The Times Australia
Mirvac Harbourside
The Times World News

.

What is 'budget Ozempic' that's all over social media? Can it help me lose weight?

  • Written by Nial Wheate, Associate Professor of the Sydney Pharmacy School, University of Sydney
What is 'budget Ozempic' that's all over social media? Can it help me lose weight?

Social media is lighting up over what influencers are calling “budget Ozempic[1]”. These are drugs normally used as laxatives and stool softeners, but people are taking them to lose weight. The demand is so high in the United States, there are reports this is contributing to shortages[2] in pharmacies.

These laxatives are just the latest alternatives influencers are touting for the blockbuster drug[3] Ozempic.

So, does “budget Ozempic” help you lose weight? Any weight loss is likely to be temporary and using these laxatives long term may be dangerous.

Read more: Ozempic is in the spotlight but it's just the latest in a long and strange history of weight-loss drugs[4]

Ozempic is in short supply

Ozempic contains the active ingredient semaglutide. It is a prescription-only drug used to treat type 2 diabetes. One side effect of taking it is significant weight loss. This has led to so many people trying to obtain the drug there have been shortages[5].

Instead, some people have turned to more easily accessible over-the-counter alternatives to try to lose weight. That includes berberine[6], which has been dubbed “nature’s own Ozempic”.

What is ‘budget Ozempic’?

“Budget Ozempic” is different to “nature’s own Ozempic”. It is the polymer polyethylene glycol 3350, or PEG 3350 for short.

Chemically, it’s similar to other polymers used as ingredients in cosmetics, drug delivery, archaeological preservative paints[7], soaps and even missile fuel[8]. It’s not to be confused with ethylene glycol, which is used in antifreeze.

Medically, PEG 3350 is mainly sold in Australia through pharmacies in laxative and stool softening[9] products. It is also used to clean out your bowels before a colonoscopy.

The products are referred to as macrogols[10]. Brands include DulcoSoft, Movicol, OsmoLax, ClearLax and ColonLYTELY.

Read more: Health Check: what causes constipation?[11]

How can it cause weight loss?

PEG 3350 is known as an osmotic laxative[12]. It uses osmosis – how your body manages the balance of electrolytes in your blood serum – to soften your stools and treat constipation.

When you swallow a drink with PEG 3350 the polymer isn’t absorbed by the body. Instead, as it passes through your intestines it draws water to it, making your faeces much more watery.

Because it draws more water out of your body than you put into it from the drink, your weight goes down. That is, it just makes you dehydrated.

Woman sitting on toilet, holding toilet roll
‘Budget Ozempic’ is really a laxative. Shutterstock[13]

This means any weight loss is likely to be short-lived; when you next drink, your body will retain more of the water to replace what was lost. To have any significant and sustained weight loss you’d need to take a lot of PEG 3350 every day. And at most, you would only lose a few kilograms.

This is different to how Ozempic[14] works. Ozempic is similar to a family of hormones in your body called incretins[15]. These have a number of actions that control both blood sugar levels and weight. For example, they slow how quickly food is absorbed from the stomach and decrease appetite, both of which help with sustained weight loss.

Read more: Ozempic helps weight loss by making you feel full. But certain foods can do the same thing – without the side-effects[16]

Dangers and side effects

PEG 3350 can make you dehydrated[17]. You may feel dizzy or light-headed, have a headache and have a dry mouth, lips or eyes.

The concentration of electrolytes in your blood, such as salt, may also be too high (known as hypertonic blood serum).

Hypertonic blood serum can affect the shape of your red blood cells, making it harder for them to carry oxygen around your body. This results in symptoms that include fatigue and tiredness, and those other symptoms of being dehydrated. In extreme cases it can result in death[18].

Red blood cells The shape of your red blood cells can change, making it harder to carry oxygen around the body. Shutterstock[19]

Incorrect levels of electrolytes can lead to other serious problems, affecting your heart and muscles. It can also lead to seizures, confusion, and coma.

It can be dangerous to take PEG 3350 if you have heart disease, if your doctor has put you on a sodium-restricted diet, or if you already have an electrolyte disorder, such as hyperkalaemia[20] (high potassium levels).

These products are also dangerous for elderly people, those with kidney problems, and in very young children.

Common side effects include anal irritation, vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, cramps, pain, and swelling of your abdomen. Some people can have allergic reactions.

