Charles Barkley reveals major weight loss with help from a popular diabetes medication

NBA great Charles Barkley had a prolific basketball career, and now he’s prolific at shedding pounds.

During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the 60-year-old Barkley revealed his secret to losing weight and dropping from 352 to 290 pounds.

“I’m working out. I’m taking my shot once a week,” he said in reference to the prescription medication Mounjaro.

According to information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Mounjaro is used along with diet and exercise to help regulate blood sugar in adults with Type 2 diabetes.

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Barkley previously mentioned that he was taking Mounjaro during an episode of “The Dan Patrick Show” May 26. 

The “Inside the NBA” commentator said the weight loss changed the way he felt about himself. “I started at 352 [pounds],” he said. “And I’m down to 290. I’m starting to feel like a human being.”

He added that his physician warned him that carrying excessive weight as he ages was not Ideal.

“My doctor told me, she says, ‘There’s a lot of fat young people. Ain’t a lot of fat old people. They’re all dead,'” Barkley noted.

After Barkley said that he takes the shots to help with his weight loss, McAfee asked, “Do you know what it’s doing to you exactly?”

A smiling Barkley admitted he was clueless on the science behind the medicine. 

“I have zero idea what it does,” Barkley said.

Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide. It is similar to other popular drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, both of which are the brand names for semaglutide. Wegovy was approved by the FDA in 2021.

Wegovy was initially intended to treat patients with chronic obesity, while Ozempic was meant for people with Type 2 diabetes.