The drug Ozambik – intended for treating diabetes – contributes to weight loss, and this is scientifically proven, but claims are currently being circulated that green tea helps in getting rid of excess weight, and that it is “natural Ozambik”. Are these allegations accurate?
Writer Dani Bloom said, in a report in the New York Times, that green tea is popular on TikTok, with some posts suggesting drinking up to 5 cups per day.
Although there is some research on green tea and weight, the evidence on whether a cup of tea (or several cups) can melt fat is unclear, said Johns Hopkins obesity medicine physician Dr. Jyotsna Ghosh.
Many TikTok videos claim that green tea boosts the production of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone secreted by the intestines that prompts the pancreas to secrete insulin after eating. This insulin, in turn, lowers blood sugar. GLP-1 also slows the rate of food leaving the stomach and affects areas of the brain that regulate hunger.
GLP-1 hormone
The active ingredient in Ozempic, called semaglutide, works by mimicking the action of the GLP-1 hormone and is called “GLP-1 agonists.”
Through this simulation, a person feels full faster, and many people stop feeling strong desires to eat.
Does green tea enhance the secretion of GLP-1?
Some researchers have hypothesized that green tea might stimulate GLP-1 secretion, in part because studies have found that green tea extract can lower blood sugar in diabetic mice. But only a few small studies have been conducted in humans. The results are inconclusive.
A clinical trial on this subject, conducted on 92 people with type 2 diabetes, indicates that there is no noticeable difference in the production of “GLP-1” between people who took green tea extract and those who took a placebo pill.
Experts said that any effect that green tea may have on GLP-1 is likely to be small. Dr. Jyotsna said that any food or drink can increase GLP-1 levels slightly. But GLP-1 levels in the bloodstream decrease minutes after consuming anything or drink, and this is one of the reasons why we feel hungry again, and why Temporarily boosting the hormone does not guarantee weight loss.
By contrast, Ozempic and similar medications remain in the body for days, and are much stronger than the natural hormone, making them uniquely good at suppressing appetite.
Does green tea help with weight loss?
Many claims about green tea and weight loss focus on two components of the drink: caffeine and antioxidants.
Caffeine may, in theory, speed up someone’s metabolism. But this effect is unlikely to translate directly into significant weight loss, Dr. Jyotsna said.
Green tea also contains compounds called polyphenols, which are antioxidants that can help protect cells from damage and reduce inflammation. Studies conducted on animals and in human cells have indicated that these compounds can improve metabolism and reduce fat absorption from the intestine. But experiments conducted on humans have had mixed results.
Several small studies have also been conducted that directly examine whether green tea is associated with weight loss. One study, which looked at more than a dozen randomized controlled trials, found that those who took green tea extract often lost a small amount of weight that was “unlikely to be clinically significant.” Other studies also found that people who drank green tea tended to lose a small amount of weight, usually less than 4 pounds.
People who turn to green tea to lose weight “can’t expect a significant effect, certainly nothing close to drugs like Ozempic,” said Rob Van Dam, a professor of exercise and nutrition science at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University.
Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, added that focusing on one food or drink ignores many other factors that play a role in weight loss. These factors include a person’s broader diet, exercise habits, genetics, stress, metabolic health, and even the quality of sleep the individual gets.
How much weight will you lose with green tea compared to Ozambik?
According to a report in Healthline, two research reviews on green tea supplements found that people lost about 3 pounds (1.3 kg) on average in 12 weeks.
On the other hand, data and studies indicate that when taking the appropriate dose of Ozempic, you can lose at least 5% of your body weight during the first three months of taking the drug. As you continue, you will lose 15% to 20% of weight, which is an amazingly high percentage.
Therefore, the claim that green tea is natural ozambik is a big “lie”, and there is no comparison between them in terms of effectiveness in losing weight.