If you use laxatives, including PEG 3350-based products, for a long period of time (over a period of weeks or months) then you may experience withdrawal symptoms[21] if you stop taking them suddenly. These include constipation, bloating, weight gain and fluid retention.

Read more: Health Check: how do I tell if I'm dehydrated?[22]

In a nutshell

Overall, if you’ve been struggling with weight loss, then PEG 3350-based products are not a safe and effective solution. Any weight loss you experience will be temporary and may put your health at risk. Safer and more effective solutions are available.

Eating healthily and exercising regularly are important first steps for anyone who wishes to lose weight. Otherwise, your GP or local pharmacist can help you with both lifestyle changes and medication options to help with weight loss.

References

  1. ^ budget Ozempic (www.forbes.com)
  2. ^ shortages (www.wsj.com)
  3. ^ blockbuster drug (www.abc.net.au)
  4. ^ Ozempic is in the spotlight but it's just the latest in a long and strange history of weight-loss drugs (theconversation.com)
  5. ^ shortages (www.tga.gov.au)
  6. ^ berberine (theconversation.com)
  7. ^ archaeological preservative paints (www.chemistryworld.com)
  8. ^ missile fuel (navyrecognition.com)
  9. ^ laxative and stool softening (australianprescriber.tg.org.au)
  10. ^ macrogols (www.healthdirect.gov.au)
  11. ^ Health Check: what causes constipation? (theconversation.com)
  12. ^ osmotic laxative (www.nhs.uk)
  13. ^ Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com)
  14. ^ Ozempic (www.nps.org.au)
  15. ^ incretins (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  16. ^ Ozempic helps weight loss by making you feel full. But certain foods can do the same thing – without the side-effects (theconversation.com)
  17. ^ dehydrated (www.healthdirect.gov.au)
  18. ^ death (psmf.org)
  19. ^ Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com)
  20. ^ hyperkalaemia (www.healthdirect.gov.au)
  21. ^ withdrawal symptoms (www.eatingdisorders.org.au)
  22. ^ Health Check: how do I tell if I'm dehydrated? (theconversation.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/what-is-budget-ozempic-thats-all-over-social-media-can-it-help-me-lose-weight-213457

Mirvac Harbourside

Times Magazine

YepAI Joins Victoria's AI Trade Mission to Singapore for Big Data & AI World Asia 2025

YepAI, a Melbourne-based leader in enterprise artificial intelligence solutions, announced today...

Building a Strong Online Presence with Katoomba Web Design

Katoomba web design is more than just creating a website that looks good—it’s about building an onli...

September Sunset Polo

International Polo Tour To Bridge Historic Sport, Life-Changing Philanthropy, and Breath-Taking Beau...

5 Ways Microsoft Fabric Simplifies Your Data Analytics Workflow

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline their data anal...

7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign IT Support Companies in Sydney

Choosing an IT partner can feel like buying an insurance policy you hope you never need. The right c...

Choosing the Right Legal Aid Lawyer in Sutherland Shire: Key Considerations

Legal aid services play an essential role in ensuring access to justice for all. For people in t...

The Times Features

Understanding Centrelink Investment Property Valuation: A Guide for Australian Property Owners

Introduction Owning an investment property in Australia can bring financial stability — but it al...

The climate crisis is fuelling extreme fires across the planet

We’ve all seen the alarming images. Smoke belching from the thick forests[1] of the Amazon. Sp...

Applications open for Future Cotton Leaders Program 2026

Applications have opened for the 2026 intake for the Australia Future Cotton Leaders Program (AFCL...

Optimising is just perfectionism in disguise. Here’s why that’s a problem

If you regularly scroll health and wellness content online, you’ve no doubt heard of optimisin...

Macquarie Bank Democratises Agentic AI, Scaling Customer Innovation with Gemini Enterprise

Macquarie’s Banking and Financial Services group (Macquarie Bank), in collaboration with Google ...

Do kids really need vitamin supplements?

Walk down the health aisle of any supermarket and you’ll see shelves lined with brightly packa...

Why is it so shameful to have missing or damaged teeth?

When your teeth and gums are in good condition, you might not even notice their impact on your...

Australian travellers at risk of ATM fee rip-offs according to new data from Wise

Wise, the global technology company building the smartest way to spend and manage money internat...

Does ‘fasted’ cardio help you lose weight? Here’s the science

Every few years, the concept of fasted exercise training pops up all over social media. Faste...