People risk punishing side effects using 'godzilla of weight loss jabs' available on black market
It's difficult to ignore the impact that weight loss jabs are having on the population but it seems as if many of its users are willing to ignore the various side effects that come with them.
Ever since a range of celebrities made it cool to take Ozempic a few years ago, GLP-1 medications have become commonplace for anyone who wants to shed a few pounds without having to diet or exercise.
Although many would argue that it's not a sustainable method of losing weight, particularly if you're unable to successfully wean yourself off the drug, that certainly hasn't harmed their popularity.
Despite the side effects that have been linked to them, people are constantly on the lookout for new jabs which might be cheaper or even more powerful, with the US recently approving a 'holy grail' pill for widespread production.
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Eli Lilly has also recently developed a new weight loss jab called Retatrutide, which has been dubbed the 'triple-G' or 'Godzilla' of weight loss, since it targets three different hormone receptors to dramatically suppress appetite and increase fat burning, while current medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro target one or two.
Although the trials have produced some powerful results, the jab isn't yet able to be prescribed by pharmacists, but that hasn't stopped some people from getting their hands on the medication through unscrupulous methods.
And while it might be extremely efficient, there are unsurprisingly some side effects that are already being associated with the drug, and some seem to be particularly punishing.
One woman bought a duplicated version of Reta from a personal trainer and enjoyed some success in the first couple of weeks but when the weight started to come back, she mistakenly decided to up her dose.
She told the Daily Mail: "The dose was too much for me. All the familiar Mounjaro side-effects kicked back in and I felt sick all day every day from the moment I woke up in the morning to the moment I went to sleep.
"I tried everything to get rid of the nausea but it was relentless. Some days I had to work from my bed because I felt so ill. I persevered for three more weeks but in the end I had to give up."
Other than the usual side effects of stomach issues including nausea and diarrhoea, there seems to be an alarming amount of users who are reporting increased anxiety, heart rate and palpitations.
On an online forum of Reta users, one member said: "I had to stop taking Reta because of heart palpitations and severe anxiety/panic attacks. I couldn't deal with the anxiety any more."
Another agreed, writing: "Exactly what you said. Severe anxiety, panic attacks, inability to sleep, just intense anxiety which gives you a feeling of doom and that you're going to die.
"The first time it happened, I thought I was dying and called an ambulance, kept waiting to die in the ambulance and it never happened."
Eli Lilly's version of Reta isn't expected to be licensed until late 2027 or even 2028, which unfortunately means that the fake versions created by Chinese chemical suppliers and unregulated research companies will continue to dominate the market.
Since they're unlicensed and unregulated, it's impossible to know all the potential side effects for these alternate versions of Reta, but sadly that won't be enough to convince folks to steer clear of it in the endless pursuit of the unrealistic beauty standards that social media sets us.
James Moorhouse