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Your Daily Green Tea Won't Replace Ozempic, Doctors Warn

Green Tea Won't Replace Ozempic
Green tea's weight loss claims are trending on social media, but doctors caution against comparing it to Ozempic. Learn why the evidence is lacking and what experts recommend instead.
October 29, 2024
Jasmin Jose - LA Post

Green tea's reputation as a weight loss aid has exploded on social media, with some calling it a natural version of Ozempic. But doctors say there's not much solid proof to back up these trendy claims.

TikTok is buzzing with videos telling folks to drink five cups of green tea a day to shed pounds. Some TikTokers are even saying it works like Ozempic, that pricey diabetes drug people use to slim down.

Dr. Jyotsna Ghosh, an obesity medicine doctor at Johns Hopkins University says they've looked into green tea and weight, but can't say for sure if it actually helps people lose fat.

Supposedly, green tea revs up GLP-1, a hormone that affects insulin and hunger pangs. Ozempic and its cousins mimic what GLP-1 does, making you feel full and less snacky.

But we don't really know if green tea affects GLP-1 in people - the research is pretty thin. They did one study with 92 diabetics and found green tea extract didn't do anything for GLP-1 levels compared to placebos.

Dr. Ghosh says yes, food and drinks might bump up GLP-1 a bit, but it's quick and won't make you drop major pounds. Ozempic and those medications pack way more punch and stay in your system longer.

Green tea has caffeine and antioxidants, which some folks think help with weight loss. Caffeine might speed up your system a bit, but probably not enough to make your jeans looser. When they've tested green tea's antioxidants (polyphenols) on people, the results have been inconsistent.

Rob van Dam, a professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University says don't get your hopes up about green tea - it's no Ozempic.

Cleveland Clinic dietitian Zumpano warns that fixating on one food or drink ignores all the other factors that affect weight - what you eat overall, how much you move, your genes, stress, metabolism, and even how well you sleep.

Instead of banking on one magic food or pill, doctors say you have to look at your whole lifestyle if you want to lose weight.

Green tea might be good for you, but we can't say for sure it'll help you slim down. Don't believe everything you see on social media - talk to a real doctor about how to manage your weight.

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