Class-level page — figures are from the approved drugs' trials (semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide); research vials are not those products
GLP-1 receptor agonists share a recognisable adverse-effect profile because it follows from the mechanism: slowed gastric emptying and central appetite suppression produce nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation, mostly during dose escalation. The class also carries label warnings that apply to every member. The rates below are from the pivotal trials of the approved drugs; the compound-specific pages hold the full detail.
Research-use information only. Research-grade GLP-1 Agonist is not an approved medicine; where trial or label figures appear below they belong to the pharmaceutical product studied, not to any research vial. This page does not give dosing or medical advice.
Every rate carries its source. Where no source exists, no rate is printed.
| Effect | Rate (sourced) | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 44.2% vs 17.0% placebo (semaglutide 2.4 mg); 24.6–33.3% vs 9.5% (tirzepatide 5–15 mg) | Dose-related; clustered around escalation steps. | STEP 1 (Wilding 2021); SURMOUNT-1 (Jastreboff 2022) |
| Diarrhoea | 31.5% vs 15.9% (semaglutide); 18.7–23.0% vs 7.3% (tirzepatide) | — | STEP 1; SURMOUNT-1 |
| Vomiting | 24.8% vs 6.6% (semaglutide); 8.3–12.2% vs 1.7% (tirzepatide) | — | STEP 1; SURMOUNT-1 |
| Constipation | 23.4% vs 9.5% (semaglutide); 11.7–17.1% vs 5.8% (tirzepatide) | — | STEP 1; SURMOUNT-1 |
| Discontinuation for adverse events | 7.0% vs 3.1% (semaglutide); 4.3–7.1% vs 2.6% (tirzepatide) | — | STEP 1; SURMOUNT-1 |
| Gallbladder disease, pancreatitis | not quantified | Uncommon; carried as warnings on every class label. | Prescribing information (Wegovy, Zepbound, Saxenda) |
Regulatory status: Semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy), tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) and liraglutide (Victoza/Saxenda) are FDA-approved; retatrutide is investigational. Research-grade GLP-1 products are not approved for any use.
Same kind, different rates. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation appear with every GLP-1 receptor agonist because they follow from the mechanism; the newer once-weekly agents at obesity doses report higher rates than older diabetes-dose agents. The label warnings — thyroid C-cell tumours, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease — are class-wide.
No. They come from pharmaceutical products at defined doses under trial supervision. A research vial adds an unmeasured risk: nobody has verified what is in it.