Is berberine really ‘Nature's Ozempic’?

You may have seen people on social media referring to the dietary supplement berberine as ‘Nature’s Ozempic’. We’ve been following the research on berberine and Ozempic for a while now, so we thought we’d share the facts on both these awesome ingredients. 

What is Ozempic and what does it do?

Ozempic is the brand name of semaglutide, a compound that mimics the hormone GLP-1. Your body releases GLP-1 after eating, which suppresses your appetite, slows down the movement of food through the stomach (so you feel fuller for longer) and stimulates the release of insulin to help control blood sugar. Administering Ozempic has the same effects, so it is an effective medication for diabetes and is also a great way to curb appetite and lose weight.

Notable use (and misuse) of Ozempic by high profile figures and celebrities has seen the drug at the center of some negative media coverage, but it is actually a very promising medication. As well as its established role as a treatment for diabetes, Ozempic could help stem the growth of the global obesity epidemic, has been found to cause a 20% reduction in cardiovascular events in obese patients without diabetes, ^[1] and has shown interesting results in treating alcoholism and other addiction disorders. ^[2] There are even some indications that it could be a future longevity therapeutic, as we have written about previously on this blog. 

What is berberine and what does it do?

Berberine is a compound that occurs naturally in the bark of some plants. It has a long history of use as in Chinese, Ayurvedic and Eastern Folk medicine, with evidence of its use as far back as 3000 years ago ^[3] - a whole lot longer than the handful of years that Ozempic has been around. In these traditional contexts, berberine-containing plants have been used to treat infections, wounds and digestive issues, but more recent research has uncovered wide-ranging metabolic and cardiovascular benefits which has led to berberine becoming a popular longevity supplement.

Berberine activates AMPK, a complex biological pathway that influences many aspects of health, most notably metabolism and cellular homeostasis. ^[4] Like Ozempic, berberine helps to control blood glucose levels and has been shown to be an effective treatment for diabetes, ^[5] and there’s also strong evidence that it can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. ^{[6, 7]}

So, is berberine ‘Nature’s Ozempic’?

In short: not exactly. While the two compounds do have similar effects and applications, they work in very different ways.

The fundamental difference between the two compounds is in their mechanisms of action. Ozempic has a very targeted effect that mimics the activity of a key hormone involved in digestion and satiety (i.e. hunger), whereas berberine exerts a more widespread and less clearly understood influence through the AMPK pathway. Both of these result in metabolic and cardiovascular health benefits, but Ozempic’s impact, particularly on blood glucose control and weight loss, is generally more powerful.

Ozempic can produce sustained weight loss effects, with studies reporting that obese or overweight patients shed on average 15% of their body weight after taking the drug for a year. ^[8] Berberine, meanwhile, has been shown to induce some weight loss and a reduction in body fat percentage in a 12-week trial ^[9] and evidence from animal models suggest that it may help prevent obesity, ^[10] but it does not appear to impact appetite and larger, longer term studies are needed to establish how effective it is for weight loss.

Similarly, evidence shows that both Ozempic and berberine can help improve the control of blood glucose levels and so both are useful in the treatment of diabetes. However, Ozempic is a regulated medicine used by diabetic or obese patients, whereas berberine is classed as a dietary supplement and, although there is robust evidence to show that it can positively impact blood glucose control, as yet it is not a prescribed treatment for any illness.

This difference in classification is one reason why Ozempic’s effects have been more thoroughly researched than berberine’s. However, it also means that Ozempic comes with a much higher price tag, with reports of monthly injections costing as much as $1000. (Although a recent analysis found that GLP-1 agonists were almost 400x higher than needed to turn a profit. ^[11]) Berberine, on the other hand, does not have to be produced by one regulated manufacturer and so is much cheaper, making it affordable to take as a daily supplement.

Why berberine is better than Ozempic as a longevity therapeutic

Although berberine is unlikely to bring about the dramatic weight loss associated with Ozempic, its other well-documented health benefits and relative affordability mean that it is well worth taking regularly as a supplement.

Ozempic is a prescription drug and an injected medication, which is not without risk, and it has only been on the market for a few years meaning long term effects are still unknown. It has a place as a pharmaceutical treatment of diabetes or obesity, but the risks likely outweigh the benefits in healthy individuals. Berberine is much better suited to preventing disease and optimizing longevity in already healthy people and it has been around for thousands of years, so we know it’s safe for long-term use. 

One study in subjects at low risk of cardiovascular disease found that taking berberine supplements for 3 months resulted in a healthier blood lipid profile (by reducing triglycerides and LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol), which greatly reduces the chances of developing future cardiovascular disease. ^[12] On top of helping to maintain healthy blood glucose control, which is known to become disrupted as we age, there is also strong evidence that berberine can reduce cancer risk ^[13] and lower inflammation. ^[14]

Research also suggests that berberine could help extend lifespan. The AMPK pathway that it activates has been linked to lifespan extension via various mechanisms, such as sirtuin genes. ^[15] Animal studies have provided compelling evidence, with one study showing that berberine supplementation extends the normal lifespan of mice by more than 16%. ^[16]

So while berberine may not be the get-skinny-quick Ozempic alternative that some are looking for, its potential health and longevity benefits go way beyond that. 

You can find berberine and other high quality research backed longevity supplements in our Zest Supplement Packs, available from the Zest shop.