Important Safety Information
Please read the following safety information carefully before starting treatment. This page contains important information about retatrutide, including warnings, contraindications, side effects, drug interactions, and emergency protocols.
Last updated: September 2026
INVESTIGATIONAL MEDICATION — NOT FDA-APPROVED
Retatrutide has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for any use. It is being studied in late-stage clinical trials. There is no FDA-approved label, no approved indication, and no approved dosing schedule for retatrutide.
The information on this page is drawn from published clinical-trial data for retatrutide and from the approved labeling of medications in the same class (GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists). It is provided for your safety and is not a substitute for the advice of your prescribing physician.
Compounded medications are also not FDA-approved and have not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or quality.
IMPORTANT WARNING: THYROID C-CELL TUMORS (ANIMAL DATA)
Medications in this class (GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists) have caused thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents at clinically relevant exposures. It is not known whether retatrutide causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans.
RETA MD does not prescribe retatrutide to anyone with a personal or family history of MTC, or with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer.
1. Investigational Status & Who We Evaluate
Retatrutide is investigational. It is being evaluated in Eli Lilly's Phase 3 TRIUMPH program and has not been approved by the FDA, so it has no approved indication for any condition.
RETA MD physicians evaluate adults for treatment using criteria consistent with those used for approved chronic weight-management medications — generally a body mass index (BMI) of:
• 30 kg/m² or greater (obesity), or
• 27 kg/m² or greater (overweight) with at least one weight-related condition (e.g., hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obstructive sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease).
Meeting these criteria does not mean treatment will be prescribed. A licensed physician reviews your health history and decides whether treatment is appropriate for you, and may decline. This is a prescription medication that requires physician supervision. It is not intended for cosmetic weight loss.
2. Contraindications
Do NOT use retatrutide if you:
• Have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC)
• Have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
• Have had a serious allergic reaction to retatrutide or any of its ingredients
• Have a history of severe pancreatitis
• Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant (discontinue at least 2 months before planned pregnancy)
• Are breastfeeding
3. Common Side Effects
The most common side effects include:
• Nausea (most common, especially during dose escalation)
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Abdominal pain or discomfort
• Decreased appetite
• Indigestion / dyspepsia
• Injection site reactions (redness, itching, pain)
• Fatigue
• Hair loss
These are generally mild to moderate and often improve as your body adjusts. Your physician may recommend gradual dose escalation to minimize gastrointestinal side effects.
4. Serious Warnings & Precautions
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience:
• Pancreatitis: Severe, persistent abdominal pain that may radiate to the back, with or without vomiting. Discontinue retatrutide promptly if pancreatitis is suspected.
• Increased heart rate: Retatrutide's glucagon activity can modestly raise resting heart rate; your provider will monitor this.
• Gallbladder problems: Upper stomach pain, fever, jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes), clay-colored stools.
• Hypoglycemia: Particularly when used with insulin or insulin secretagogues. Symptoms include shakiness, sweating, confusion, rapid heartbeat, blurred vision.
• Kidney injury: Reported in patients experiencing severe gastrointestinal reactions. Monitor renal function in patients with kidney disease.
• Allergic reactions: Rash, itching, swelling of face/lips/tongue/throat, difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat, dizziness.
• Diabetic retinopathy complications: If you have a history of diabetic retinopathy, monitor for changes in vision.
• Suicidal behavior and ideation: Report any new or worsening depression, suicidal thoughts, or unusual changes in mood or behavior.
5. Drug Interactions
Retatrutide slows gastric emptying and may affect the absorption of other oral medications. Important considerations:
• Oral medications: The delay in gastric emptying may reduce the rate of absorption of concomitantly administered oral medications. Monitor patients on oral medications and adjust doses as clinically indicated.
• Insulin and sulfonylureas: Increased risk of hypoglycemia. Dose reduction of insulin or sulfonylureas may be necessary.
• Oral contraceptives: Efficacy may be reduced. Consider switching to a non-oral contraceptive method or a backup method for 4 weeks after initiation and each dose escalation.
• Warfarin and other anticoagulants: Monitor INR more frequently when initiating or changing retatrutide doses.
Always inform your healthcare provider of all medications, supplements, and herbal products you are currently taking.
6. Dosing & Administration
There is no FDA-approved dosing schedule for retatrutide. Your prescribing physician determines your starting dose, whether to escalate, and how quickly — based on your health history, your response, and how well you tolerate treatment.
For reference, the Phase 3 trials studied retatrutide as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection, started at a low dose and increased in stepwise increments (commonly 2 mg, 4 mg, 8 mg and 12 mg) with at least 4 weeks at each step. Your regimen may differ from this, and paying for a particular plan does not entitle you to a particular dose.
General administration guidance:
• Inject on the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without food
• Inject into the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm, and rotate injection sites
• If you miss a dose, follow the instructions your physician gave you, or contact your care team before injecting
Store medication in the refrigerator (36°F to 46°F / 2°C to 8°C). Do not freeze. Protect from light.
7. Compounded Medication Notice
Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. They are prepared by licensed compounding pharmacies and have not undergone FDA evaluation for safety, effectiveness, or quality. RETA MD does not manufacture any medications. All prescriptions are fulfilled by state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacies in the United States.
RETA MD has no direct affiliation with Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk, or any pharmaceutical manufacturer. Product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.