An MD in Endocrinology Reveals: This Weight Loss “Alternative” to Ozempic Works Through the Same Hormone but Without Its Side Effects
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“Think about this – over half of the US population (55%) say they want to lose weight.1
Many of them seek to live their lives without physical health and fitness being an issue.
Some worry about how others perceive them based on their appearance.
And then there are those who want to go to the doctor and discuss their concerns without getting the weight speech,” said Dr. Theresa Bell, MD in Endocrinology.
Given these motivations, the expert wasn’t surprised by this Ozempic trend at all.
Instead, she’s worried about so many people using it off-label.
“First, it’s a diabetes drug, which is not FDA-approved for weight loss.
Second, people already report serious side effects, which I will get into detail a bit later.
Third, I did a lot of research to understand how exactly Ozempic works for weight loss.
And what I found is that there is another, safe, non-medication way to get very similar results,” she said.
“Before I explain this alternative, first, it’s important to understand how Ozempic promotes weight loss.”
The expert explained that this drug was initially created to lower blood sugar and A1C in people with type 2 diabetes.
“Now, the way Ozempic does that is by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1.
This glucagon-like peptide does three things:
- Triggers the pancreas to release insulin when blood sugar rises
- Prevents the liver from producing too much glucose
- Reduces appetite and slows down the food leaving stomach2
And the latter is exactly what matters for weight loss,” said Dr. Bell.
When Ozempic slows down the rate at which food leaves the stomach, it promotes a feeling of fullness.
That’s why those who take this drug have less urge to overeat or snack.
“Since you no longer eat as much as you used to, you consume fewer calories.
As a result, you lose weight without any hunger or cravings because you always feel full.
And it might seem like nothing could go wrong,” explained the doctor.
“But it does, and those who have tried Ozempic for weight loss are already reporting serious side effects.”
“Unfortunately, what I suspected was going to happen is already happening, and on a massive scale.
There’s a surge of those who used Ozempic for weight loss sharing horrible side effects,” the expert expressed her concern.
And indeed, Dr. Bell is right because the internet is now full of stories like these:
“I took this drug for one week, and I’m not kidding when I say it was the most miserable, sickest I’ve ever felt. I can’t understand any healthy person taking it to get thin.”
“The side effects came hard, fast, and strong. If I ate more than half a sandwich, I would become so bloated that I was burping constantly.”
“Within 4 hours of the first dose, non-stop projectile vomiting and diarrhea.”
But these are only short-term Ozempic side effects.
“Let’s talk about the long-term ones, which may include hypoglycemia, kidney failure, and even cancer.3
Even if there weren’t any of these side effects, would you really want to use a diabetes drug indefinitely?
Because when you stop taking Ozempic, hunger and cravings quickly return.
And so does the weight,” explained the expert.
“The alternative I want to share promotes weight loss through the same hormone but without any of these side effects.”
“This safe alternative that can help to lose weight through GLP-1 is probiotic strains.
And anyone who doesn’t believe this would be surprised to see how many recent studies have proven it to be true.4,5,6,7
But coming back to my initial point, probiotics don’t cause any side effects because they target GLP-1 differently than Ozempic,” said Dr. Bell.
According to the expert, while Ozempic mimics this hormone, probiotic strains promote its natural secretion.
Because of that, GLP-1 does not go above healthy levels.
Which prevents the side effects that Ozempic usually causes.
“Now, I don’t want to go too scientific.
So I’ll just say that probiotic strains promote GLP-1 production both directly and indirectly,” Dr. Bell explained.5,8
She then quickly addressed the skepticism that many people may have.
Because perhaps only a tiny fraction of those who’ve used probiotics before experienced anything close to weight loss as with Ozempic.
“The problem is that no probiotic supplement is created equally.
To promote GLP-1 production to such a level that it aids weight loss, it’s not enough to take any off-the-shelf supplement.
These strains of bacteria not only have to pass through the digestive tract, but they have to do so in sufficient quantities.
And then, there must be a certain type of these strains to promote GLP-1 directly.
That’s why choosing the right probiotic supplement is so important.”
