It’s a blockbuster weight loss drug taken by millions of overweight and obese people.
But now scientists in Hong Kong have revealed that people may not need to get Ozempic or a similar small dose of the shot to be effective.
Researchers have found that combining fruits and vegetables with a newly enhanced probiotic could result in weight loss as much as an injection.
Synbiotics (a combination of probiotics and prebiotics, often sold as supplements) are thought to help balance gut bacteria, positively impacting gut health, metabolism and even the immune system.
Experts have long advised that probiotics – the live microorganisms found in the gut that boost “good” bacteria – can promote weight loss.
Synbiotics (a combination of probiotics and prebiotics, often sold as supplements) are thought to balance the gut bacteria, which has a positive effect on gut health, metabolism and even the immune system. Here’s an example, retailing for £69.62 for 60 capsules.
Ozempic’s potent ingredient, semaglutide, promotes weight loss by mimicking the action of a hormone called GLP-1, which is released in the intestine after meals.
There are many theories about how healthy bacteria may promote weight loss, and some studies suggest that certain probiotics may block the body’s absorption of fat.
Prebiotics (a group of nutrients) are thought to not only boost levels of beneficial bacteria, but also promote the absorption of bone-strengthening calcium thanks to the way they are digested.
A new study suggests synbiotics may lead to faster weight loss, with participants who combined the tablets with additional fruits and vegetables losing 5% of their body weight faster in one month than those who took Ozempic.
The brand Epetome sells a “high strength” tablet to be taken daily for £55 for a month’s supply, or £135 for three tablets.
However, the product doesn’t claim to help you lose weight, instead promising to “continue to nourish the good bacteria in your gut.”
Other Co-living products are available to buy online, with prices starting from £23.99 for a month’s supply.
In comparison, Britons would pay an average of about £160 for a month’s use of Ozempic.
In the study, scientists from the Chinese University of Hong Kong followed 55 overweight and obese adults aged 21 to 65.
One group was given a synbiotic combination every day. This includes eating at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables.
Another group was instructed to take only the synbiotic once in the morning and once in the evening.
The third followed a doctor-supervised eating plan that consisted only of fruits and vegetables.
At eight-week follow-up, the scientists found that half of the subjects on the combined plan lost more than 5 percent of their body weight.
The brand Epetome sells a “high-strength” tablet to be taken daily for £55 for a month’s supply, or £135 for three tablets, but the product does not claim to be a weight-loss aid – instead it promises to “continuously nourish the good bacteria in your gut”.
They also saw a “significant reduction” in blood sugar levels, improved cholesterol levels and “significantly reduced levels” of the bacteria Megamonas, which has been linked to improved body composition.
Meanwhile, of those who followed only the diet plan, only one in five lost more than 5% of their body weight.
None of those taking the synbiotic alone achieved this goal.
By comparison, early trials of semaglutide, Ozempic’s more potent ingredient, found that users lost as much weight as the combined group, but in three months instead of two.
A 2022 study of 175 vaccinated patients published in the journal JAMA Network Open found that the average weight loss after three months was 14.8 pounds (6.7 kg), equivalent to 5.9%.
A landmark clinical trial of semaglutide published in 2021 also found that 86% of participants achieved more than 5% weight loss over 68 weeks.
“Combining a synbiotic supplement with a weight-loss diet had a more synergistic effect on weight and BMI,” the researchers wrote in the journal Nutrients.
“Only the diet and synbiotic group experienced a mean weight loss of 5% at the end of the intervention, which, if sustained one year after treatment, would likely meet the criterion for clinically significant weight loss.”
However, it is important to note that the researchers did not disclose participants’ past smoking history or dietary habits, so other factors may have contributed to the weight loss.
The slimming effects of semaglutide are completely different to those of synbiotics.
theIt aims to help you lose weight by mimicking the action of a hormone called GLP-1, which is released in the intestines after a meal.
The GLP-1 hormone not only stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin, but also provides feedback to the brain to make you feel full.
As a result, semaglutide may prevent users from overeating.
However, it is not without side effects, and many people complain of nausea, constipation, and diarrhea after taking it.
Some patients have also reported strange symptoms, such as hair loss.
Semaglutide has been available for people with type 2 diabetes on the NHS in the UK since 2019 and in the US since 2017. Manage blood sugar levels.
According to the latest NHS data, 26% of adults in England are obese and a further 38% are overweight but not obese. In the United States it is estimated that 41.9% of the adult population is obese.
There are also growing concerns that, despite the vaccine being developed to make overweight patients healthier, an increasing number of patients of healthy weight are getting vaccinated for cosmetic reasons.
Some people have required emergency room treatment after getting vaccinated in an effort to get “beach-ready.”
