Home / Health / Nature's Ozempic? Expert Debunks Weight Loss Myths
Nature's Ozempic? Expert Debunks Weight Loss Myths
7 Feb
Summary
- Berberine offers mild weight loss, not comparable to Ozempic's effects.
- Yerba mate's weight loss benefits are minimal and mainly caffeine-driven.
- GLP-1 patches and supplements are ineffective and potentially dangerous.
Online claims dubbing herbs like berberine as "Nature's Ozempic" are misleading, according to a robotic GI surgeon. Ozempic, containing semaglutide, acts as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, predictably suppressing appetite and aiding insulin secretion.
Berberine, while not a scam, offers only mild weight loss, improving insulin sensitivity indirectly. Its effects are significantly less potent than Ozempic, and it carries potential gut issues and drug interactions. Yerba mate's purported fat loss is primarily due to caffeine, with weak and inconsistent GLP-1 effects, alongside risks of increased heart rate and anxiety.
The expert issues a strong warning against GLP-1 patches and supplements, stating that GLP-1, as a peptide hormone, has near-zero absorption through the skin. These products often contain ineffective ingredients and lack any pharmacological action. The belief that natural equals safe is false; evidence and predictability are key differentiators.
