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Weight Loss Drugs
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WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS
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THE TRUTH ABOUT ‘NATURE’S OZEMPIC’
What experts know about berberine, the chemical compound purported to help
induce weight loss.
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Credit...Getty Images
By Dani Blum
June 7, 2023
Leer en español
Sign up for the Well newsletter, for Times subscribers only. Essential news and
guidance to live your healthiest life. Try it for 4 weeks.
As the demand for Ozempic — the injectable diabetes medication that has become
coveted for inducing weight loss — continues to intensify, people across TikTok
are posting about alternatives. Some gush about other diabetes drugs, like
Mounjaro; some tout so-called “generic” Ozempic from compounding pharmacies. And
some are trumpeting what they claim is a cheaper option, readily available in
pharmacies and online: “nature’s Ozempic,” better known as berberine.
Berberine is a chemical compound extracted from plants like goldenseal and
barberry and often sold as a supplement, typically in capsules filled with
yellow-tinged powder. The compound has been used in Asia for at least 2000
years, and physicians have long employed it to treat diarrhea and other
gastrointestinal complaints. More recently, researchers have looked to berberine
as a potential aid in treating conditions like hypertension and insulin
resistance.
Berberine is vastly different from semaglutide, the active ingredient in
Ozempic, though. Experts say that while berberine has proven metabolic effects
on the body, whether it can actually induce weight loss remains murky. Some
limited studies have indicated berberine could play a role in weight loss, which
is possibly where the Ozempic comparisons stem from, but there isn’t
high-quality data from large clinical trials.
“Generally, it’s a really good compound that has some good evidence behind it,”
said Dr. Melinda Ring, an integrative medicine specialist at Northwestern
Medicine. But, she said, the online hype around berberine’s weight loss effects
is grossly overstated. “Don’t think that you’re going to take this and the
pounds are just going to drop off,” she said.
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WHAT BERBERINE CAN — AND CAN’T — DO FOR YOUR HEALTH
A growing body of research over the last 20 years — some in petri dishes, some
in mice, and a few small, but encouraging, trials in humans — suggests that
berberine can potentially help lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar.
Researchers have examined whether the compound can be particularly helpful for
patients with diabetes, particularly when used alongside other treatments.
Berberine also has antimicrobial properties, meaning it may help clear out
detrimental bacteria in the gut and help improve the overall composition of your
microbiome, said Dr. Yufang Lin, an integrative medicine specialist at the
Cleveland Clinic. Those antimicrobial perks may play a role in how berberine
could alleviate gastrointestinal complaints.
Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like.
Dani Blum is a reporter for Well. More about Dani Blum
A version of this article appears in print on June 13, 2023, Section D, Page 6
of the New York edition with the headline: ‘Nature’s Ozempic’ Warrants Caution .
Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe
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