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BeautyFeature
20June 2023
TextSerena Smith
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THE TRUTH ABOUT BERBERINE, THE SUPPLEMENT DUBBED ‘NATURE’S OZEMPIC’

BeautyFeature


TIKTOK USERS ARE CLAIMING THAT BERBERINE SUPPLEMENTS ARE CAUSING THEM TO LOSE
WEIGHT – BUT EXPERTS AREN’T CONVINCED

20June 2023
TextSerena Smith

If you’ve been on TikTok recently, it’s likely you’ve heard of berberine – the
herbal supplement dubbed “nature’s Ozempic”. At present, the ‘berberine’ hashtag
has amassed over 73.5 million views on TikTok, influencers are enthusiastically
raving about how berberine caused them to lose weight, and Google searches for
‘berberine’ have spiked.

While the supplement’s popularity isn’t showing any signs of waning, experts are
warning that berberine isn’t comparable to Ozempic and is likely just another
ineffectual weight loss fad.

Here, we break down exactly what berberine is, the risks that come with taking
it, and whether there’s any merit in those Ozempic comparisons.

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WHAT IS BERBERINE?

Berberine is a bitter-tasting chemical extracted from the roots of plants, such
as goldenseal and barberry. It’s been used in traditional Chinese medicine for
centuries to reduce inflammation and oxidation, traditionally consumed in plant
form. Today, it’s most commonly taken as a powder, capsule or tablet.

Recent research suggests that berberine can potentially help lower cholesterol
and regulate blood sugar, with scientists examining whether the compound could
be used alongside other treatments to help treat patients with diabetes.

Now, some TikTok influencers are suggesting it’s helped them lose weight –
although experts are concerned that these claims are unfounded.


WHY HAS IT GONE VIRAL NOW?

Of course, the weight loss drug du jour is Ozempic: semaglutide, the active
substance in Ozempic, was originally created to treat diabetes by regulating
blood sugar levels, but it’s since taken on a new life as a “game-changing”
weight loss drug as it suppresses users’ appetites and dulls cravings. It’s
become ubiquitous in Hollywood and Manhattan, and is fast becoming popular
across the pond too (in the UK, it’s more often sold under the brand name
‘Wegovy’).

But it’s not easy to get hold of Ozempic. It’s expensive (and if you live in the
UK it’s not possible to get hold of Wegovy on the NHS for weight loss – yet).
Plus, supply is struggling to keep up with demand: disturbingly, reports say
that even diabetes patients are struggling to get a hold of the drug due to its
surge in usage. Naturally, this has led people who want to lose weight to turn
to cheaper, more accessible alternatives, such as berberine. 


CAN IT CAUSE WEIGHT LOSS?

While berberine does have proven metabolic effects on the body, there’s
insufficient clinical data to suggest that it really can help people who want to
lose weight. “There is only one clinical trial which has examined whether
berberine has an effect on weight loss and this was a very small study with
seven participants and was poorly controlled,” explains Dr Simon Cork, senior
lecturer in physiology at Anglia Ruskin University. “In this study there was no
evidence that it contributed to weight loss. Some participants even gained
weight whilst taking berberine supplements.”

Berberine works very differently to semaglutide, and Dr Cork stresses that it’s
extremely overblown to call it an ‘Ozempic dupe’. “This is very misleading,” he
says. “The active ingredient of Ozempic is semaglutide, which is an appetite
suppressant. Semaglutide acts within the brain to reduce hunger and food
cravings and in doing so helps to both facilitate and maintain weight loss.
There is no evidence that berberine acts in the same way.”

Additionally, many products marketed as berberine supplements are not good
quality and only contain a low percentage of berberine anyway. One 2017 study
surveyed 15 different berberine products sold in the US and found that only six
of these contained at least 90 per cent berberine.

> 

“When presented with social media influencers pushing these new supplements,
people should ask themselves whether there is clear evidence for their
effectiveness: not just anecdotal evidence such as ‘my patients have lost
weight’ or ‘I’ve heard from lots of people’, and why something which has been
around for hundreds of years is all of a sudden being pushed as a new weight
loss supplement,” Dr Cork says. “Sadly the reality is that these things very
often have limited evidence, which is not always what patients want to hear.”


IS IT SAFE?

Aside from being ineffective, taking berberine – even when it is high-quality –
can come with some pretty unpleasant side effects. While uncommon, these side
effects can include bloating, cramps, diarrhoea, constipation, and nausea. It’s
also not recommended for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as there’s a
risk it could harm the foetus or baby. Plus, it can interact with many other
drugs and supplements, and in large doses can be fatal.

Dr Cork does empathise with people who pin their hopes on weight loss drugs or
supplements like berberine. “It is completely understandable that people who
have trouble with their weight look for whatever viable option might be
available, including ‘fad’ diets and supplements,” he says. Ultimately, the
popularity of ‘quick fixes’ for weight loss is symptomatic of society’s
prevailing obsession with thinness: as the long, dark history of weight loss
drugs shows, ‘thin’ isn’t ‘back in’ – in reality, it never went away. And until
we live in a genuinely body-neutral world, where thinness isn’t seen as a virtue
and fatphobia has been stamped out, ineffective (and potentially dangerous)
weight loss fads like berberine will sadly be here to stay.

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BeautyFeaturesupplementsOzempic


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