think it's the sustained calorie deficit (1000 below TDEE), putting my body in 'fight' mode to protect itself.

From my understanding, high SHBG 'grabs' free testosterone. This causes the low libido and 'flatness'.

I lowered my dose and upped calories. It's helped, but not completely.

Hope this helps someone!

OMG, this is SO helpful!! I also had a full blood panel and my SHBG is 92! It was flagged as 'within range' in the app, so I didn't think much of it. I'm considering lowering my dose to hopefully get my feelings and libido back. Thank you so much!!

Yay! Glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know.

As I did: Go back to maintenance calories for a couple of weeks. Keep carbs high, maybe higher than you want. Healthy fats are crucial for hormonal balance (from what I've read!). That should do it and get you ready to continue!

Good luck!

Interesting discussion. I've been reading about Reta on another forum, and one guy mentioned his wife had great results, losing around 60 pounds in about 8 months, with minimal GI issues. He started taking it himself, but said the glucagon part gave him anxiety and insomnia, even at low doses. He only wants to drop about 20 pounds though, and is debating between trying Tirzepatide again or just sticking to a disciplined diet.

FoxIRL641 said:

I've been dealing with this for about a year and a half. Zero desire.

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Same boat, my friend. I tried a low dose of tirzepatide a few months back and I was a zombie. I was able to curb my appetite and had minor weight loss but it wasn't worth it, I had to stop, felt like an emotionless robot.

I started Reta a while back, and the beginning was a bit rough - low energy mainly, but that went away pretty quickly. Weight loss has been awesome. I'm getting back into some clothes I haven't worn in ages!

I've been looking into Reta as an option to help with fat loss as I get older. I'm in my late 50s and it's getting harder. I read that it works synergistically with TRT and growth hormone secretagogues, which is interesting since I am on TRT. I'll keep researching! Thanks for all the info everyone.

I've read studies suggesting this peptide might help with decreased libido.

The bidirectional libido effect on Reta is documented here. Some see a decrease, others - particularly those with PCOS or prior hormonal suppression - report a notable increase. The pathway runs through the same hypothalamic axis as appetite, which explains the individual variation.