Psyllium husk is a type of fiber that helps make you feel full and lowers your blood sugar levels. Unlike Ozempic (semaglutide), experts say it does not usually lead to significant weight loss.
How Does Psyllium Husk Compare to Ozempic?
Psyllium husk is common and available as a powder, capsule, or tablet at online retailers or grocery stores, said Irene Sonu, MD, clinical associate professor of gastroenterology at Stanford Medicine.
“Psyllium husk is a type of soluble fiber supplement,” Dr. Sonu told Health. “What it’s traditionally used for is regularity—so it can be used for constipation, diarrhea, and it can basically create a more regular-formed stool.”
Though primarily used for regularity, psyllium husk can mirror the benefits of Ozempic in some ways.
“Fiber, in general, is a non-absorbable plant-derived particulate that can sit in your gastrointestinal tract, including your stomach, for a very long time and can help with satiation,” said Dr. Sonu.
In other words, psyllium husk can help a person feel full for long periods of time, similarly to Ozempic or Wegovy (semaglutide).1
Psyllium husk also helps control blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes. Similarly, Ozempic, along with diet and exercise, helps lower blood sugar levels.2
Why Fiber and Ozempic Work Differently
Despite these similarities, experts hesitate to claim psyllium husk is similar to Ozempic or could replace the drug.
There does not seem to be any studies putting the two head-to-head. A small 2016 study did suggest that psyllium husk “deserves attention as a potential natural dietary supplement” for people with diabetes. However, this was before semaglutide was approved for weight loss.3
Beyond a lack of research, the other thing giving experts pause is that psyllium husk and semaglutide have different mechanisms in the body, meaning they do not function in similar ways.
When it comes to feeling full for longer, though the end result may be somewhat similar, “[psyllium husk] definitely doesn’t work the same way as semaglutide,” said Dr. Sonu.
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