People are taking an unapproved weight-loss drug. AI found something surprising

Researchers analyzing nearly 150,000 Reddit posts uncovered unexpected symptom reports linked by users to unapproved versions of retatrutide, including increased appetite, sleep disturbances, and elevated heart rates. The findings differ from clinical trial results and highlight how AI could help identify potential drug safety signals that warrant further investigation. An experimental weight-loss drug that has not yet received regulatory approval is already attracting users willing to obtain unapproved versions online. Now, scientists are using artificial intelligence to investigate their experiences, uncovering unexpected symptom reports that differ from those documented in clinical trials. The drug, retatrutide, belongs to a new generation of GLP-1 medications designed to help regulate appetite and body weight.

Although it remains under investigation and is not approved for use, people are purchasing unapproved formulations that are not intended for human consumption and discussing their experiences on internet forums. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania analyzed nearly 150,000 Reddit posts and comments from approximately 40,000 users to investigate these accounts. Their study, published in JAMA Network Open, provides the first systematic examination of potential side effects reported by people claiming to use unapproved retatrutide. One finding stood out. Among users whose reported symptoms could be classified, increased appetite was the most common complaint. That was particularly unexpected because retatrutide is