While both berberine and Ozempic may lead to weight loss, they are very different things. It’s “inaccurate and misleading” to call berberine “nature’s Ozempic,” Dr. Ali says, noting that they work differently in the body and have very different weight loss results.

The drug manufacturer has developed a pill that could bring about weight loss of as much as 13% in three months, according to results of a Phase 1 trial. The pill isn’t Ozempic—it’s called Amycretin—but like that drug it mimics the GLP-1 hormone, which suppresses people’s appetites. It also mimics amylin, which makes people feel full.

GLP-1 supplements are advertised as a cheaper alternative to weight loss with Ozempic or Wegovy. Doctors explain if they help people lose weight and are safe.

Prescribed medications like Ozempic and Wegovy can be expensive and hard to find, leading to a rise in popularity of natural weight-loss alternatives — but do they really work, and are they safe? NBC’s Emilie Ikeda reports and gastroenterologist Dr.