Natural alternatives to Ozempic

Mimic the biological effects of the drug without the side effects and price tag

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

It’s the ‘skinny drug’ that’s exploded on Tik Tok and beyond for its off-label use as a miracle solution to shed pounds fast. Ozempic was originally marketed as a treatment to manage type 2 diabetes, and given its sudden surge in popularity, has left people who actually need the medication in the cold.

Research says that about a third of people who take Ozempic for weight loss will lose 10% or more of their body weight. For a 170 pound person, that’s about 17 pounds, or the weight of a bowling ball. According to anecdotal evidence on social media, the pounds drop off in weeks, with before and after photos drawing the attention of many people looking for a seemingly effortless way to attack those love-handles.

How does it work?

Ozempic, or semaglutide, is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, which means that it works by mimicking the action of GLP-1, a hormone that is naturally produced in the body. GLP-1 helps to lower blood sugar levels by increasing insulin secretion, slowing down the emptying of the stomach, and reducing the production of glucose by the liver.

GLP-1 also has been shown to have other potential benefits, such as reducing inflammation, promoting weight loss, and improving cardiovascular health.

In clinical trials, researchers found that one of the unexpected side effects of Ozempic was that it caused noticeable weight loss, probably due to its action on the appetite center in the brain. Semaglutide is thought to reduce appetite and increase feelings of fullness, which, over time, can lead to a reduction in calorie intake and weight loss.

Semaglutide seems to have similar effects as bariatric surgery. There are different types of bariatric surgery procedures, but many of them involve reducing the size of the stomach or rerouting the small intestine to limit the amount of food that can be eaten and absorbed. These changes to the digestive system can affect the release of GLP-1 and other hormones that regulate appetite and blood sugar.

Studies have shown that bariatric surgery can increase the levels of GLP-1 in the body, particularly in the first few weeks or months after…