NEW ARTICLE: OZEMPIC's Serious Side Effects have people looking for "Nature's Ozempic" - What's the science behind BERBERINE as a weight loss supplement? And is it much more than that? OZEMPIC is the FDA approved Diabetes drug that everyone is using for WEIGHT LOSS! But, it isn't without risks of very serious side effects. Ozempic, known generically as semaglutide, was approved in 2017 by the US FDA for use in adults with Type 2 Diabetes. Ozempic is a weekly injection that helps lower blood sugar by helping the pancreas make more insulin. Ozempic isn’t approved for weight loss but that's a famous side effect, so some doctors have been prescribing it off-label for that purpose and it has "gone viral" for weight loss since 2022. First, it's expensive. List price for month’s supply is $900 for Ozempic and $1,300 for Wegovy (which contains semaglutide — the same active ingredient as Ozempic & is approved for weight loss). Then, Ozempic's side effect profile isn't that great and doesn't just include the typical nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain or constipation (in 30% for 1mg, or up to 70% for the 2.4mg), but can also include severe side effects such as: - gastroparesis (delayed gastric emptying) - ileus (intestinal paralysis) - hair loss (in 3%) - lean muscle loss - gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, kidney injury - malnutrition - worsening eating disorders - suicidal thoughts How common are some of these "RARE" side effects? No one really knows. One man has filed a lawsuit claiming Ozempic caused his necrotizing pancreatitis (his pancreas died) Regulators in the European Union and United Kingdom have signaled that they are investigating reports that Ozempic and similar drugs are causing thoughts of suicide and self-harm. For patients without Type 2 diabetes, Wegovy (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide) both carry warnings about suicidal behavior and ideation on their official FDA labels. But when either drug is sold for use as a diabetes medication, as Ozempic (semaglutide) or Victoza (liraglutide), there is no such warning. FDA recommends that semaglutide should not be prescribed to "patients with a history of suicidal attempts or active suicidal ideation," and that users should be monitored for emerging or worsening depression. So what is BERBERINE and why is it being called "Nature's Ozempic"? I review the recent research on this plant alkaloid derived from a number of plants including barberry and goldenseal, that has been used for 3000 years to treat gastrointestinal disorders. BERBERINE, taken daily at 1000mg to 1500mg has been shown to: - significantly reduce body mass index (BMI) - significantly reduce waist circumference (WC) - reduce blood glucose - reduce hemoglobin A1c - reduce Triglycerides - reduce Total cholesterol, LDL, increase HDL - increase insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion - inhibit gluconeogenesis, inhibit fat production - reduce inflammation (including in the liver) - treat diabetes, obesity, fatty liver, hypercholesterolemia, gout - improve lipid dysregulation - improve gut dysbiosis - inhibit cholesterol absorption - inhibit fat storage The side effect profile of BERBERINE is excellent with only mild gastrointestinal symptoms in ~ 30%, which are transient and resolve. THE COMPARISON: Ozempic $900/month, Berberine $25/month Ozempic with greater short term weight loss, Berberine with milder / modest weight loss Ozempic with risk of severe side effects, Berberine with no risk of severe side effects Berberine with a long list of impressive long term health benefits for those with Obesity, Diabetes, high cholesterol, high lipids, fatty liver and metabolic syndrome. In conclusion, BERBERINE IS "Nature's Ozempic", but that doesn't do it justice and it's hardly a compliment, because BERBERINE is so much more than that. I was very impressed with the research on BERBERINE when it came to obesity, diabetes and weight loss. So it's either the Hollywood/Big pharma expensive quick "weight loss fix" with many risks (Ozempic) - or a long term genuine health solution (Berberine) with a more gradual weight loss.