Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania used artificial intelligence to analyze over 400,000 Reddit posts, identifying potentially overlooked symptoms reported by users of Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. The study, published in *Nature Health*, revealed patterns of reproductive symptoms and temperature regulation issues that warrant further investigation.
The University of Pennsylvania team, led by Sharath Chandra Guntuku, Research Associate Professor in Computer and Information Science (CIS), examined five years of posts from nearly 70,000 Reddit users. The AI analysis uncovered reports of unexpected symptoms, including changes in menstrual cycles, chills, and hot flashes. Researchers emphasize that the study does not prove these medications *caused* the symptoms, but rather highlights potential signals that deserve closer scrutiny.
“Some of the side effects we found, like nausea, are well known, and that shows that the method is picking up a real signal,” says Guntuku. “The underreported symptoms are leads that came from patients themselves, unprompted, and clinicians could potentially pay attention to them.”
Lyle Ungar, Professor in CIS and a co-author, explained that clinical trials, while crucial for determining efficacy and identifying major safety concerns, may not capture all symptoms relevant to patients in broader use. He noted that while social media data isn’t necessarily representative, a large collection of posts can reflect additional concerns. Neil Sehgal, the study's first author and a doctoral student in CIS, added, “We can't say that GLP-1s are actually causing these symptoms.”
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