As the demand for GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy increases with consumers eager to shed pounds, the supplement industry is weighing in. Dietary supplement companies have been considering ways to address this new demand in the marketplace and advertise supplements with ingredients that have been shown to boost GLP-1 levels as alternatives to GLP-1 injections. Consumers now have a choice to make—take the shots or swallow the pills.

The dietary supplement industry is trying to tip the scales in its favor with “Ozempic dupes.” While weight loss solutions are not new to the market, they have taken on a new flavor in this Ozempic era. Dietary supplement advertisers have started using the term “GLP-1” on products that do not contain GLP-1, or any hormone that mimics GLP-1. Many dupes are also being marketed as “side-effect free” or even “natural” alternatives to GLP-1 injections. These supplements purport to boost or support natural production of GLP-1 without a drug.

Enter Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s “Lemme GLP-1 Daily.” This supplement is marketed to promote GLP-1 production, reduce hunger and cravings, and support fat reduction. Despite its name, the supplement does not contain a synthetic GLP-1 hormone and does not behave as a GLP-1 receptor agonist (like Ozempic or Wegovy). Lemme instead points to clinical studies on its ingredients—including nutraceutical eriocitrin (Eriomin), plant and fruit extracts—in support of its claims.

Given the magnitude, dietary supplement companies must carefully navigate regulations when making weight loss claims and positioning themselves as alternatives to drugs. As a threshold matter, advertisers cannot tout weight loss without competent and reliable scientific evidence. Advertisers who can adequately substantiate claims for their weight loss supplements may wonder how they can reference popular GLP-1 injections while keeping their claims competitive.

As the market for “nature’s Ozempic” continues to grow, we expect advertisers to push boundaries, and we are watching regulators closely. In the meantime, we have some calorie-free food for thought:

Avoid unsubstantiated weight loss claims at all costs.
GLP-1 injections are a fierce competitor, but stay in your lane. Avoid taking your marketing to the extreme to pack a punch. Do not imply that taking your supplement alone, without diet and exercise, will result in significant weight loss.
Consider the substantiation you have in support of your claims. Weight loss claims require competent and reliable scientific evidence in the form of randomized controlled trials in humans that show statistically significant results that are meaningful to consumers. The results should be reproducible. Don’t stretch the truth—making extreme weight loss claims without adequate support is bound to raise some eyebrows.
Testing on only one key ingredient alone may not be enough to adequately support your claims. Typically, if you have clinical testing on only individual ingredients in your product and you have not tested the whole formula, your claims must be appropriately limited to avoid conveying the misleading impression that the product as a whole was clinically studied to confer the touted benefit.

Taking a ShOt at GLP-1 Weight Loss