With all the talk about Ozempic, the Type 2 diabetes drug that many are using for off-label weight loss, an alternative is also getting a lot of attention right now. Berberine, a dietary supplement, is being called “nature’s Ozempic” by some TikTokers, who claim it helps curb appetite and helps with shedding pounds. And because Ozempic is so expensive - over $900 for a month’s supply - people want to believe berberine is the next best thing.
But is it really “nature’s Ozempic?” Integrative medicine physician Dr. Daniel Monti says, “It’s not.” Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, says berberine is unlikely to reduce appetite and potentially leads to very little, if any, weight loss. It’s a plant extract and the USDA categorizes it as a supplement, which means the FDA doesn’t test it and obesity medicine specialist Dr. Christopher McGowan says there’s very little evidence to support any of the claims about berberine.
In 2022, a review and meta-analysis of 49 studies found that berberine doesn’t have a “statistically significant and considerable effect on body mass index.” While Cohen says there may be a potential of losing a few pounds on berberine, it hasn’t been studied long-term, so you don’t know if the weight will stay off. “I would discourage my patients from using berberine for weight loss,” Cohen says, and he’s not alone in that thought.
- “If someone is looking to use this for the treatment of weight, I would advise against it,” McGowan shares. “There is simply insufficient evidence, so to me, there’s only potential risk.”
- And Monti points out, “Natural doesn’t always mean safe.”
Source: Today
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