The TikTokers Are Drinking "Oatzempic" – but Does It Work? ...0

Ozempic has sparked its fair share of controversy, but it's got nothing on TikTok's polarizing "oatzempic" drink. Oatzempic is made with oats, water, and lime juice, which - although objectively unappetizing on paper - is said to help people lose weight quickly. With a simple recipe and the allure of quick results, it's no wonder that #Oatzempic already has over 2000 posts on TikTok. But is it actually safe to try yourself?

People documenting their oatzempic experiences online say that the drink has helped them curb cravings and reach their weight-loss goals (à la real GLP-1s like ozempic). "I started this on Monday and it works," one commenter wrote under an oatzempic video. "It has decreased my appetite as well." But not everyone is convinced. "Grinding the oats into gloop mechanically, basically pre-digests the fiber, which means that it's not going to keep you nearly as full for nearly as long," dietitian Abbey Sharp said in a March 2024 TikTok. Others voiced similar concerns about the efficacy of oatzempic, along with qualms about the taste.

Even if you can get past the taste of sour oat milk, is oatzempic actually effective . . . or safe to drink at all? And perhaps more importantly: have we learned nothing about the dangers of hyper-restrictive, liquid-based diets? To get to the bottom of the viral oatzempic trend, we spoke with experts about what you should know before whipping out the rolled oats yourself. Read on to learn more about the oatzempic trend, including potential risks, benefits, and its true effects on weight loss.

Experts Featured in This Article:

Avantika Waring, MD, is an endocrinologist, physician executive, and the chief medical officer at 9amHealth.

Katherine Basbaum, RD, is a nutrition expert and clinical dietitian for MyFitnessPal.

What Is Oatzempic?

Oatzempic generally refers to a drink made from a half cup of oats, one cup of water, and a squeeze of lime, all of which are blended together. Some people alter the recipe by adding cinnamon, peanut butter, or chia seeds. Oatzempic is typically used as a meal replacement at the beginning of the day, meaning you drink the concoction on an empty stomach, then eat the rest of your meals as normal. However, other creators drink oatzempic more often, depending on their preference.

One sign that it's best to avoid this trend? It's unclear who came up with the recipe, but it doesn't appear to have been a doctor or registered dietitian. There are videos touting an oats-and-lime-juice concoction as "the drink that helped me lose X pounds in X months" posted as far back as Feb. 2023. That said, it was only more recently that people started calling this drink "oatzempic."

Oatzempic Risks

The good news is that - for most people - oatzempic doesn't pose any imminent danger. "It does not, however, replace a healthy diet inclusive of protein, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats," says endocrinologist Avantika Waring, MD. "If it's being used as a meal replacement throughout the day, a person would miss out on many important macronutrients as well as vitamins and minerals."

Clinical dietitian Katherine Basbaum, MD, RD, adds that consuming large quantities of raw oats can also have a laxative effect, potentially leading to diarrhea and dehydration. "While you may see a dip in the scale, it isn't actual fat loss, and there is a risk of becoming dehydrated if you are not consuming an adequate amount of water," Basbaum says.

There may not be an immediate risk to drinking oatzempic, but we know that restrictive diets can be very harmful in the long run (both mentally and physically). Restrictive diets like cleanses also perpetuate disordered eating, and therefore have the potential to lead you down a path of harmful eating habits.

Oatzempic Benefits

There are some health benefits to eating more oats, but overall, the oatzempic trend won't do you much good. "From a clinical perspective, there's no health benefit of oatzempic beyond the health benefits of eating, for example, oats without sugar or additives," Dr. Waring says. And again, the risks of a diet that emphasizes meal replacement or restriction far outweigh any potential benefits. If you're looking to increase satiety and curb cravings, consider a tasty, fiber- and protein-rich oatmeal recipe instead.

Can Oatzempic Help You Lose Weight?

The short answer is no - oatzempic is not an effective or safe method for weight loss. "We don't have any data to suggest [oatzempic] is effective for weight loss," Dr. Waring reiterates. So what about the extreme weight loss people are reporting on social media? For starters, there's a chance they're not being honest. (It's known to happen on the internet!) But even if people are losing weight because of oatzempic, Basbaum says they're probably losing water weight, which means any "results" they're seeing are most likely temporary.

To that point, the National Institutes of Health has reported that, while restrictive diets can result in early weight loss (because of the calorie restriction), "they tend to lead to weight gain once a person resumes a normal diet." There's also little research on the long-term effects of diets like this. "We need to keep in mind that there is zero research linking this fad to weight loss," Basbaum emphasizes.

Is Oatzempic Similar to Actual Ozempic?

The term oatzempic is clever marketing, but the oat drink has no similarities to actual Ozempic, beyond the name. "Oatzempic does not mimic the effects of actual GLP-1s," Basbaum says. "Ozempic, the drug, works by enhancing the effects of a naturally occurring hormone, GLP-1, that can lower hunger, cravings, and appetite. The oatzempic ingredients, either individually or in combination, have very little to no effect on the enhancement of the GLP-1 hormone."

That said, oats do contain fiber, which is known to increase satiety. "Since one of the effects of GLP-1's is that they promote a feeling of fullness or satiety, it's possible that drinking blended oats, or consuming high-fiber foods in general could similarly promote a feeling of fullness," Dr. Waring says. But it may not be enough to keep you full if you're swapping a healthy, well-rounded breakfast with the drink. Plus, "eating high-fiber foods, lean proteins, and drinking plenty of water would likely have the same effect," Dr. Waring notes. And the cherry on top? It'll probably taste better too.

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