WITH the explosion of demand for appetite-suppressing jabs like Ozempic and Wegovy, people have been on the lookout for ‘natural’ versions of the drugs.
It’s lead to trends like the ‘Oatzempic challenge’, where people drink a blend of oats, water and lime in a bid to shed pounds.
While not necessarily harmful, experts have cast doubt on claims that the oat drink can to mimic the effects of fat-melting jabs.
But there’s no need to resort to questionable concoctions, as some foods can release the same ‘fullness’ hormone as the diabetes and obesity drugs.
Ozempic – whose active ingredient is semaglutide – is prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes and has the added benefit of making users lose weight.
Its manufacturer Novo Nordisk released a higher dose of semaglutide under the brand name Wegovy to treat obesity, which was rolled out in the UK last year.
The class of drugs, called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA), work by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone produced naturally by your gut when you eat food, which signals to the brain that you’re full and prevents you from overeating.
It’s not possible for food to replicate the effects of the diabetes or weight loss jabs.
But according to research, some foods can in fact boost the release of GLP-1 hormones, keeping you fuller for longer and dampening hunger pangs.
From oats, to nuts and avocado, here are five foods to add to your plate.
While ‘Oatzempic’ certainly can’t lead to dramatic weight loss, its core ingredient – porridge oats – can certainly help you feel fuller.
Dr Duane Mellor, Aston Medical School lead for Nutrition and Evidence Based Medicine, previously told The Sun that oats are slow-releasing carbohydrates – meaning they provide a slower and more sustained release of energy – so “could help with appetite control”.
Meanwhile, Dr Pamela Mason, a nutritionist and researcher for General Mills, said they’re high in fibre, “which swells up in the gut helping to make us feel fuller for longer after meals”.
Research from 2016 on high fibre grains like oats, oats, barley, and whole wheat also suggests they may increase GLP-1.
Their soluble fibre content slows down digestion, leading to a gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream, which triggers the release of GLP-1.
Not for nothing are avocados considered a brunch and breakfast staple.
The creamy green food is high in monounsaturated fats and fibre, which a 2016 review found could increase GLP-1 levels.
A 2019 study by the Center for Nutrition Research at the Illinois Institute of Technology also found that adding an avocado to a meal increased people’s levels of GLP-1, as well as another appetite-regulating hormone called peptide YY, while also reducing insulin levels.
According to a review from 2016, eggs are a rich source of protein and monounsaturated fats, which can boost GLP-1 secretion.
Additional research from 2020 found that egg whites in particular are beneficial for GLP-1 release.
One study in the 2016 review suggested that eating three eggs for breakfast contributed to lower post-meal blood sugar levels, reduced feelings of hunger, and decreased food intake over the next 24 hours, compared to having a bagel for brekkie.
The same 2016 review suggests that almonds, pistachios, and peanuts may increase GLP-1 levels because of their protein, fibre, and healthy fat content.
So if you’re searching for a healthy snack that’ll keep you from grazing all day, a small handful of nuts seems like a good option.
You can also choose to sprinkle them on top of meals.
A 2022 study found that consuming vegetables before a meal regulated blood sugar levels and increased GLP-1 levels, especially 60 minutes after eating.
Vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and carrots are high in fibre and vitamins, which can help regulate blood sugar levels and potentially affect GLP-1 levels, according to Healthline.
Writing for The Conversation about foods to boost fullness, Dr Emma Beckett, senior lecturer in food science and human nutrition at the University of Newcastle, said: “The nutrients that trigger GLP-1 secretion are macronutrients.
“There is evidence that by choosing foods high in these nutrients, GLP-1 levels can be increased.
“This means a healthy diet, high in GLP-1 stimulating nutrients can increase GLP-1 levels.
“This could be foods with good fats, like avocado or nuts, or lean protein sources like eggs.
“And foods high in fermentable fibres, like vegetables and whole grains, feed our gut bacteria, which then produce short chain fatty acids able to trigger GLP-1 secretion.
“This is why high fat, high fibre and high protein diets can all help you feel fuller for longer.”
HERE'S what you should know about Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda and Mounjaro.
Weight loss jabs are a hot media topic at the moment, with hundreds of success stories sharing how they helped them shed the pounds.
In March 2023, the NHS announced it would make Wegovy, a drug made by Danish firm Novo Nordisk, available on prescription to thousands of obese Brits.
It contains the drug semaglutide, which is said to have helped reality star Kim Kardashian and Twitter boss Elon Musk lose weight.
Wegovy, which helped a third of people reduce their weight by 20 per cent in trials, is now available from pharmacies like Boots.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less calories and therefore lose weight.
To do this, an ingredient found in the fat-busting drug, known as Semaglutide, mimics the role of a natural hormone, called GLP-1.
GLP-1 is part of the signalling pathway that tells your body you have eaten, and prepares it to use the energy that comes from your food.
London GP and founder of wellgoodwellbeing.com, Dr Zoe Watson, said: “Your body naturally produces an appetite regulating hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1.
“These jabs work by regulating your appetite, which can lead to eating fewer calories and losing weight.”
Aren’t they diabetes drugs?
Semaglutide, the active drug in Wegovy, was originally sold under the name Ozempic specifically for diabetes patients.
But they started noticing it helped suppress their appetites, stopping them eating as much and helping them shed the pounds.
So Novo Nordisk developed Wegovy, which contains the same chemical but at higher doses specifically to aid weight loss.
Wegovy is not prescribed for diabetes patients.
Can I get them?
Wegovy is offered on prescription to obese adults given specialist weight loss treatment.
The NHS currently also offers a similar drug called Saxenda, or liraglutide.
Both are only available on Tier 3 and Tier 4 weight management services, which means you have to be referred to weight management clinics led by experts.
GPs can’t prescribe them on their own either, Dr Watson said.
The jabs have to be taken as part of an overall programme to help with lifestyle changes and psychological support to get the best effect from the medication prescribed.
But despite being approved for use, supply of Wegovy on the NHS has been postponed indefinitely because of a surge in worldwide demand.
Supply was also halved in the US because of the skyrocketing demand.
Are there any risks?
Like all medicines, the jabs do not come without side effects.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: “One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.”
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, thyroid tumours, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
What other options are there?
Mounjaro (brand name for tirzepatide) also came onto the market in early 2024.
Like Wegovy, tirzepatide stems from a drug originally designed to treat diabetes.
The weekly injection helped overweight people drop more than two stone in 18 months.
It is available with to order with a prescription online from pharmacies including Superdrug and LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor.
It works in a similar way to Wegovy and Saxenda, but is more effective.
Dr Mitra Dutt from LloydsPharmacy says: “Based on clinical trials, 96 per cent of people were able to lose more than five per cent of their body fat using Mounjaro. In similar trials, 84 per cent of people lost more than five per cent of their body weight on Wegovy, and 60 per cent on Saxenda.
“Mounjaro works by activating two hormonal receptors (GIP and GLP-1), which enhance insulin production, improve insulin sensitivity, and work to decrease food intake.”
