- TikTok users are claiming that they are losing weight by drinking Oatzempic.
- They say the drink can help people lose up to 40 pounds in two months.
- Experts say the blend of oats, water, and lime juice is safe and can help you feel fuller.
- However, people with diabetes should exercise caution.
- The effects provided by Oatzempic are not on par with Ozempic.
Getting Ozempic, Wegovy or similar GLP-1 medications without insurance can be quite expensive, with a month’s supply costing in the neighborhood of $1,000.00.
However, the ability of these drugs to help people lose large amounts of weight has created an enormous demand for them. So much so that people who can’t afford the medication have tried to come up with inexpensive alternatives that they can try at home.
Some of the creative, although not always safe and effective, ways that people have sought to mimic the weight loss achieved with GLP-1 medications include laxatives, diet pills, diuretics, and fiber supplements.
Now a new variation of “budget Ozempic” called “Oatzempic” is making the rounds on TikTok.
One user, TheChorroKing, claims to have lost 40 pounds in just two months using the method.
Yet others are following his lead, chugging down daily Oatzempic drinks and reporting back to TikTok how much weight they’ve lost.
But what is Oatzempic and can it really help you lose large amounts of weight quickly?
According to Lauren Mahesri, RDN, LD, from The Pediatric Dietitian, the Oatzempic trend first appeared on TikTok.
To make Oatzempic, people dump 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup water, and the juice of 1/2 lime into a blender.
“The theory is that the fiber in the oats and the citric acid in the lime juice are both subtle appetite suppressants,” said Mahesri, “which keep you from eating excess calories throughout the day.
“Because fiber takes longer to digest, it slows [the] rate of digestion down slightly, which ‘mimics’ what Ozempic does,” she explained.
Given the unsafe extremes embraced by many TikTokers, it’s natural to wonder whether the Oatzempic method is safe.
Unlike most health trends on social media Mahesri that Oatzempic at least has whole food ingredients.
“There is no suspicious ‘proprietary blend’ of unknown supplements like most health-claiming powders,” Mahesri said.
However, she does suggest approaching Oatzempic with caution if you are living with diabetes since it could increase your blood sugar.
Oats can spike blood sugar in many people, especially if using instant oats and blending them, rather than eating whole steel-cut oats in their natural form.
Even for those who are not living with dibetes, regular blood sugar spikes are not healthy.
Spikes are often followed by crashes, which then lead to more cravings for carbohydrates, which can then create a vicious cycle and lead to insulin resistance and eventually diabetes and obesity if not managed.
Jill Barat, PharmD, with Pharmedico Pharmacy, also expressed concerns that some people might get the false impression that Oatzempic is a genuine alternative to diabetes medications like Ozempic. “[I]t is not,” she stated.
Additionally, Barat noted that extreme rapid weight loss isn’t healthy.
“When using a healthy diet and exercise to lose weight, you can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week when done correctly,” she remarked. “5 pounds a week is just way too rapid to be true or even safe.”
When it comes to weight loss, Barat said you’re just as likely to lose weight by eating a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast every morning.
Rapid weight loss is unlikely with Oatzempic and wouldn’t be safe even if it were possible.
“That being said, oatmeal can be a good choice for people looking to adjust their diet to lose weight,” Barat continued. “Oatmeal contains vitamins, minerals, some protein, and lots of fiber.”
When oatmeal is mixed with water, it can take on a gel-like consistency, she explained, which can help you feel full for longer and lessen your appetite.
However, this doesn’t mean that it will provide you with the same benefits as Ozempic.
Barat said that any claims of the viral smoothie being on par with GLP-1 medications are simple not trure.
“But I do encourage people to consider oatmeal as a healthy and filling breakfast meal anyway,” she said.
TikTok users are claiming that a blend of oatmeal, water, and lime juice can help people lose large amounts of weight quickly — as much as 40 pounds in two months.
The theory behind Oatzempic is that the fiber found in oatmeal can keep people feeling full for longer and the citric acid in lime juice can suppress appetite.
However, experts say losing weight too quickly is unhealthy and Oatzempic may pose additional risks for people living with diabetes, as it can spike blood sugar.
Additionally, health experts note that the promises that Oatzempic will provide equivalent benefits to GLP-1 medications like Ozempic are not true.