The Skinny on Weight Loss Drugs

You may know someone using weight loss medications or have seen people touting the benefits on social media. In fact, hashtags like #ozempicweightloss and #berberine have hundreds of millions of views on platforms like TikTok.

But why are so many people talking about weight loss drugs and—even more importantly—do these methods work?

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic is a brand name for a drug called semaglutide, an injection developed for diabetes patients in order to help the pancreas regulate insulin when blood sugar levels are high.

In 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved semaglutide-based injections like Wegovy and Ozempic as a weight management treatment in overweight adults who battle weight-related conditions, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.

As a weight-loss medication, semaglutide reduces appetite and prolongs feeling full after meals.

The company that makes Ozempic also makes Wegovy. While both contain the same drug— semaglutide— Wegovy is a higher, single-dose injection, while Ozempic is a multi-use pen.

What is Wegovy?

Wegovy was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2021 to treat overweight adults with at least one weight-related condition, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol. However, it's recommended the injection be paired with a healthy diet and increased physical activity.

In a recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, it was reported that Wegovy also can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular-related deaths by 20%.

Is Berberine Really "Nature's Ozempic"?

Berberine is a bitter, yellow chemical found in plants such as barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape, phellodendron and tree turmeric.

Though it's been around a long time, and doesn't work the same way as Ozempic, it's been touted as a "natural version" due to potential outcomes. Though the chemical is still being studied, in Chinese medicine, it's used to treat infections, digestive conditions, inflammatory disorders, high cholesterol levels and diabetes.

What are the Downsides of These Medications?

Side effects of semaglutide include gastrointesinal distress, fatigue, hair loss and what has been deemed "Ozempic face" and "Ozempic butt"—when you look flabby due to weight loss.

However, many people also find that injections like Ozempic are out of their price range, as the medication can cost up to $1000 per month and require a prescription. Furthermore, patients have found they gain all the weight back if they quit semaglutide completely. In a study published in 2022, people gained back 67% of the weight they lost within a year of quitting.

While berberine is much more affordable ($15 to $40 monthly), the problem with such supplements is that they are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and therefore can have varying ingredients and percentages of ingredients.

Berberine also negatively interacts with several medications and can cause nausea and vomiting. In animal testing, it has been shown to enlarge the liver and kidneys in addition to reducing white blood cell numbers.

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