Popular weight loss medications linked to hidden side effects, study finds

(NewsNation) — A recent analysis of more than 400,000 Reddit posts has found some lesser-known side effects of GLP-1 drugs taken for weight loss and diabetes.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania used AI to analyze more than five years of posts from nearly 70,000 Reddit users, according to a report published in Medical Xpress.

Gastrointestinal issues, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and headaches, are commonly reported side effects of GLP-1s, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The study, published in the journal Nature last week, found additional, lesser-known side effects discussed amongst Redditors, including “reproductive symptoms” and “temperature-related complaints.”

The reproductive symptoms noted in the study included “menstrual changes such as intermenstrual bleeding, heavy bleeding, and irregular cycles,” according to the university. “Others reported temperature-related complaints, such as chills, feeling cold, hot flashes, and fever-like symptoms.”

Nearly 4 percent of users reported these “menstrual irregularities,” according to Neil Sehgal, the study’s first author. He noted that the number would be even higher if it were an exclusively female sample and said it’s “a signal worth investigating.”

The study found that approximately 44 percent of users reported at least one side effect, most commonly gastrointestinal issues, including 37 percent reporting nausea, which “shows that the method is picking up a real signal,” according to Sharath Chandra Guntuku, the study’s senior author.

Seghal added that the findings are not definitive: “We can’t say that GLP-1s are actually causing these symptoms.”