When you’ve been on TikTok recently, it’s likely you’ve heard of berberine – the herbal complement 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 drop extra pounds, and Google searches for ‘berberine’ have spiked.

While the complement’s popularity isn’t showing any signs of waning, experts are warning that berberine isn’t comparable to Ozempic and is probably going just one other ineffectual weight reduction fad.

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

WHAT IS BERBERINE?

Berberine is a bitter-tasting chemical extracted from the roots of plants, resembling goldenseal and barberry. It’s been utilized in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years to cut back inflammation and oxidation, traditionally consumed in plant form. Today, it’s mostly 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 possibly be used alongside other treatments to assist treat patients with diabetes.

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

WHY HAS IT GONE VIRAL NOW?

After all, the load loss drug du jour is Ozempic: semaglutide, the lively substance in Ozempic, was originally created to treat diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels, nevertheless it’s since taken on a latest life as a “game-changing” weight reduction drug because it suppresses users’ appetites and dulls cravings. It’s turn out to be ubiquitous in Hollywood and Manhattan, and is fast becoming popular across the pond too (within the UK, it’s more often sold under the brand name ‘Wegovy’).

But it surely’s challenging to pay money for Ozempic. It’s expensive (and for those who live within the UK it’s impossible to pay money for Wegovy on the NHS for weight reduction – yet). Plus, supply is struggling to maintain up with demand: disturbingly, reports say that even diabetes patients are struggling to come up with the drug attributable to its surge in usage. Naturally, this has led individuals who wish to drop extra pounds to show to cheaper, more accessible alternatives, resembling 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 assist individuals who wish to lose weight. “There is just one clinical trial which has examined whether berberine has an effect on weight reduction and this was a really small study with seven participants and was poorly controlled,” explains Dr Simon Cork, senior lecturer in physiology at Anglia Ruskin University. “On this study there was no evidence that it contributed to weight reduction. Some participants even gained weight whilst taking berberine supplements.”

Berberine works very in another way to semaglutide, and Dr Cork stresses that it’s extremely overblown to call it an ‘Ozempic dupe’. “This could be very misleading,” he says. “The lively ingredient of Ozempic is semaglutide, which is an appetite suppressant. Semaglutide acts inside the brain to cut back hunger and food cravings and in doing so helps to each facilitate and maintain weight reduction. There isn’t any evidence that berberine acts in the identical way.”

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

“When presented with social media influencers pushing these latest supplements, people should ask themselves whether there is obvious evidence for his or her effectiveness: not only anecdotal evidence resembling ‘my patients have lost weight’ or ‘I’ve heard from plenty of people’, and why something which has been around for lots of of years is rapidly being pushed as a latest weight reduction complement,” Dr Cork says. “Sadly the truth is that this stuff fairly often have limited evidence, which will not be all the time what patients wish to hear.”

IS IT SAFE?

Other than being ineffective, taking berberine – even when it’s high-quality – can include some pretty unpleasant unwanted effects. While unusual, these unwanted effects can include bloating, cramps, diarrhoea, constipation, and nausea. It’s also not beneficial for people who find themselves pregnant or breastfeeding, as there’s a risk it could harm the foetus or baby. Plus, it could actually interact with many other drugs and supplements, and in large doses may be fatal.

Dr Cork does empathise with individuals who pin their hopes on weight reduction drugs or supplements like berberine. “It is totally comprehensible that individuals who’ve trouble with their weight search for whatever viable option could be available, including ‘fad’ diets and supplements,” he says. Ultimately, the recognition of ‘quick fixes’ for weight reduction is symptomatic of society’s prevailing obsession with thinness: because the long, dark history of weight reduction drugs shows, ‘thin’ isn’t ‘back in’ – in point of fact, 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 reduction fads like berberine will sadly be here to remain.

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