Adverse effect · Dulaglutide

How common is gastrointestinal adverse effects with Dulaglutide?

A
Grade A — established in humansREWIND · effect size: moderate · adverse
Short answerEstablished in humans. REWIND point the same way: a moderate effect. Nearly half of participants reported a gastrointestinal adverse event over the trial, against a third on placebo — the class profile.

What the studies show

Nearly half of participants reported a gastrointestinal adverse event over the trial, against a third on placebo — the class profile.

“2347 (47·4%) participants assigned to dulaglutide reported a gastrointestinal adverse event during follow-up compared with 1687 (34·1%) participants assigned to placebo (p<0·0001).”

Verbatim, from the abstractGerstein HC, Colhoun HM, Dagenais GR, et al. Dulaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes (REWIND): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet, 2019

Several well-run randomised trials in people, pointing the same way. You can plan around this. It still says nothing about whether the effect is worth the side effects for you.

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In context

Dulaglutide is a once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist made of two GLP-1 analogue chains fused to an antibody fragment, approved for type 2 diabetes since 2014. In the 9,901-person REWIND trial it reduced major cardiovascular events by 12% relative to placebo over 5.4 years in people with diabetes, most of whom had no prior heart disease. It is not approved for weight management and produces modest weight loss — a few kilograms — well below semaglutide or tirzepatide. It is prescription-only everywhere it is sold.

Dulaglutide is approved (rx). Legal status differs by country — see the regulation section or the jurisdiction pages.

Questions

Is Dulaglutide proven to cause gastrointestinal adverse effects?
Yes, as far as human trials can show it: REWIND. LYO grades this outcome A.
What studies are behind the grade?
Nearly half of participants reported a gastrointestinal adverse event over the trial, against a third on placebo — the class profile.
Is Dulaglutide approved for this?
Dulaglutide is an approved medicine (Approved (Rx)); whether this particular outcome is a licensed indication is stated on the compound page's regulation section.

Other outcomes for Dulaglutide

Written and maintained by LYO Research — how pages are written and checked. Reviewed 10 September 2026. Grades count human evidence only; see how LYO grades. Not medical advice. Correct this page →