Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania used AI to analyze over 410,000 Reddit posts spanning six years, seeking unreported side effects of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound.
The analysis focused on mentions of the active ingredients semaglutide and tirzepatide.
Two categories of previously underreported side effects emerged: reproductive health issues, including irregular menstrual cycles, and temperature-related problems such as chills and hot flashes.
Computer scientist Sharath Chandra Guntuku noted that while clinical trials remain the gold standard, this AI approach is faster and can surface patient concerns that might not be mentioned to doctors.
The team used OpenAI's GPT models to identify patterns in the posts.
Psychologist Jena Shaw Tronieri pointed out that these drugs work on the hypothalamus, which regulates hormones, suggesting these reports merit further systematic study.
The findings were published in Nature Health.
The research does not prove these symptoms are caused by the drugs, but highlights leads for future clinical trials.