Ozempic has grow to be the “it” matter within the well being group, with hundreds of individuals swearing by the load loss drug. And over the previous couple of months, a bunch of Ozempic alternate options—whether or not it’s one other GLP-1 like Wegovy or a fad weight loss program like Oatzempic—have been popping up. 

One of many newest copycat therapies throughout TikTok is called “Nature’s Ozempic,” which incorporates dietary supplements and different pure substances that declare to be as efficient as the favored drug. However regardless of all of the claims, are they wholesome—and even protected? We requested heart specialist and MyFitnessPal Scientific Advisor Danielle Belardo, MD, for her tackle the pattern.

What’s “Nature’s Ozempic”?

Berberine is the first complement being touted as “Nature’s Ozempic” or a pure different for Ozempic. It’s a plant compound generally utilized in conventional Chinese language drugs. Some research have instructed it may possibly decrease blood sugar and levels of cholesterol and enhance insulin resistance.

Do pure alternate options to Ozempic work?

Regardless of what you would possibly see on social media, Dr. Belardo says there may be little proof of berberine’s effectiveness at weight reduction. Not like semaglutide—like Ozempic and related GLP-1 medicine—which has been well-studied and completely examined in a number of large-scale managed trials, berberine has not undergone any rigorous testing. And of the small-scale research that have been achieved, no significant outcomes have been confirmed.

“There may be completely no sturdy information demonstrating that berberine has a clinically important affect on weight reduction or glucose management that may even evaluate to the FDA-approved GLP-1 medicines,” Dr. Belardo explains. 

She provides that evaluating berberine to Ozempic shouldn’t be solely scientifically inaccurate however probably harmful, as individuals could hunt down questionable therapies. 

Moreover, berberine (and any complement, for that matter) isn’t topic to the identical strict FDA rules as prescription medicine. “This lack of regulation impacts the standardization and high quality management of dietary supplements, resulting in variability within the purity and focus of energetic components in several merchandise,” Dr. Belardo warns.

How to decide on (and use) a pure weight reduction different

Dr. Belardo strongly advises towards utilizing dietary supplements as a weight reduction technique. “No complement, together with these marketed for weight reduction, has been confirmed to be as efficient or protected because the strategies endorsed by well being professionals based mostly on rigorous scientific proof,” she cautions.

MyFitnessPal is likely one of the greatest weight reduction apps and health apps, serving to almost 1 million members attain their vitamin and health targets yearly.

As a substitute, she recommends consulting with a trusted healthcare supplier, like your main care doctor or a registered dietitian. They will analyze your particular person well being profile and medical historical past to give you an evidence-based method personalized to your particular well being wants. 

“They may help devise a sustainable weight administration plan that mixes a balanced weight loss program with common bodily exercise,” she explains, noting that it is a safer and certain simpler route.