“I suggest these probiotics to every patient who asks me to prescribe Ozempic, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”
“It is no secret that people are now coming to endocrinologists asking for Ozempic off-label.
But rather than simply saying no, I always explain the side effects first.
I then recommend using Bioma as a safe alternative instead,” said Dr. Bell.
And according to the expert, none of her patients has ever complained that it didn’t work as expected.
Dr. Bell believes it’s because she sets strict criteria when looking for an alternative that promotes GLP-1.
“First, it has to contain probiotic strains known to increase GLP-1 secretion, both directly and indirectly.
Second, these strains have to be in enough quantities.
Third, the delivery system has to ensure these strains would pass through the stomach intact.
Honestly, there are only a few such options, and Bioma is a clear standout.
Because it contains prebiotic fibers, probiotic strains, and postbiotic enzymes, all delivered in a targeted-release capsule.
In other words, this supplement has everything I was looking for,” said the expert.
But Dr. Bell then added that, in fact, there’s one “side effect.”
“The people I convinced to try Bioma instead of Ozempic quickly noticed something they weren’t expecting.
Along with fewer cravings and hunger, they reported improved digestion, reduced bloating, and way less gut discomfort.
Which is quite the opposite of what people experience with Ozempic right away,” Dr. Bell concluded with a smile.
8 sources
-
What Percentage of Americans Consider Themselves Overweight?
https://news.gallup.com/poll/388460/percentage-americans-consider-themselves-overweight.aspx -
How Ozempic® works to lower blood sugar and A1C in adults with type 2 diabetes
https://www.ozempic.com/why-ozempic/how-ozempic-works.html -
What are 4 key Ozempic side effects to watch out for?
https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/4-key-ozempic-side-effects-watch-3573389/ -
Probiotics, Pre-biotics and Synbiotics in the Treatment of Pre-diabetes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.645035/full -
The effects of probiotic administration on patients with prediabetes: a meta-analysis and systematic review
https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-022-03695-y -
Selecting probiotics with the abilities of enhancing GLP-1 to mitigate the progression of type 1 diabetes in vitro and in vivo
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1756464615004004 -
Composite probiotics alleviate type 2 diabetes by regulating intestinal microbiota and inducing GLP-1 secretion in db/db mice
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332220301049 -
A newly identified protein from Akkermansia muciniphila stimulates GLP-1 secretion
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34077715/
Tried this to get my gut-healthy. Within the first week noticed a significant difference in bloating. Have been on this for 2 months. am feeling much better, sleeping more soundly and it appears the “sugar noise” has diminished. The changes are subtle but noticeable.
I was also on Ozempic. I got so sick my family was begging me to quit taking it. I was nauseated, bad bad pain in my stomach but I was losing weight. I lost 33 pounds within about 3 month. I was one size smaller in clothes and I was thrilled. But I was way more sick now. I went to my endocrinologist and...
I was also on Ozempic. I got so sick my family was begging me to quit taking it. I was nauseated, bad bad pain in my stomach but I was losing weight. I lost 33 pounds within about 3 month. I was one size smaller in clothes and I was thrilled. But I was way more sick now. I went to my endocrinologist and she made me go off of the Ozempic. I wasn’t happy but I really felt like crap so I agreed to go off. I read that I could get a paralyzed stomach or worse. When I went off of it, I was constantly hungry. I ate and ate and ate. Then I gained all of my weight back plus about 10 more pounds. I was so upset and I still am. I want to find a magic pill and be 50 pounds gone! I’m trying to find something I can take and not be sick.
I was actually put on the Ozemic because of my type two diabetes. it has worked amazing for my A1c, which was at seven and now it’s at 5.6. But in the meantime, I had nozzles in my stomach lymph nodes that had to be biopsied. Thank goodness they came back benign for now. Then I ended up getting like a UTI, but it...
