Oatzempic: TikTok’s new trending oat drink which users claim can lead to weight loss - but does it work?

For anyone wishing to lose weight, there are seemingly endless ways to try to do it - from fad diets, to intense workout regimes and even medication and surgery.

Some of the most popular weight loss solutions are promoted on social media sites like TikTok, as users swear by their effectiveness. As videos rack up more and more views, they become shared more widely, and as such more and more people become aware of them.

One of the most recent weight loss trends is a drug Ozempic, which is an injectable drug actually created to help people with diabetes manage their symptoms - but also became used as a weight loss aid. Ozempic has been discussed so much on TikTok over the past 12 months that the platform was even blamed for a global shortage of the drug.

Now, everyone on TikTok is talking about ‘oatzempic’, a new drink which claims to help people to drop the pounds - named by using a play on words with the name of the extremely well known drug and also the key ingredient. Influencers are trying out the concoction, with videos gaining millions of views as they claim it has helped them to shed lots of pounds. One of the most extreme claims is that it can help people to drop 40 pounds in just two months. But, what exactly is ‘oatzempic’, and can it really help you to lose so much weight? Keep reading to find out.

What is TikTok’s ‘oatzempic’ drink?

‘Oatzempic’ is an oat-based blended drink, made up of half cup of rolled oats, one cup of water, juice from half of a lime, and a dash of cinnamon, according to the TikTok recipes.

What is the ‘30-day oatzempic challenge’?

Some TikTokers are committing themselves to the ‘30-day oatzempic challenge’; as the name suggests this is where they consume the concoction daily for one month to see if it helps with weight loss.

TikTok user @fred_ddy92 is one of them. “For the first couple of days, you will feel extremely full and this will curb your hunger,” they claimed in their video, which they said was recorded on the 24th day of their challenge. However, they did warn that the drink should not be used as a meal replacement though it may make you feel full. They also made it clear that they aren’t relying on the drink alone to see changes in their weight and are balancing it with “fasting and working out every single day”.

Is the ‘oatzempic’ drink effective for weight loss?

Oats “may minimise belly fat” and “may help with weight management”, according to BBC Good Food. This is because oats are a source of complex carbohydrate whichy means they provide slow-releasing energy that doesn’t cause spikes to your blood sugar levels. In addition, the soluble fibre in oats helps improve our sense of fullness, reducing our appetite and potentially helping us resist environmental cues to eat.

Taking to TikTok, Doctor Jen Caudle said she thought there was some value in trying the drink if it helps to eat less calories than before - particularly as oats also carry other health benefits such as being a source of fibre and protein, and help to lower levels of cholesterol. But, she warns people to lower their expectations for the results it could provide and said she did not believe it was helping people to lose ‘tonnes of weight’, such as 40 pounds in two months, as some influencers have claimed.

Dietician Natalie Rizzo, also told ‘Today’ that “drastically cutting calories often causes extreme hunger and overeating, which may hinder weight loss efforts,” and reiterated that there is no “miracle drink or food” that can “magically” cause weight loss. “As appealing as quick weight loss sounds, no miracle drink or food can help you magically shed pounds. Losing weight comes down to small diet and exercise changes over time,” she continued. Rizzo also suggested: “Rather than blending oats with water and lime juice, make a hearty bowl of oatmeal and enjoy chewing your food instead.”

Is Ozempic for sale at Costco?

There are also some TikTok videos which suggest that Ozempic is now available to buy at wholesale discount store Costco. It seems that the drug can now be given to some members who have been prescribed it through their doctor - in America.

Costco, which has a healthcare partner called Sesame, will offer members a three-month subscription for $179 (around £142) when they sign up for the weight loss program within the health care company's direct-to-patient marketplace, according to Good Morning America.