Weight loss injections like Ozempic are very popular worldwide. The prescription drug promises that users can reduce almost 15 percent of their body weight within 1.5 years. This is made possible by the active ingredient semaglutide, which imitates the body’s own intestinal hormone GLP-1 and slows down gastric emptying, thereby keeping you full for longer. However, the syringes have their price and cost users an average of 240 to 400 euros per month. In addition, their long-term consequences have not yet been sufficiently researched.
Oatzempic as an alternative to Ozempic weight loss injection?
A much cheaper home remedy is supposed to achieve a similar effect and guarantee weight loss of 20 kilograms in just a few weeks – at least that’s what users of the social media platform TikTok report. We’re talking about “Oatzempic” – a combination of the words “Oat”, oat flakes in German, and “Ozempic”. This is a drink that consists of oatmeal, water and lime juice.
This is how it is prepared:
0.25 liters of water 60 grams of oat flakes Juice of half a lime
The supposed miracle cure is currently extremely popular on TikTok. After all, Oatzempic only contains around 150 kilocalories. If you use the drink to replace a meal, such as breakfast, you can save several hundred calories, depending on your eating habits.
Fiber contained in oatmeal can help you lose weight
It is generally accepted that oatmeal can help you lose weight. You don’t necessarily need a glass of Oatzempic – porridge works almost as well, says Mir Ali, bariatric surgeon and medical director of the Center for Surgical Weight Loss at the Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California (USA), to the news portal “Health“.
The fiber contained in oatmeal is crucial. 125 grams of oat flakes contain eight grams of this nutrient, which keeps you full for a long time and reduces appetite. This is ensured, among other things, by beta-glucan – a soluble fiber that lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels and slows gastric emptying.
Oatzempic “not a replacement for Ozempic”
Similar to weight loss injections, oatmeal and fiber in general can stimulate the body to release the hormone GLP-1. However, the functionality and effectiveness of the active ingredient semaglutide is not comparable to that of oatmeal, says Rudolph Bedford, gastroenterologist at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, to “Health“. “Oatmeal just fills you up.”
Ali also emphasizes that oatmeal is “not a substitute for Ozempic.”
Oatzempic “will certainly not harm anyone” – but the doctor warns of a yo-yo effect
From a medical point of view, there is nothing wrong with a glass of Oatzempic a day. “It certainly won’t hurt anyone,” Bedford said.
However, Ali warns against overly ambitious weight loss plans and against replacing several meals a day with Oatzempic over a longer period of time. This can lead to a yo-yo effect.
He points out that healthy and sustainable weight loss often needs to be approached slowly. Losing 500 grams to one kilo per week is a reasonable goal. “However, you have to take a person’s starting situation into account. Anyone who is heavier will probably lose weight more quickly in the beginning,” emphasizes the surgeon.
But a glass of Oatzempic a day isn’t enough. “Everyone is looking for an easy solution, but unfortunately there is no easy solution when it comes to losing weight,” says Ali. In addition, other lifestyle factors such as exercise and general diet would also have to be changed in order to achieve weight loss success. “It’s important to pay attention to nutrition throughout the day – not just one meal.”