A study suggests that a diet pill dubbed the “Godzilla of diet pills” may be linked to a range of worrying side effects.
Researchers found that patients who said they used restotrocin reported 129 symptoms, ranging from burning skin to rapid heartbeat, panic attacks and depression.
The drug, commonly known as “reta,” is still in clinical trials and is not yet approved for use anywhere in the world.
However, patients in the UK and around the world are illegally purchasing the vaccine and injecting themselves.
Reta was nicknamed “Godzilla” because experimental results showed it was even more effective than Mounjaro, helping dieters lose a quarter of their body weight in just 18 months.
However, experts say it is dangerous to use the drug before it is licensed and has passed safety testing, as patients could be given substances that do not actually contain the drug.
In a new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open, researchers examined 148,640 social media posts on Reddit related to retartrutide.
They narrowed the sample to 13,589 patients who claimed to be taking the drug and analyzed the side effects they reported.
According to the researchers, patients taking retatropide experienced 129 symptoms, including burning skin, rapid heartbeat, panic attacks and depression.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that a total of 7,823 users reported at least one side effect.
This is more than half of those who claim to have used the injection. Many users reported various uses for the injection.
The study categorized side effects into 14 different groups, ranging from digestive problems to mental health issues, heart problems and skin changes.
The most frequently reported change was increased appetite, which was unexpected and affected 1,336 people – almost a fifth.
Weight loss drugs typically work by mimicking the hormone GLP-1, which is released in the gut after eating and suppresses hunger.
In addition to its effect on the GLP-1 hormone, retarutide also acts on two other receptors, which is why it is called a “triple agonist.”
Meanwhile, nausea was the most common gastrointestinal disorder, affecting less than one-tenth of patients, followed by diarrhea and vomiting—common side effects of weight-loss injections. Increased appetite (571 cases) and insomnia (475 cases) followed closely behind.
It is important to note that these findings should be taken with caution, as the authors were unable to verify the claims made by users who posted their materials on the website.
”I strongly advise people to avoid buying unlicensed weight loss products online,” Navid Satar, professor of cardiovascular and metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, told the Daily Mail.
”It is not yet clear what ingredients are in these products, and without proper regulation they could cause adverse reactions.”
”People who take substances whose safety and effectiveness have not been thoroughly tested may unknowingly cause themselves more harm than good.”
A total of 374 users reported increased heart rate, representing approximately 5% of the total. 475 users reported insomnia, and 301 users reported anxiety.
Another 206 people reported anhedonia (meaning they stopped enjoying things they used to enjoy), 68 people reported depression, and 64 people said they had experienced panic attacks.
In addition, a small number of patients (55) reported a burning sensation on the skin, and another 58 reported developing alcohol intolerance.
Other symptoms affecting a smaller portion of the population include binge eating, decreased libido, obsessive thoughts, nicotine addiction, and mood disorders.
Of the 13,589 users, 175 said they could exercise longer, 164 said they had an increased libido, and 149 said they felt euphoric.
The researchers stated: “The social media users who participated in this study may not reflect a representative sample of all restatropin users, and reporting of adverse events may be prioritised.”
They added that information such as product composition, dosage and patient medical history could not be verified.
Retatroxide acts on three receptors, while montarol acts on two. Both drugs are manufactured by the same company, Eli Lilly.
The drug is expected to be available for purchase in the UK within three years and may even be prescribed by the National Health Service (NHS).
An Eli Lilly spokesman said: “Retartride is an experimental drug that has not yet been approved by regulatory authorities anywhere in the world.”
Regulatory authorities around the world, including the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), have warned patients about the dangers of unregistered medications, including retatroptide, sold on the black market. Anyone claiming to sell retatroptide to consumers is breaking the law.
“We have referred hundreds of black market retatropeptide sellers to regulators and law enforcement agencies and urge them, as well as the companies providing black market sales services, to take decisive action to combat this urgent public health threat.”
Post time: Oct-16-2026