I was actually put on the Ozemic because of my type two diabetes. it has worked amazing for my A1c, which was at seven and now it’s at 5.6. But in the meantime, I had nozzles in my stomach lymph nodes that had to be biopsied. Thank goodness they came back benign for now. Then I ended up getting like a UTI, but it wasn’t bacterial so they had to probe and find out that I had an irritation at the back of my bladder, which comes from the contaminated urine that has the GLP one in it, and now I am allergic to my own urine. And on top of that, I was only taking 1 mg and have dropped down to .5 mg but even with that I dropped 42 pounds from the beginning went from 162 to 114 and even on half a milligram I cannot gain the weight back and I really need to cause I feel like I look like a bulimic person. Plus people don’t tell you or doctors don’t tell you that you don’t lose the visceral fat. You’re actually losing muscle. I used to be a bodybuilder and now I look like an old lady with creepy skin. The other thing it did and it’s still doing is I’ve lost half of my hair And even with some of the hair supplements and products. I can’t stop it from falling out. Before I started the Ozempic you couldn’t tell that I was 61 years old now I feel like I look like I’m almost 70 because of the deterioration in my body and hair. And I did not do this to lose weight. I did this because I was allergic to All of the other diabetic medication‘s because it depleted my potassium and made me pass out so I needed to try something different. I wish I never tried it.
Tried Ozempia and had horrible side effects
I want to try it
I have been taking Bioma now for around 4 months. It’s been fantastic for digestion and for reducing hot flashes. It does seem to reduce food cravings but not dramatically. I highly recommend it. My gut health has really improved.
i’m interested and will tell my friends about this supplement.it sounds like it is hust perfect.
I would like to try this medication.
I was so surprised when reading the article I realized the probiotic she suggests is Bioma. I saw this probiotic on Instagram and after doing a bit of research, I started taking it during the fall and immediately lost the extra seven pounds I’d been battling from a summer vacation with little effort…and I had been working on it diligently. I don’t get cravings,...
I was so surprised when reading the article I realized the probiotic she suggests is Bioma. I saw this probiotic on Instagram and after doing a bit of research, I started taking it during the fall and immediately lost the extra seven pounds I’d been battling from a summer vacation with little effort…and I had been working on it diligently. I don’t get cravings, I can easily manage my portions and I feel great. Admittedly, I’m not over weight, but I do have a five pound window that I move around in. Without effort that window is now five pounds lower and I’ve lost all of the belly fat I’ve been carrying around. It can be difficult to pinpoint positive results to their cause, but after reading this article I’m really happy I found this supplement. Also they have great customer service.
I was on Ozempic about 6 months for Diabetes I was sick a lot lost around 25 lbs got were hurt my stomach to eat woke up throwing up one morning worst pain ever went to ER had pancreas was infected stayed in hospital 4 days on IV antibiotics till it was better then removed my gallbladder will never use it again it was...
I was on Ozempic about 6 months for Diabetes I was sick a lot lost around 25 lbs got were hurt my stomach to eat woke up throwing up one morning worst pain ever went to ER had pancreas was infected stayed in hospital 4 days on IV antibiotics till it was better then removed my gallbladder will never use it again it was not worth all the pain
Taking Ozempic was the worst mistake of my life! My stomach cramps all the time, nausea, pressure, bloating and severe constipation. I am diabetic so my doctor thought that it would help me with my A1C. It did and many horrible things. I have been diagnosed with gastroparesis and pancreatitis. I can not have a bowel movement. I have and am trying many things...
Taking Ozempic was the worst mistake of my life! My stomach cramps all the time, nausea, pressure, bloating and severe constipation. I am diabetic so my doctor thought that it would help me with my A1C. It did and many horrible things. I have been diagnosed with gastroparesis and pancreatitis. I can not have a bowel movement. I have and am trying many things and nothing is working. If anybody has and ideas please help! Biggest mistake of my life!!!
A nurse recently prescribed Ozempic for me because I was diagnosed with diabetes. I am on a natural regiment of supplements, but she wanted me to take Ozempic anyway.
I have not started the Ozempic yet because of all the stories I’ve heard about side effects. I’m going to try this natural way first to see what happens.
Ozempic sent me to the hospital! I had extreme bloating. Any little bit I ate can right back up a couple hours later undigested. I had severe diarrhea at the same time and then passed out from dehydration. I thought I was dying and went to the emergency room in an ambulance. and this was after taking one dose.
