Can you replicate Ozempic Naturally?

Ozempic® is the spearhead of a new weight-loss drug class called "GLP-1 agonists”...

What's a GLP-1 agonist?

Years ago, a gut hormone called GLP-1 was found to send hunger reducing signals to the brain. Originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, these drugs were found to be weight loss enhancers thanks to their appetite suppressing affects.

Are there side effects?

Ozempic can be highly effective, but as with anything there are downsides.

It can cost over $1k/month, requires weekly injections and sometimes come with side effects like nausea, diarrhoea, even hair and muscle loss, constipation and gastro-paresis (your gut slowing to a standstill).

Some studies suggest most people regain weight after they stop using it.

Are there natural alternatives?

Yes. Your body produces GLP-1 itself, and there are ways to ramp up it's production naturally.

The best ways are:

Diet + exercise

Research shows exercise can increase GLP-1 levels by up to 50%. From a diet perspective, your gut microbiome plays the key role.

How it works

1. Prebiotic and fiber rich foods are "eaten" by microbes in your gut.

2. Microbes break the fiber down, releasing short-chain fatty acids like butyrate.

3. Butyrate is one of the body's most important metabolite for stimulating GLP-1

What fibers stimulate GLP-1 production?

The foods you eat need to "feed" your gut with certain prebiotic fibres if you want to stimulate GLP-1 production and better control your appetite.

Examples include:

• Inulin: Found in chicory root, garlic, onions, and asparagus.
• Resistant Starch: Found in foods like unripe bananas, cooked and cooled potatoes, and certain whole grains.
• Beta-glucan: Found in oats, barley, and some mushrooms.
• Pectins: Found in fruits like apples, citrus fruits, and berries.
• Gums: Found in foods like beans and seeds (e.g., guar gum, xanthan gum).

But getting enough of these fibre types through food alone is though.

Enter one of the world's strongest "GLP-1 agonist" prebiotics: SOLNUL®

SOLNUL® is a trademarked form of resistant starch prebiotics. It improves blood sugar balance, slow digestion (reducing hunger for longer) and helps to increase the hormone GLP-1, which helps to lower appetite and maintain blood sugar. SOLNUL® can be found in Supergut Protein.

Final word

GLP-1 agonist are supposed to be used forever. That's a long time. Many people can only afford to stay on these drugs short term, for 3 reasons: availability, cost, side-effects.

Ozempic may be a valuable tool for some, but it's not a risk-free solution to weight wellness.

References:

1. Bodinham, C. L., Smith, L., Wright, J., Frost, G. S., & Robertson, M. D. (2014). Dietary fibre and metabolic health: The role of short-chain fatty acids. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 72(1), 27-34.

2. Nilsson, A. C., Ostman, E. M., Holst, J. J., & Björck, I. M. (2008). Including indigestible carbohydrates in the evening meal of healthy subjects improves glucose tolerance, lowers inflammatory markers, and increases satiety after a subsequent standardized breakfast. Journal of Nutrition, 138(4), 732-739.

3. Raben, A., Tagliabue, A., Christensen, N. J., Madsen, J., Holst, J. J., & Astrup, A. (2011). Resistant starch: the effect on postprandial glycemia, hormonal response, and satiety. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 60(4), 544-551.

4. Baxter, N. T., Schmidt, A. W., Venkataraman, A., Kim, K. S., Waldron, C., & Schmidt, T. M. (2019). Dynamics of human gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in response to resistant starch. mSystems, 4(6).

5. Zhou, J., Martin, R. J., Tulley, R. T., Raggio, A. M., McCutcheon, K. L., Shen, L., & Keenan, M. J. (2008). Dietary resistant starch upregulates total GLP-1 and PYY in a sustained day-long manner through fermentation in rodents. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 295(5), E1160-E1166.

6. Robertson, M. D., Bickerton, A. S., Dennis, A. L., Vidal, H., & Frayn, K. N. (2005). Insulin-sensitizing effects of dietary resistant starch and effects on skeletal muscle and adipose tissue metabolism. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82(3), 559-567.