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Assuming you have been awake and paying attention over the past few years, you’ve likely heard of Semaglutide medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, etc.
Semaglutide is a medication that belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. Basically, Semaglutide is a synthetic (man-made) version of a hormone that your body naturally produces called GLP-1. It works by mimicking the natural actions of GLP-1 in the body.
Recently, in the wake of the Ozempic craze, there are a ton of new “GLP-1 Supplements” coming out. Clients ask me “should I take this??”… so let’s break down what GLP-1 is in the first place and how these supplements differ from the Semaglutide meds (and if you really need them).
GLP-1 (Glucagon-like peptide-1) is a hormone that plays a key role in regulating blood sugar levels and appetite. It is produced in the gut, specifically by the intestinal L-cells, in response to eating. Here’s how it works:
This is where the non-glamorous nutrition information comes in. What I mean is that everyone wants there to be flashy things that need to be done to support their health, when in reality, it’s usually the pretty boring recommendations that, when done consistently, make the biggest difference.
Were you expecting a different list? Something more exciting? The truth is, that these are all pretty basic approaches to staying full and having well-rounded meal. They are also all included in the intuitive eating principles!
In people with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and insulin resistance, GLP-1 may be diminished or less affective (which then makes sense why semaglutide meds were originally created for diabetics… the weight loss that came with it was a side effect that people then got excited about).
So, if semaglutides are synthetic GLP-1, what are the new supplements we’re seeing everywhere? Are they the same thing?
No.
How these supplements are being advertised ⬇️ (spoiler, they’re extremely expensive!!)
These supplements are herbal combinations that companies claim support the body’s natural GLP-1 production by enhancing gut health, improving blood sugar regulation, and stimulating GLP-1 secretion from intestinal cells.
In my opinion, they are also most certainly cash grabs. The fact that Kourtney Kardashian’s company (Lemme) is selling a version now kind of tells us all we need to know about that.
But we also need to look at the fine print (this is from the Lemme site):
See all of the stars and the little cross symbol? When you scroll alllll the way to the bottom of the page (this actually took me like 3 mins to find), you then see this:
A few thoughts here:
If you have been struggling with your relationship with food and your body, it makes sense that these supplements would appeal to you. I’m sure the ad algorithm has figured that out by now and has been really pushing them on you!
Diet culture THRIVES on telling us that there is something wrong with our bodies (i.e. right now the buzzword is GLP-1 and people don’t even know what it means) and then selling us something to FIX it quickly. And then if it fails, we blame our bodies instead of the diet or diet pill.
Be careful about diet culture with a cute spin and a bow on it.
Ask questions, talk to your health care providers (and ask them about actual research!) And if you’re struggling with your relationship with food… maybe it’s time to Do The Work and talk about what’s really going on. It’s not as flashy as a Kourtney Kardashian supplement, but it’s definitely worth the time and effort.