My husband’s doctor prescribed Ozempic for his Type 2 diabetes. After taking it for 5 weeks he started having bad stomach pain. I finally took him to the ER. They did a MRI on him and discovered cancer. It was recommended he go to MD Anderson Cancer hospital for further diagnosis. He had stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was given 3 months to live....
My husband’s doctor prescribed Ozempic for his Type 2 diabetes. After taking it for 5 weeks he started having bad stomach pain. I finally took him to the ER. They did a MRI on him and discovered cancer. It was recommended he go to MD Anderson Cancer hospital for further diagnosis. He had stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was given 3 months to live. You think oh well he had cancer already. No, actually he had an MRI right before he started Ozempic. The MRI was for a follow up to surviving lung cancer. He was free of cancer at that time. Or at least that was what we were told. One of the side effect of Ozempic is pancreatitis. No one would admit the Ozempic triggered the cancer in his pancreas but I watch it happen. It spread to his liver then all over his body. Strange story but all true and documented. Be careful taking Ozempic. I think it was what triggered the cancer in his pancreas and shortened his life.
SOMEONE I KNOW TOOK OZEMPIC AND GOT SEVERE INFLAMMATION OF THE PANCREAS AND WAS VERY SICK.
I was on Ozempic , and was totally unaware of some of the serious side effects. There was no mention of the possibility of an eye stroke in any of the literature that came with the ozempic. I did have an eye stroke, and I’m totally blind in one eye. now. This side effect is life-changing. I would have never taken that risk, had...
I was on Ozempic , and was totally unaware of some of the serious side effects. There was no mention of the possibility of an eye stroke in any of the literature that came with the ozempic. I did have an eye stroke, and I’m totally blind in one eye. now. This side effect is life-changing. I would have never taken that risk, had I known about it.
I took ozempic for maybe ,3 weeks. I was on my way to an outing I was driving. My sugar dropped to 30. It never went that low in my life. I passed out at the wheel and totaled my car. Both airbags released and my car was totaled. I came very close to getting killed. I hit another car with 2 people in...
I took ozempic for maybe ,3 weeks. I was on my way to an outing I was driving. My sugar dropped to 30. It never went that low in my life. I passed out at the wheel and totaled my car. Both airbags released and my car was totaled. I came very close to getting killed. I hit another car with 2 people in it and they were hurt along with me. I cried for 2 weeks straight. I am still hurting bad. I can’t find an attorney. I stopped taking that right away.
I wouldn’t touch Ozempic! I know someone who has taken it and has had severe side effects. No thank you!!!
Hi, I ask that everyone that is taking Ozempic, or considering taking it read my post. I wished someone would have told me that this could happen if I took it. I have been diagnosed with Gastroparesis as a result of taking Ozempic, if you don’t know what that is, please please please Google it. I was mostly normal in my digestion before taking...
Hi, I ask that everyone that is taking Ozempic, or considering taking it read my post. I wished someone would have told me that this could happen if I took it. I have been diagnosed with Gastroparesis as a result of taking Ozempic, if you don’t know what that is, please please please Google it. I was mostly normal in my digestion before taking this drug.
My endocrinologist injected me in his office with my first dose, I had not heard of it before. I was about 40 lbs over my normal weight (which we discovered later was from fibroid cysts in my uterus) he said that Ozempic was a natural hormone that would help me lose weight. I didn’t question him (biggest mistake of my life) after a couple of months I had reached .5 mg and started to notice sharp pains in my gut, so intense that I tried to quit cold turkey and noticed that I couldn’t urinate. That scared me so I took a dose, and everything went back to normal. I talked to my Dr. and told her that I wanted off but was afraid. So, she scheduled me to be weaned off. The pain became so bad and I got to where I couldn’t eat because right after eating, I would get so sick. I reduced my diet to just very small portions of chicken broth a few times a day. But still would be on the floor in pain randomly throughout the day and night. My Dr. told me to just quit, so I did. But it was too late. There were times that I had the overwhelming feeling like I needed to vomit, I would get hot dizzy and hot, and the pressure in my gut would be so intense. I was unable to vomit, belch, or do anything to relieve the pressure. I would just have to wait it out in tears. This went on for a few months. After that, I suppose the Ozempic was mostly moving out of my system because it started happening less every day, but I would still wake up at night on fire and so nauseous but not able to vomit, I found myself on the floor in tears writhing in pain for sometimes 45 minutes to an hour until it passed.
