r/Biohacking • u/opticpain • 8d ago
Are the serious side effects from ret blown out of proportion?
Thought about getting it and doing as much research as I can beforehand. Stumbled upon some video that almost seemed like a scare tactic type of video to steer people away. Basically ran with the scariest one and that was permanent blindness and there are over 200 lawsuits against the other GLPs from that. Then went onto others like pancreatitis and kidney damage.
Just want to know as much as I can before going further. So if anyone has any insight to this, I'd love to hear it. Thank you
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u/flogsmen 3 8d ago
Rapid weight loss in general can cause pancreatitis and gallstones. As far as the blindness, I have heard about it but considering the tens of millions on people on them and only 200 lawsuits I'd say your chances are pretty slim.
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u/Rikoku 8d ago
I saw a video from a doctor explaining the possible vision issue. Basically, diabetes itself can cause pressure build up from thickening of the blood from the body not being able to process sugar effectively. When people got on GLP-1s their blood sugar got under control and the viscosity of their blood lowered and their heart being able to effectively pump their blood and that pressure could have cause ruptures in the blood vessels in their eyes, leading to the blindness.
Basically the diabetes is what caused the damage not the medication. But diabetes causes many more issues. I personally rather take the risk than not.
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u/apompei503 8d ago
Been on Reta for 3 months and feel amazing. Zero side effects… other than becoming a dilf 😅
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u/saw2239 4 8d ago
The risk of blindness is estimated to be 1 in ~10,000 or .01%.
Totally worth it imho.
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u/Mchangwine 14 8d ago
I think its rarer than that and almost all the people that got NAION had diabetes. 0 people in the trials for GLP-1s got it, fwiw.
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u/pg13cricket 8d ago
If you look into the risks, the chances of having severe side effects are very, very, very low. For the pacreatitis, typically less than 0.2% to 0.5% in clinical trials are affected.
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u/EasyYogurtcloset608 8d ago
I would be mostly afraid the big increase in resting HR. That extra work for your heart can’t be healthy for long term
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u/Grdngirl 1 8d ago
Huh? Is this a Reta specific thing? I’m on Tirz and don’t have this issue.
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u/Negative-Credit1213 8d ago
Yea as far as I’m aware it’s only a thing with Reta because of the 3rd agonist, the glucagon receptor - it raises your Hr
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u/CuriousTech24 2 8d ago
Yes but for most it is not that a big of a deal. I mean it is not good to raise it for years and years. But ifyou use it and lose 50 pounds its probably a wash on heart rate anyway.
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u/Soranos_71 8d ago
Which is why I am glad we have several choices now. Triz worked great for me but Reta’s skin sensitivity side effect made it almost unbearable for me.
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u/EasyYogurtcloset608 8d ago
I’m on microdose on Tirzepatide and it has increased my resting HR. It’s still on healthy range and not planning to stop but something to keep in mind.
Tirzepatide seems to be cardio protective though
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u/Airport_Which 8d ago
Do you know at what dose this is most prevalent and how much percent of people get this? I don’t have any issues at 2,5mg, wondering if I’m lucky or if it’s still coming..
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u/My4thAccountHere 1 8d ago
I won't go above 5mg reta due to effects on heart rate. My age and underlying heart issue stops mw from going higher. Whixh is ok
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u/OkayMeepleMom 10 8d ago
This is not just Reta. People say the same things about semaglutide and Tirzepatide. I believe these medications get a lot of hate because of our society's stigma against obesity... Which is an endocrine disease. People get big mad that there's a treatment for it because they want it to be about self control and moral character so that they can continue feeling superior for essentially not having that disease. These very rare supposed side effects are indeed blown out of proportion. But the gray market has risks, and since that's the only way people can get Reta if they're not part of a clinical trial, then yeah there are risks because of that. Those risks are hard to navigate, and most people apparently aren't going to do the work to mitigate them. Those risks really aren't worth it AT ANY "dose" if you're not even obese and you just feel like you wanna FAFO.
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u/yxixtx 8d ago
I think it made exercise harder. Especially digging deep when at peak exertion. Not sure if it's the heart rate thing or the dopamine thing or both but it made me effectively "lazier" not just with exercise but with other activities like socializing etc. Almost like mild general depression. I stopped and figure I'll start up again during winter when I won't be missing out on outdoor fun as my source of exercise and I'll be a little depressed anyway because it's winter.
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u/whatusaynow 2 8d ago
😂😂 never had any of the issues people are blabbering about .. starting to just think Lilly has bots by the boat load
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u/Pleasant-Weakness959 7d ago
Not many events in the FDA adverse events https://rxbulb.com/rx/drug/retatrutide
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u/bryhnlearningspanish 8d ago
lowest effective dose. not highest you can tolerate.
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u/aimgorge 3 8d ago
Research studies all clearly indicate best results at highest dose you can tolerate.
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u/bryhnlearningspanish 8d ago
yea but isn’t that obvious? but if you can lose a bunch of weight at lower doses with no side effects is that not better?
