Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro are all the rage in the weight loss industry. And there’s no doubt they work for many people, helping them to shed as much as 10 to 15 percent of their body weight.

But what the marketers of these drugs aren’t telling you is that weight loss comes with a lot of drawbacks: weight loss plateaus, scary gastrointestinal side effects, a sobering black box warning and a hefty price tag.

Luckily, there are a couple of simple and inexpensive steps you can take to mimic the effects of these drugs.

For instance, berberine is a phytochemical found in several plants that lowers insulin and fasting glucose levels and reduces triglycerides, which can lead to lower cholesterol. These are similar to the effects triggered by GLP-1 agonists.

Or here’s one that’s even easier….

Beta-glucan the fiber that mimics GLP-1 agonists

Previous research has touted the ability of fiber to nourish our gut microbiome in ways that help with weight loss. But a recent study has taken that a step further by identifying a specific type of fiber that mimics the effects of GLP-1 agonists.

Beta-glucan, a form of fiber found in oats and barley, was singled out in the study as being able to control blood sugar and assist in weight loss in mice fed a high-fat diet.

The researchers say beta-glucan is the only fiber supplement they tested that lowered a mouse’s fat content and body weight within 18 weeks. Other fibers considered, including wheat dextrin, pectin, resistant starch and cellulose, had no such impact, though they did shift the makeup of the microbiome compared to the mice fed no fiber supplements.

“We know that fiber is important and beneficial; the problem is that there are so many different types of fiber,” says University of Arizona biomedical scientist Frank Duca.

“We wanted to know what kind of fiber would be most beneficial for weight loss and improvements in glucose homeostasis so that we can inform the community, the consumer and then also inform the agricultural industry,” Duca adds.

Oats for weight loss, reduced fat, gut health and insulin sensitivity

Dietary fiber is the main energy source for gut bacteria, yet less than 5 percent of Americans consume the recommended 25 to 30 grams of fiber (between 0.9 and 1 ounce) of fiber per day.

Even when we do choose to consume fiber, it’s tough to know which type to pick. There are water-soluble fibers like oat beta-glucans and wheat dextrin that are easily fermentable by gut bacteria. Then there are others that are less soluble or insoluble, meaning they pass through the gut and help form stool. Both are important from a health perspective.

But if you’re looking to lose weight, beta-glucan may be the way to go…

The study found that only beta-glucan increased the number of Ileibacterium found in the mouse intestine. This bacterium has been linked to weight loss in other mouse studies.

Long before the 10-week mark, mice fed beta-glucan demonstrated reduced body weight and body fat content compared to mice fed other types of fiber.

The beta-glucan mice also showed increased concentrations of butyrate in their guts, a metabolite made when microbes break down fiber. Butyrate triggers the release of GLP-1, the same protein mimicked by drugs like Ozempic to stimulate insulin release.

And that’s not the only effect, Duca says. “We think that there are other beneficial things that butyrate could be doing that are not gut peptide related, such as improving gut barrier health and targeting peripheral organs like the liver,” he notes.

The researchers caution more study is needed before these results can be extended to humans. However, the findings do suggest some fiber may be better suited to weight loss and insulin control than others.

So if you’re looking to lose weight, boosting your intake of beta-glucan could benefit those efforts. Try eating a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, or adding a helping of barley to your soup or salad. Not only will it support your weight loss efforts, but it will give you better gut health to boot.

Sources:

How your morning oats could help you manage your weight — The University of Arizona News

Impact of Plant-Based Dietary Fibers on Metabolic Homeostasis in High-Fat Diet Mice via Alterations in the Gut Microbiota and Metabolites — The Journal of Nutrition