Drop a couple pounds?

Semaglutide: Uses and safety

What is semaglutide?

Semaglutide is a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. This prescription medication works by increasing insulin levels in the body, which decreases blood glucose (sugar). Semaglutide also targets areas of the brain that regulate appetite and signal you to feel full, which suppresses appetite and can result in weight loss.

Berberine: The hype for “Nature’s Ozempic”

Claims that berberine is the “key to weight loss” and “Nature’s Ozempic” have spread across the internet and social media. Some TikTokers state it can help people lose weight the same way Ozempic can.

Ozempic is an FDA-approved prescription drug for patients with type 2 diabetes. The active ingredient, semaglutide, has been shown to improve body weight in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, Ozempic is not approved for healthy individuals looking to shed excess weight.

DMAA: A prohibited stimulant

DMAA has been illegal for use as an ingredient in dietary supplements since 2013, but many dietary supplement products that contain (or at least claim to contain) DMAA are still available for sale. Before you take a dietary supplement containing DMAA, know that DMAA is prohibited for use by Service Members.

DMAA is on the DoD Prohibited Dietary Supplement Ingredients list.

Higenamine in dietary supplements

Higenamine is a naturally occurring stimulant found in plants such as Aconitum carmichaeli, Aconitum japonicum, Nandina domestica, Nelumbo nucifera, and Sinomenium acutum. It was initially isolated in 1976 from Aconitum, a toxic herb that can cause fatal cardiac poisoning. Today, higenamine can be manufactured (synthesized) as well as extracted from such plants. As a dietary supplement ingredient, it has been marketed in products for weight loss, energy enhancement, and athletic performance.

Hordenine in dietary supplements: Why avoid it?

Hordenine is a naturally occurring substance found in several plants, including barley (from which its name originates: Hordeum vulgare), seaweeds, Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) StapfSenecio scandensCoryphantha ramillosa, and Citrus aurantium (bitter orange). Hordenine also can be made in a laboratory (that is, as a synthetic chemical). Both natural and synthetic hordenine might promote stimulant effects.

Sea moss in dietary supplements

Sea moss (Chondrus crispus, also referred to as Irish moss) is a type of red seaweed that grows in the northern Atlantic. As a food source, it is rich in vitamins and minerals. Some parts of the plant are the only natural source of carrageenan, a thickening agent commonly used in processed foods, meat products, ice cream, yogurt, and some cosmetics. As a dietary supplement, it is marketed to help digestion, cleanse the body (“detox”), promote weight loss, support thyroid health, and boost the immune system.

DMBA: Another prohibited stimulant

DMBA (1,3-dimethylbutylamine) is found as an ingredient in some pre-workout and weight-loss supplements. In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that DMBA is not approved for use in dietary supplements. No reliable scientific studies have been conducted to establish the safety of health effects of DMBA. As its name (1,3-dimethybutylamine) suggests, DMBA is similar to the illegal ingredient DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine): Both are synthetic stimulants with potentially dangerous side effects, but they are not the same chemical.