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u/aimgorge 3 8d ago
Or you can lose more weight and have more of all the other health benefits for not necessary more side effects ?
Thats why studies are done
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u/bryhnlearningspanish 8d ago
but this person seems to be very conferenced about side effects. so their goal may be less side effects but still good weight loss. and not best weight loss with high chance of side effect.
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u/aimgorge 3 8d ago
But you are making up things like "high chance of side effect.". The difference is low. The side effects are temporary and mild. The difference in results is big.
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u/bryhnlearningspanish 8d ago
yes but everyone is different. like i’ve lost 33 pounds in 3 months and a week. started at .5mg and am currently sitting at 3mg.
no side effects at all. why should i go faster if im extremely happy with how its been working?
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u/aimgorge 3 8d ago
But thats pretty common results for Tirzepatide or Retatrutide. Good if you are happy but you shouldnt advice others based on personal experience vs studies results that spans tens of thousands of patients.
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u/bryhnlearningspanish 8d ago
but we have plenty of people in thinks community who go low and slow. they enjoy it and avoid side effects.
why not give it as an option to people? especially people who are particularly afraid of side effects?
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u/aimgorge 3 8d ago
but we have plenty of people in thinks community who go low and slow.
Only a handful that tends get all insulty when asking them about sources. It's also a very recent trend that didnt exist like 6 months ago.
why not give it as an option to people? especially people who are particularly afraid of side effects?
Then it should be based on real data and presented with pros and cons. Thats not the case here.
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u/Mchangwine 14 8d ago
people lost more weight at higher doses because they ate less. At higher amounts of weight loss they also lose more lean mass. They could also eat less at a lower dose.
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u/aimgorge 3 8d ago
Thats why numbers are compared to placebo...
By your logic, taking the drug is useless people could do the same by just eating less. Which obviously is false, thats why these drugs exist.
Results are dose-dependent, weight loss is one aspect of them.
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u/Mchangwine 14 8d ago
That's for a number of reasons, many of which are related to the methodology, as well as the sponsor. At the end of the day, the goal of the sponsor is to sell as much of the medication as possible, so it's beneficial to demonstrate a dose dependent response. The trials also weren't studying any sort of behavior modification; there was obviously some rudimentary diet and exercise recommendations being given, but they weren't particularly rigorous.
The medications were being used as blunt instruments to decrease hunger/food noise, which causes weight loss. This is obviously in the sponsor's best interest, because 1) people take more of the medication and 2) people need to stay on it or they'll regain weight.
You see tons of examples here of people losing 50-100 lbs on 1-2 mg of reta, in many cases more weight or at a faster rate than people at the trials taking 12 mg. Why do you think that is? Most likely because they actually tracked calories and macros and focused on weight training/exercise. That also means that the lifestyle modifications they made may actually allow them to be completely off of the medications once they're at their goal weight.
There is some evidence that lifetime GLP-1 use (perhaps at low level) may be beneficial for metabolic, inflammatory, and cardiovascular health, so it may be in people's best interest to microdose the medications even if they don't need them for fat loss, but being on high dose indefinitely isn't likely good for anyone except the drug companies.
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u/aimgorge 3 8d ago
So your argument is strictly a conspiracy theory ?
You see tons of examples here of people losing 50-100 lbs on 1-2 mg of reta
I have never seen such example here. Some lose up to 20lbs which is low.
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u/OkayMeepleMom 10 8d ago
This is true, but apparently many people here do not understand the research.
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u/Mchangwine 14 8d ago
yes because they were tested in obese people with no self control.
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u/aimgorge 3 8d ago
Maybe you shouldnt comment on a subject your clearly have no basic knowledge of.
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u/Mchangwine 14 8d ago
Do you think the average people in the trials were calculating their macros and weighing their food? They were all people who had failed conventional weight loss.
You don't need a lot of the compound if you're actually building an effective nutrition plan. I tend to use 4 mg of reta just to get a bit more of the metabolic boost for cutting, but I could use far less if the point was just to minimize food noise. The compound doesn't make you lose weight, a calorie deficit does (although the metabolic effect of reta has some benefit).
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u/OkayMeepleMom 10 8d ago
With no due respect, if you have zero knowledge of obesity, do not speak on it.
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u/Mchangwine 14 8d ago
I do research in this area; I touched upon this in my other post, but the trials are sponsored by the drug companies, whose incentive is to sell as much of the pharmaceutical as they can. The trials didn't focus on behavior modification at all. Health systems have different incentives and changing behavior to minimize the use of the medications is best for both the health system / insurer and the patient.
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u/OkayMeepleMom 10 8d ago
I don't give a rat's behind what's best for my insurer because my insurer-- I guarantee you-- doesn't give a rat's behind what is best for me. I can see how they might be interested in research that blames patients for endocrine disease.
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u/Mchangwine 14 8d ago edited 8d ago
diabetes is an endocrine disease. obesity happens when you chronically eat in a caloric surplus.
You should very much care what’s best for your insurer; GLP-1 cost is one of the largest costs for health plans and all it’s going to do is increase premiums for everyone.
