Burn that Fat: What is berberine, the weight loss supplement TikTokers are calling 'nature's Ozempic'?

Questionable medical advice has grown very popular on TikTok, with the most recent being called “nature’s own Olympics.” It’s a botanical remedy called berberine.

Many people who are unable to reduce weight through exercise and nutrition turn to medication, like the diabetes treatment Ozempic, which also helps people lose weight.

Influencers on TikTok have been ardently stating that the app has been successful in helping them lose weight, and millions of people have seen their posts.

However, what exactly is berberine? Does it truly aid in weight loss? How safe is it?

Let’s take a look.

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What is berberine?

According to Dailymail, the chemical berberine, which has a bitter taste, is obtained from the roots of various plants, including tree turmeric, Oregon grape, goldenseal, and European barberry.

It is a member of the group of plant compounds known as isoquinoline alkaloids. The painkillers morphine and codeine are among the well-known compounds in this class, reported The Conversation.

Since ancient times, the substance has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine to treat a wide range of ailments, including bacterial infections, pink eye, itchy skin, excessive blood sugar, and urinary tract infections.

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The weight-loss supplement made from barberry plants has been believed to aid in the management of diabetes, high cholesterol, and inflammation. Large-scale clinical investigations haven’t yet verified these advantages. A bottle of 60 pills, one taken before each meal, costs about $30 (~Rs 2,468) on popular retail websites like Amazon.

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Is it the same as Ozempic?

The drug is swiftly becoming popular as a natural substitute to pricey Wegovy or Ozempic, prescription drugs that aren’t often covered by health insurance. It has thousands of good reviews and glowing remarks on TikTok. However, it functions quite differently from prescription medications, also known as semaglutide.

Wegovy is a higher-dose variant that has been approved for weight loss in overweight people with a BMI of at least 27, or in obese people with a BMI of at least 30, who also have a disease connected to their weight, explained Dailymail.

In the meantime, Ozempic is being prescribed “off-label” for obesity despite being approved to treat Type 2 diabetes. Semaglutide promotes weight loss by mimicking to the brain hormone GLP-1, also known as glucagon-like peptide-1, which makes you full and less hungry.

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Does it really help shed pounds?

Studies have shown that obese individuals who use berberine lose a modest amount of weight. “It’s not a dramatic weight loss average for berberine,” Dr Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine specialist and the equity director of the endocrine division at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, told NBC.

The majority of published research, however, is small and of diverse quality, thus the data are not definitive. Patients who took two 750 milligrams capsules per day for three months, according to a 2017 review published in the Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, had “a significant decrease” in weight.

According to a different study that was published in the American Journal of Translational Research, the supplement stimulates brown adipose tissue, or fat cells, which instruct the body to burn calories to convert food into energy.

The chemical also has a number of other uses, such as according to a 2019 study that was written up in the Endocrine Journal, taking berberine supplements was superior to placebo at decreasing blood sugar levels. The research suggests the supplement may also be used to treat polycystic ovarian syndrome, a disorder marked by irregular menstrual cycles and unexpected ovulation and caused by the ovaries producing an excessive amount of a hormone classed as androgens.

Additionally, studies have revealed that berberine helps lower haemoglobin A1C, a marker of blood sugar levels in those with type 2 diabetes.

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What are users saying?

According to Dailymail, on TikTok, the hashtag #berberine has amassed 58 million views, with a weight loss-focused one reaching 1.7 million.

Texas-based TikToker Savannah Crosby, 34, has shed roughly seven pounds while using the supplement. About two months ago, she started taking berberine and had altered her diet and lifestyle concurrently, as advised. She weighed 187.4 lbs (85 kilograms) at the beginning of her weight-loss journey and used TikTok to document her experience with the supplement, which she took three times a day, one 30 minutes before each meal, in an effort to lose weight.  She claimed to weigh 180.8 lbs (82 kilograms) at six weeks after sharing her weekly progress along with before and after images.

A second TikTok member claimed, “Two weeks in and down eight pounds,” while a third stated, “Week nine on berberine and down 18lbs.”

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How safe is it?

This is a question that researchers are currently working to definitively address.

Although berberine is sold over the counter, this does not imply that it is safe. It can interact negatively with other medications you’re taking and cause side effects.

A meta-analysis of 49 studies that was published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition last year suggested that berberine may have metabolic benefits for people, mostly for the heart, reported NBC.

Constipation, gas, diarrhoea, and upset stomach are common side effects. It is yet unknown whether taking it frequently is safe. Users who quit taking it could easily put the weight back on.

Crosby, for instance, has voiced complaints over the gastrointestinal side effects of the pill but maintains that generally, the advantages outweigh the drawbacks. She added, “I do notice some of my hunger coming back a little bit, but it’s okay, I’m working through it. I don’t know if that means I have to increase my dosage.”

It is advised that pregnant women avoid taking it since there is a possibility that it could harm an unborn child or a young child’s brain.

It’s thought that discontinuing Wegovy or Ozempic abruptly will make the weight come back on.

Numerous other medications and dietary supplements may also interact with berberine. These include herbal therapies and medications used to lower blood pressure, drop blood sugar levels, reduce blood clotting, and help with relaxation and sleep, as well as cough suppressants like dextromethorphan and the immune system drug ciclosporin, according to The Conversation.

With inputs from The Conversation

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