The 'Price' of GLP-1 Drugs: Side Effects Drive Patients to Supplements
For 42-year-old Allison Vecchio, an emergency room nurse based in Fort Pierce, Florida, GLP-1 drugs were 'a reset button on life,' but came at a price — gastrointestinal distress, brittle nails, and feelings of weakness so intense that at times she could not leave her bed. The symptoms eased when she began a cocktail of supplements including fiber, collagen, and electrolytes, but the haul costs US$200 to US$300 a month.
'You really have to take the reins' to turn mere weight loss into improved health, she says.
Market Boom: GLP-1 Users Drive Supplement Sales
GLP-1 drugs like Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy rank among the biggest medical breakthroughs in years, owing to their efficacy in treating obesity and type 2 diabetes, and reducing the risk of heart disease. Some 10 million Americans used them in 2025, a figure that could grow to 25 million by 2030, according to JPMorgan research.
Their side effects, though, have caused many to turn to loosely regulated dietary supplements. US supplement sales have rocketed in recent years, surpassing US$74 billion in 2025, according to the Nutrition Business Journal.
- Nearly half of GLP-1 users started taking new vitamins and supplements after beginning the drugs
- Probiotics, protein, and fiber are particularly popular
- A Boston Consulting Group survey this year found that GLP-1 users spend roughly 20 per cent more on protein, fiber, and collagen than non-users
TikTok Marketing: A Billion-Dollar Supplement Sales Channel
Vecchio has 25,000 TikTok followers and is on retainer with three brands. She is also a member of TikTok Shop's HealthPro creator programme, reserved for licensed health professionals. Terri Hart, 52, from Pittsburg, Kansas, began taking GLP-1s in 2023. To offset 'horrible' nausea, fatigue, and constipation, she takes magnesium, electrolytes, B12, and other supplements costing about US$110 a month, which insurance does not cover. TikTok income eases the burden.
TikTok Shop generated more than US$1 billion in dietary supplement sales in 2025, or 5.4 per cent of all e-commerce supplement sales, according to the Nutrition Business Journal, while overall US vitamin and supplement sales grew 5 per cent in 2024 and 7 per cent last year.
Doctors Warn: Safety Concerns Over Lack of FDA Pre-Approval
Jonathan Bonnet, a clinical associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, notes that without FDA pre-approval, people do not know exactly what is in many supplements. 'If you can't know what you're taking, it's hard to know what risks you're undergoing,' he says.
Rob Fried, CEO of Niagen Bioscience, cautioned that companies 'can hire an influencer, or even hundreds of influencers on TikTok … to make whatever claims will sell.' Some medical researchers have called for more regulation of online supplement marketing. The FDA this year has stepped up efforts to strengthen oversight of new dietary ingredients, issuing new guidance on submissions for review, but many supplement makers avoid this review process.
Retailers Expand Supplement Offerings
Target is widening its supplement offerings, while The Vitamin Shoppe has seen double-digit sales growth this year in fiber and creatine, both popular with GLP-1 users.
Experts remind that supplements cannot replace a balanced diet and medical guidance. While using GLP-1 drugs, consult healthcare professionals and avoid blindly following social media recommendations. The Xiaoshu Health App can sync with Apple Health to track relevant metrics, helping you better monitor weight, nutritional intake, and body changes during GLP-1 treatment.