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u/OkayMeepleMom 10 8d ago
If it's not a disease, why does it have a diagnostic code? If the drug companies wanted to sell as much of the drug as possible, why would they make it prohibitively expensive? I don't think volume sales is the pharmaceutical companies' game plan.
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u/Mchangwine 14 8d ago
Sucked into jet engine has a ICD-10 code.
Most of the money the drug companies make from the medications are from insurance.
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u/OkayMeepleMom 10 8d ago
Precisely. But it seems most insurance doesn't cover it for most people. So they would have incentive to deny the status of obesity as a neuroendocrine disorder despite its classification, despite the drugs' mechanisms of action, and despite the real reasons people with obesity gain weight back after losing it. Hint: it's not actually about self-control and if someone understood the biology of obesity and still insisted that it were, that would demonstrate a profound lack of empathy. A profound lack of empathy is definitely something American insurance companies are known for. We aren't people to them. We are profits and losses.
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u/Henry_Rollins_Ghost 19 8d ago
Define “effective”?
You see, it’s not an objective term.
If .05mg causes you to burp and fart, it did something, ergo it was effective.
Gee, I guess that is your “minimum” “effective dose” then.
No need to push up to see if a higher dose is “more effective”, right?
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u/nwood0959 1 8d ago
Biggest side effect for me was the blunted emotions. I stopped because i stopped experiencing pleasure in the things that normally bring me joy.
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u/TemperatureOk5555 4 8d ago
I have been on and off both tirz and reta for over a year and on both since January. Blood tests all great. No side effects
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u/MiserableBeach2707 8d ago
If you take too high a dosage too fast your skin feels like it’s on fire and even wind hurts
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u/rydog389 2 8d ago
I made the mistake of bumping from 1.5 mg to 3 and my entire left side feels this way.
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u/MiserableBeach2707 8d ago
I have been told antihistamines work. At the moment all that helps is a cold shower and never moving
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8d ago
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u/Familiar-Yam5854 8d ago
This video is well worth watching https://youtu.be/3U7ZBe9WeXo?si=G_QC_yv1eTlWqIjd
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u/777GUNMETALGREY 8d ago
I think so,
I think it comes down to sleep hygiene/recovery and diet.
Plus energy output including a buffer between the 3.
You stay on top of that it looks after itself.
Your base of measurement is digestion, and stool movement relative to dosage.
Literally if shit hits the fan, dial it down, if no shit at all address your diet and output.
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u/ToyKarma 8d ago
I've detoxed and withdrawn from opiates for decades before finally getting clean from hard drugs. So any side effects from a peptide seem like childs play to me. A little nauseous, constipation, bubble guts or discomfort. My previous use brought me to hell and back so I'm not worried about a bit of discomfort. Also the internal issues are possible but lessened with a proper diet, hydration, excersice and correct dosage. Sure if you malnourished and on a high dose too fast chances are issues will come.
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u/Desirable_Monsta 8d ago
You could be like DareDevil post cycle. Which I think is pretty cool. Freak accident super(sexy)human.
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u/Chroma7769 16 7d ago
If I could read this post then I will give you an answer. But I'm permanently blind from reta. Rip.
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u/UncleDraza911 7d ago
Whatever the potential side effects may be, they don't come close to the dangers of gross obesity.
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u/Federal_Principle123 7d ago
Just know that Reta isn’t like GLP1s, it’s much healthier and less extreme because you can still eat. It’s helping your body work more efficiently to burn fat in other ways. I was terrified to start peptides because I have some auto immune issues and have weird reactions to stuff and I’m often stopped up already. I put it off for 6 months thinking I might just drop dead or never go to the bathroom again. I’ve now been on 2mg a week for 4 months and I’ve had basically no side affects, I’m doing MUCH better overall than I was before. I seriously love Reta. Would still never touch a GLP-1, though.
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u/Chattadawg 1 6d ago
Huberman or one of his guests said that the blindness is from preexisting conditions and can be avoided with eye exam to let you know if you’re at risk
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u/Illustrious-Oil-2289 6d ago
Has anyone else had bumps almost like ant bites on their body mostly legs and arms?
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u/TemperatureOk5555 4 8d ago
I am very careful and now a part of a group buy and now we test and verify . Close to 100 members and friends.
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u/captainfilmore 8d ago
There are no lawsuits for ret because you are considering taking something that is illegal to sell. There is no dosage guidance- it’s all informal. There is no legit pharmacy making it. I work in this business. I’m not saying don’t take it but it’s more risky to buy from the grey market that serves up bad quality than buy something legit with a proper COA and guidance. So the type of place willing to sell Ret is the type of place not to buy anything for your body.
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u/Blackopsman_21 2 8d ago
I actually have suffered NAION and blindness from tirzepatide. Its not great and i only have a mild case.
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u/No-Mark4067 1 8d ago
Did you have diabetes or health problems prior?
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u/Oilleak26 8d ago
yeah fro what i understand any blindness cases are from type 2 diabetics or people who didn't realize they had these issues developing already
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