Sharing her thoughts. Crystal Kung Minkoff admitted that she’s considered taking Ozempic while in recovery for an eating disorder.
“Of course I’ve thought about it,” the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 40, told Page Six on Saturday, April 22, while attending costar Dorit Kemsley‘s gala for the charity Homeless Not Toothless. “But it’s not a good place for me, personally for my recovery.”
The Bravo personality added that she doesn’t begrudge anyone else who’s found success with the weight loss drug, but she’s decided it’s not for her. “I’ve never judged or looked down on anyone that finds different avenues for [weight loss],” she continued. “I would be lying if [I said] I haven’t thought about it. And then I have to check myself if that’s right for my recovery, and I’m in a very specific situation.”
Kung Minkoff went on to say that she’s in a “really good place” with her recovery and is proud to share her story with fans. “I think that’s really where I use my platform, to share with people that, like, it’s one minute at a time,” she explained. “It’s OK if you have a minute that wasn’t great because the next one can be. And I go through that all the time.”
The reality star has been open about her struggle with bulimia since she joined RHOBH in season 11, which aired in 2021. “I’m a recovering bulimic and I say recovering because I don’t know what it’s like to be any other thing,” Kung Minkoff explained during a June 2021 episode of the series, adding that she’d been battling the eating disorder since she was 11 years old.
Later in the episode, the Real Coco cofounder revealed in a confessional interview that her bulimia began after she watched an instructional video about eating disorders in school. The movie was meant to highlight the dangers of bulimia and anorexia, but the Bravolebrity explained that she inadvertently picked up “tools” from it.
“I just want the girls to know how hyperaware I am of my weight and sort of the struggles I go through,” she told the camera.
Kung Minkoff is the latest celebrity to speak out about Ozempic, a brand name for the drug semaglutide. Ozempic and medications like it, including Wegovy, are used to regulate glycemic control, particularly for diabetic patients. In recent months, however, many people have admitted to using the drug off-label for weight loss, leading to a shortage for patients who need it.
Earlier this year, Kung Minkoff’s costar Kyle Richards denied rumors she was on Ozempic after she posted a photo showing off her abs. “I have never tried Ozempic and this is not from plastic surgery,” the Halloween actress, 54, wrote in an Instagram comment in January. “I did have a breast reduction in May [2022]. I’m honest about what I do.”
Dolores Catania, for her part, recently admitted that she’s been taking Mounjaro, which is a brand name for tirzepatide (another medication used to treat diabetes). “I wasn’t going to come to the reunion looking any bigger than anyone else, so I got on the bandwagon,” the Real Housewives of New Jersey star, 52, said during an episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen earlier this month, adding that she also works out with a personal trainer.
If you or someone you know is battling an eating disorder, contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at 1-800-931-2237.
