As Kourtney Kardashian jumps into market, do Ozempic alternatives work?

In perhaps the least surprising development spurred by the popularity of expensive weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and other GLP-1 receptor medications , people are searching for cheaper, more readily available alternatives.

Last month, Congressional hearings led by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders excoriated the CEO of Novo Nordisk (the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy), Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, because people in the U.S. pay an average of $969 per month for Ozempic while those in Canada are charged $155 and Germans pay just $59 monthly.

Jørgensen shifted the blame to pharmacy benefits managers ― the "middlemen" entities that are owned by health insurance companies and, for a cut of the profit, set the prices for the drugs insurance companies will cover. "It's been our experience, a product that comes with a low list price gets less coverage," said Jørgensen. He cited last year's cut of price for his company's insulin as an example of a drug that got dropped by pharmacy benefits managers ― and is now being discontinued.

Regardless, it's an issue that's unlikely to get resolved anytime soon.

Are Ozempic alternatives helpful or hype?

And that’s led to ongoing online chatter about over-the-counter supplements that have been dubbed “nature’s Ozempic” by TikTok users who believe these products will do for them what GLP-1 medications do for those who take them — i.e., suppress their appetite, better control their blood sugar and help them lose weight.

The one that has gained the most online traction is a supplement called berberine.

It’s important to note that over-the-counter supplements are regulated by U.S. Food and Drug Administration as food — so there are no clinical studies to back up berberine’s purported benefits.

That said, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (a division of the National Institutes of Health) recently weighed in on the popularity of berberine.

What to know about berberine

Berberine is a substance found in a variety of plants, including goldenseal, barberry, Oregon grape, and others. Plants containing berberine have a long history of use in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. Plants containing berberine also have been used to treat infections, skin diseases, digestive disorders, and other conditions.

With its recent growth in popularity as a purported weight-loss aid, berberine is now being studied to see whether it has any potential benefits for those who are at risk for diabetes and heart disease.

As to whether taking berberine can aid in weight loss, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health noted “some studies suggest that it might, but the evidence is not conclusive.”

The government agency cited a “2022 review of 18 studies that examined the effect of berberine on body weight and 23 that examined its effect on body mass index and found significant decreases in both weight and BMI in people who took berberine. Effects on weight were seen primarily in people who took berberine in doses of more than 1 gram per day and for more than eight weeks. Many of the studies included in this review had a high risk of bias, and the outcomes of individual studies were inconsistent. Therefore, additional, high-quality research would be needed to allow definite conclusions to be reached.”

Further complicating any assessments of the effects of berberine is the lack of uniformity in the amounts and formulations of berberine used in different studies, as well as the study participants themselves — many of whom already had health conditions such as diabetes or fatty liver disease, which might have influenced the results.

Why to be leery of online claims

The lack of conclusive clinical evidence regarding berberine’s potential weight-loss benefits is why, in 2022, Frontiers in Nutrition published a systematic review and meta-analysis of 49 studies and concluded that "although [berberine] may affect weight, it does not have a statistically significant and considerable effect" on body mass index.

Last year, experts that NBC’s "Today" show spoke to were equally skeptical about berberine as a weight-loss aid.

Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School who leads the Supplement Research Program at the Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts said that perhaps “for people who have a mild weight issue, it might curb appetite enough and help to regulate blood sugar enough that it gives them a little bit of an edge while they’re dieting.”

North Carolina-based obesity medicine specialist Dr. Christopher McGowan added “as far as impact on weight, in particular, that is unproven. If someone is looking to use this for the treatment of weight, I would advise against it. There is simply insufficient evidence, so to me there’s only potential risk.”

Kourtney Kardashian launches her own ‘all-natural GLP-1' product

As if experts weren't busy enough cautioning folks about online claims about berberine, now there's a new player in the "nature's Ozempic" game: Kourtney Kardashian Barker.

In September, the eldest Kardashian sister , who has a supplement line called Lemme, began selling Lemme GLP-1 Daily — a product that claims “to boost GLP-1 hormone levels, reduce hunger and cravings and support healthy weight management.”

Its primary ingredients are a patented blend of lemon fruit extract, saffron extract, and orange extract.

To be clear ― and despite the labeling ― the product doesn't contain any of the clinically tested, FDA-approved pharmaceutical properties that enable GLP-1 medications to mimic the effects of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 , which the body produces after food consumption, thus sending a signal to the brain that the stomach feels full.

The Lemme website says three “clinical studies” it performed demonstrated the nutraceutical’s efficacy and Beverly Hills OB/GYN Dr. Kathleen Valenton, a Lemme Medical Advisory Board Member, endorses the product, saying that “so many of my patients are looking for natural solutions for GLP-1 support, which is why I’m so proud of this breakthrough formulation. Not only is it formulated with highly researched ingredients rooted in clinical trials, Lemme is the only brand with the exclusive on a patented bioflavonoid shown to naturally boost GLP-1 levels.”

For berberine, Lemme GLP-1 Daily ― and all other supplements ― keep this time-tested warning in mind: Caveat emptor ("Let the buyer beware").

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: As Kourtney Kardashian jumps into market, do Ozempic alternatives work?