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 promote so-called generic Ozempic from compounding pharmacies. And some are trumpeting what they say 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 high blood pressure 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.
![When it comes to weight loss, studies involving berberine have been patchy and preliminary. Photo / 123RF](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/4RKOW57EOLQ7SFXAYQRJO7IDYU.jpg?auth=f5fa7324e2ab4fcf15ba4cd54d170d86525235128b1d570570a442aa8884017e&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)