Self-Reported Side Effects of Semaglutide and Tirzepatide in Online Communities
This research addresses the problem of incomplete safety data for GLP-1 receptor agonists by providing real-world insights from online communities, which is incremental as it complements existing pharmacovigilance methods.
The study analyzed 410,198 Reddit posts to investigate patient-reported side effects of semaglutide and tirzepatide, finding that 43.5% of users described at least one side effect, with gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea (36.9%) being most common, and identified unrecognized potential effects such as reproductive and temperature-related complaints.
Social media can reveal patient experiences with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) that extend beyond clinical trial data. We analyzed 410,198 Reddit posts (May 2019-June 2025) mentioning semaglutide or tirzepatide. A total of 67,008 users self-reported using these medications, and 43.5% described at least one side effect. Gastrointestinal symptoms predominated, including nausea (36.9%), fatigue (16.7%), vomiting (16.3%), constipation (15.3%), and diarrhea (12.6%). Notably, reproductive symptoms (e.g., menstrual irregularities) and temperature-related complaints (e.g., chills, hot flashes) emerged as unrecognized potential effects. These findings highlight patient concerns not well captured in current labeling or trials. Large-scale social media analysis can complement traditional pharmacovigilance by detecting emerging safety signals and expanding understanding of the real-world safety profile of GLP-1 RAs.