Experts warn of dangers of ‘nature’s Ozempic’ on TikTok

Health

By Brooke Kato

May 31, 2023 | 3:44pm

This might be a tough pill to swallow.

A so-called weight-loss supplement has captivated users eager to slim down for summer, but experts warn that relying on the quick-fix capsule could be dangerous.

TikTokers are obsessing over berberine, a plant-derived compound that studies suggest exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, inhibits growth of certain cancer cells and lowers cholesterol and blood pressure.

The over-the-counter supplement, dubbed “nature’s Ozempic,” supposedly helps users shed pounds, while its viral nickname piggybacks on Hollywood’s weight-loss frenzy.

“I was feeling frustrated and tired of not being able to lose weight,” TikToker Savannah Crosby, 34, told The Post.

The Texan said she frequents the gym and eats a balanced diet, but couldn’t drop weight like she hoped — until research led her to berberine supplements.

“I feel like the effort I put into my health and wellness is finally working with the help of berberine,” she said. “And I’m not always thinking about food.”

Now 7 pounds down in seven weeks, she is sharing her wellness journey with her “berberine besties” in the hopes it will help “anyone who has struggled” like she did.

“I hate to be the one to say it, but berberine is nature’s Ozempic,” Crosby said in a clip that scored over 177,000 views this week, adding that it’s a “natural approach” for those who “cannot afford” or don’t have access to an Ozempic prescription.

The celebrity-touted jab rings in at an estimated $1,300, while berberine, which has sparked 82 million views on TikTok, is a seemingly low-cost alternative. A bottle of 60 capsules of 1000 milligrams berberine retails for about $36 on Amazon.

Ozempic, the sister drug of Wegovy, suppresses appetite due to the active ingredient semaglutide delivered through a once-weekly injection — and TikTokers are claiming the herbal hack mimics the shot.

User Briana Parra championed her 60-pound weight loss online, and wellness coach Daphne Nunez claims to recommend the pill to clients interested in dropping pounds.

Meanwhile, influencer Isabelle Lux, who trialed the supplement for a day and said she felt “full” all day, complained of dehydration, light-headedness and bloating — all while insisting the supplement was “already working” after just 24 hours.

But experts aren’t as easily convinced.

“This is diet culture,” registered dietitian Jenna Werner told The Post, denouncing the way creators are advocating for the supplement “with very little context as to what else they are doing” to lose weight and promoting it to desperate people.

She voiced concerns that people could “take unrecommended doses” that will only cause more harm in the hopes of dropping pounds fast, and in turn “suffer from mental health and physical health outcomes.”

In fact, despite purported similar weight loss outcomes, Ozempic and berberine “are not the same thing.”

“It is an herb — herbs can counteract with other medications, supplements and cause harm in quite a few populations,” Werner added, advising communication with a healthcare professional before introducing berberine into a daily regimen.

While berberine is considered safe, aside from reports of stomach upset, the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate supplements, making correct dosages and potential contraindications difficult to determine.

For example, berberine’s potential to lower blood sugar could increase the risk of hypoglycemia, according to Healthline.

This TikTok trend has “no true regard” for people’s wellbeing, Werner warns.

“All of this is connected directly to weight loss with no true regard for what it means to someone’s health,” she said, “because weight loss and health outcomes [and] improvements are not the same thing.”