I could only take a few bites of broth before feeling sick and would have to stop. This was the only time I lost weight. I went from 165 to 113. I was miserable and my Dr. had no clue as to what to do. One afternoon, I couldn’t eat at all, I could not go to the bathroom in any way. I was so sick all night. I woke up in the morning and still could not go to the bathroom. So, my husband called an ambulance, and it turned out that I had a small bowl obstruction and was rushed into surgery. They had to cut me wide open and found a twist in my intestine. That was October of 2023, it is now November ’24, just over 1 year since the surgery and I am still suffering the effects of my short time on Ozempic and that surgery. I can digest only eggs, overcooked vegetables with no skins or seeds, soup broth, yogurt, and cooked fruits. My body does not digest animal proteins anymore (read up on what you cannot eat with Gastroparesis and decide if you want to play the Russian Roulette with the rest of your life) Maybe it won’t affect you like that, but maybe it will. There are alternatives, take them first. And please hear me, I didn’t lose more than 7 pounds on this drug. Because it’s NOT MEANT FOR WEIGHT LOSS. Be smart, do your research and consider doing the work to lose weight and realize that this life is more than about what you look like. You’re welcome, Lisa.
Thank you, Lisa for your post! So grateful for you.
Let’s give it a try
Wow! Im so sorry that happened to you! I appreciate you posting this, I had no idea of severe side effects like this. I
Hope you can eventually make a full recovery!
I’ve been on Ozempic for a few weeks, and I lost some weight already. But honestly, I am already considering stopping it because the side effects are no joke. Has anyone here tried Bioma yet?
I’ve tried Bioma for 6 months now . Along with a good diet , bioma has truly helped my bloating , nausea , constipation and diarrhea isssues. My belly is flat … I can’t say I’ve lost weight since I take prednisone for to my autoimmune disease , which if u don’t know causes cravings and weight gain . I feel like I have...
I’ve tried Bioma for 6 months now . Along with a good diet , bioma has truly helped my bloating , nausea , constipation and diarrhea isssues. My belly is flat … I can’t say I’ve lost weight since I take prednisone for to my autoimmune disease , which if u don’t know causes cravings and weight gain . I feel like I have more energy , non sluggish , my hormonal puffy face is gone and I feel great !
My husband took Ozempic for his diabetes, he had to stop because he was so sick after taking it he also had diahria & he was basically out of commission for up to 3 days. His eye specialist had ordered a MRI as he feels he has had a stroke behind is right eye. Recently we heard on a news brief researchers are finding...
My husband took Ozempic for his diabetes, he had to stop because he was so sick after taking it he also had diahria & he was basically out of commission for up to 3 days.
His eye specialist had ordered a MRI as he feels he has had a stroke behind is right eye.
Recently we heard on a news brief researchers are finding Ozempic can cause a stroke behind the eyes. He will never take Ozempic again
Does this really work? There are so many people that say in their reviews that the products work great, I’ve spent money on products believing the reviews just to see that they really don’t work. Thank you! Concerned
it worked for me! i’m already on my 2nd bottle… of course i had to adjust my diet as well… but i lost weight and i don’t feel bloated anymore
Coincidence or not, I’ve been using Bioma for a while and since I started, I actually feel way less hungry. I had no idea it could target the same hormone as Ozempic, but without these nasty side effects. Good to know that!
Honestly, it’s articles like these that remind me to always do my research before jumping on the latest trend. Thank you, Dr. Bell, for explaining the side effects of Ozempic!
I want to lose weight
Seems to be working.
I hope it works for me!
My husband needs this
He’d be so happy to lose 50-80 lbs