TikTok’s Take on Adverse Effects for Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 and Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide Receptor Agonists

Abstract

Background

TikTok’s MedTok is an interconnected network of patients, providers, and producers sharing knowledge and experiences of health-related topics. Awareness of popular content on weight loss medications can benefit health care professionals, especially regarding adverse effects and management.

Objectives

Describe content in popular TikTok videos using adverse effect hashtags for gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. Compare content between health care and non-health care creators and reported adverse effects versus medication package inserts.

Methods

This observational study evaluated videos for popular GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist side-effect hashtags on TikTok, in June 2023. Video metadata collected included content creator demographics and content of video, including adverse effects discussed and recommendations to address these. Adverse effects were compared to package insert data. Qualitative data was evaluated through descriptive coding, quantitative data through descriptive statistics, and Pearson chi-square for comparisons.

Results

A total of 165 videos were analyzed. Content creators were mostly medication users (89%) and non-health care professionals (90%). Medication indications included weight loss (82%), polycystic ovarian syndrome (20%), and diabetes (6%). Diet, exercise, or weight loss were discussed in 34%, 16%, and 38% of videos, respectively. Non-health care professionals mentioned specific products to address adverse effects more frequently than health care professionals, 24% versus 13% (P = 0.292). All adverse effects mentioned in at least 5 videos aligned with medication package inserts, most commonly gastrointestinal disturbances, except for insomnia.

Conclusion

Most content creators were non-health care professionals and medication users. Despite Ozempic and Mounjaro lacking Food and Drug Administration approval for weight loss at the time, it was the most identified indication. The alignment of most reported adverse effects with medication package inserts underscores the reliability of user-shared experiences, though discrepancies like insomnia were noted. Given TikTok's remarkable reach and influence, awareness of patient-reported experiences and recommendations is essential for health care providers to enhance care and dispel misconceptions.