DO ‘NATURAL GLP-1 SUPPLEMENTS’ ACTUALLY WORK AS WELL AS OZEMPIC?

GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic and Wegovy have a lot of scientific data to support their use—and they can help people drop a lot of pounds. But is it possible to get the same results from a supplement?

GLP-1s aren’t cheap and there are often shortages, making it tough for the average person to get their hands on the medications. So it makes sense that there's been a rise in so-called “natural GLP-1 supplements,” which promise (or heavily imply) that they’ll deliver similar results that you’d get from an injectable GLP-1 medication—only in a more accessible, far less expensive oral supplement.

For example, Kourtney Kardashian’s Lemme brand just launched Lemme GLP-1 Daily, touted on Instagram as “a breakthrough innovation in metabolic health, formulated to naturally boost your body’s GLP-1 production, reduce appetite, and promote healthy weight loss.” Supergut sells a Gut Healthy GLP-1 Booster, while Pendulum offers a GLP-1 Probiotic. “This multi-strain probiotic is formulated with beneficial bacteria that naturally increase GLP-1, the ‘un-hunger’ hormone that helps curb cravings and appetite,” per the Pendulum website. Many of these supplements are specifically marketed to women, playing on the idea that out-of-whack hormones might be contributing to weight gain.

We tapped obesity medicine physicians to find out whether natural GLP-1s are worth trying.

Meet the experts: Kunal Shah, MD, is an assistant professor in the division of endocrinology at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center. Mir Ali, MD, is a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center.

What is a natural GLP-1 supplement?

To explain a natural GLP-1 supplement, it’s important to first go over what a GLP-1 receptor agonist is. One of the most popular GLP-1 receptor agonists is Ozempic, a semaglutide medication that's technically designed to help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. (The drug is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for weight loss under the name Wegovy.) After research demonstrated that people could lose up to 11 percent of their body weight from Ozempic, it skyrocketed in popularity as an off-label medication for weight loss.

Semaglutide works by mimicking a protein in your body called glucagon-like peptide 1, a.k.a. GLP-1—the same GLP-1 that keeps coming up all over the place lately, says Kunal Shah, MD, an assistant professor in the division of endocrinology at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center.

This activates GLP-1 receptors in your body, leading to an increase in the production of insulin, which helps move glucose into your cells, where it’s used for energy, Dr. Shah says. But GLP-1 receptor agonists do more than just help shuttle glucose around your body. “These medications slow down the transit of food from the stomach to the gut, making you feel full,” Dr. Shah says. You also have receptors in your brain that modulate your hunger and metabolism. Ozempic and other GLP-1s signal to those receptors, making you feel less hungry, he says.

Still following? Your body produces GLP-1 naturally after you eat, but Ozempic and other similar medications are more reliable forms of the same hormone your body makes, Dr. Shah says.

Here's where “natural” GLP-1 supplements come in. These products contain a range of ingredients that companies claim will help stimulate GLP-1 production in your body. Each supplement is slightly different, but these are a few ingredients that have come up:

L-taurine (an amino acid)
Prebiotics (fiber that feed good bacteria in your gut)
Boron (a trace element)
Berberine (a plant-based substance)
Eriomin (lemon extract)
Supresa (saffron extract)
Morosil (blood orange extract)
Green tea leaf extract (concentrated green tea)

These can all impact the body, yes, but it’s a stretch to suggest that these would have the same effect as GLP-1 receptor agonist medications, says Mir Ali, MD, a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center.

Can natural GLP-1s help with weight loss for women?

That’s the million-dollar question. Currently, some in the medical community don’t buy the idea that a supplement can give you similar results as GLP-1 receptor agonists.

“I haven’t seen convincing evidence that any of these will make a significant impact on weight loss,” Dr. Ali says. “They are not nearly on par with [weight loss] medications.”

Natural supplements have “very mild effects” on weight loss based on what Dr. Ali has seen. There is some data to suggest that saffron, green tea, or turmeric can have a slight impact on GLP-1 production, he says, but again, it's not a ton.

One way to stimulate similar effects is by focusing on protein, Dr. Ali says. “Eating more protein increases natural GLP-1 production.” That’s true whether you’re going through menopause or have an underlying health condition that makes you prone to weight gain, but protein can really stimulate similar effects for anyone, he says. He recommends 1.2 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, or about 30 to 35 grams of protein per meal.

So, while you may be interested in taking a so-called natural GLP-1 supplement, you’re unlikely to see a major impact on your weight—at least, not nearly at the level that you’d see if you took a GLP-1 receptor agonist medication. While GLP-1 receptor agonists are not cheap, some companies are looking at ways to make them more affordable. Eli Lilly, for example, recently announced that they would be selling vials of Zepbound (for weight loss) and Mounjaro (for type 2 diabetes) directly to consumers, which will half the cost of the medications. Other companies are expected to follow.

Are natural GLP-1s safe?

If you’re a healthy person with no underlying health conditions, you’re probably OK to take a GLP-1 supplement. “It certainly doesn’t seem to be harmful for most people to take these,” Dr. Ali says.

Keep in mind that some of these contain caffeine or other stimulants, so you’ll want to make sure that you don’t overdo it on top of the caffeine you may already be having in your day. And if you’re taking any medications, there’s always a risk that any supplement could interact with it. That’s why you should always consult with your doctor before hopping on a GLP-1 supplement, Dr. Ali says.

It’s also worth considering that the supplement industry is largely unregulated, making it difficult to know if what a company claims is in the bottle is actually accurate. In fact, several popular herbal supplements have been linked to liver damage and other health issues. So, to be safe, whenever you’re buying a supplement, try to opt for products that are doctor-recommended and third-party tested.

At the end of the day, if you’re trying to lose weight, consult a doctor before trying a new strategy or supplement—no matter how promising it appears. “If you want to lose weight, start by speaking to a primary care physician,” Dr. Ali says. “If you qualify for the actual medications, that would be the best route.”

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2024-09-19T10:12:59Z dg43tfdfdgfd