Study uncovers unexpected possible side effects of weight loss drugs
Britt Jones
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Researchers have identified what they believe could be lesser-known side effects of taking weight loss jabs, with 44 per cent of people polled, reporting at least one symptom.
Taking medications can always lead to a myriad of side effects, from things like headaches, to stomach woes, or even more serious issues that are rare to occur.
However, usually, it's well established in how medications react to people, thanks to them being on the market for so long that scientists can see how they affect individuals.
However, GLP-1s might be different, as they are only newly being used to lose weight by the masses.
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This means we’re constantly finding out about the way they react to people, depending on many variables like age, weight, other medications, or medical issues.
But this new study might provide a little more clarity into what people can expect.
Researchers from Penn Engineering have revealed that semaglutide, found in Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as tirzepatide, used in Mounjaro and Zepbound, has been found to be linked to underreported issues users have experienced.
Having dredged through 400,000 Reddit posts from over 70,000 users within the last five years via AI to uncover what people have been saying about the weight loss drugs and type 2 diabetes management medications, new data emerged.
44 per cent of people noted effects like menstrual changes, chills, hot flashes, and more.
Most commonly reported in the posts were things like stomach issues and fatigue, then getting chills, hot flashes and finally the feeling of coming down with a fever.
While the study takes into consideration that weight loss drugs target an area of the brain that is responsible for hormone regulation (the hypothalamus), which could account for some problems - there needs to be more awareness on what it can cause in patients.
Lyle Ungar, a co-author on the study, said clinical trials 'generally identify the most dangerous side effects of drugs', but they 'fail to find what symptoms patients are most concerned about' which has been seen in a ‘large collection of posts’ citing side effects previously not commonly associated with the drugs.
Sharath Chandra Guntuku, the study’s author, explained that the side effects were written by users online ‘unprompted’, and that ‘clinicians could potentially pay attention to them.'
Within the study, it was found that four per cent of Redditors experienced menstrual irregularities like heavy periods, missed periods, or irregular length of periods, which can also be seen in those suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid disorders like Hypothyroidism and more.
It also found that men were more likely to report side effects.
Guntuku added: “Clinical trials are the gold standard, but by design, they are slow. This is not a replacement for trials, but it can move much faster, and that speed matters when a drug goes from niche to mainstream almost overnight.”
Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Mounjaro, told UNILAD after we asked them about the study: "Patient safety is Lilly’s top priority, and we take any reports regarding patient safety seriously. Regulatory agencies conduct extensive independent assessments of the benefits and risks of every new medicine and Lilly is committed to continually monitoring, evaluating, and reporting safety data to ensure the latest information is available for regulators and prescribers. We encourage patients to consult their doctor or other healthcare professional regarding any possible side effects they may be experiencing and to ensure that they are getting genuine Lilly medicine."
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk also told us: "At Novo Nordisk we care deeply about patient safety. Like all medicines, treatments used for chronic conditions can have side effects, and these can vary from person to person. That is why medicines are prescribed by healthcare professionals, who consider the potential benefits and risks for each individual.
"This study analyses self‑reported side effects and experiences shared on social media. While real‑world patient experiences are important, social‑media analyses cannot establish whether reported symptoms are caused by a medicine, and are not representative of the broader population. The safety of semaglutide is supported by extensive clinical trials and ongoing real‑world monitoring. Known side effects, which were primarily gastrointestinal, are clearly described in the product information. In clinical studies, the most common gastrointestinal events reported included nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting, and were generally manageable when the medicine was used as prescribed."