The girls are getting husky.
Rather than breaking the bank for coveted, costly weight loss jabs, skinny wannabes on a budget are turning to the high-fiber husk of a plant.
And the organic alternative is being hailed as the inexpensive answer to their pesky poundage problems.
“Psyllium husk is now gaining popularity as the ‘poor man’s Ozempic,’” family medicine physician Enaka Yembe, 52, from Louisiana, stamped in the closed captions of a viral TikTok video.
“Psyllium Husk and Ozempic are both VERY different substances,” she explained to a fanbase of over 32,000 followers, “but with similar effects!”
And virtual waist-watchers are eating it up.
As the celebrity-lead “thin is in” trend persists — owing to the fat-melting alchemy of injectables like Ozempic and Wegovy, which can cost around $1,000 a month — frugal folks struggling to drop a few have taken to taking homemade knockoffs of the drugs, hoping for slenderized results.
Do-it-yourself blends such as “Ricezempic” and “Oatzempic” received social media acclaim at the top of the year. Both drinks have allegedly aided dieters in trimming down through the powers of raw rice and oats.
However, “tadpole water,” a mix of chia seeds, lemon and H2O, has more recently usurped the throne from the grain-based beverages. Online, imbibers say that the hand-spun potable has done wonders towards shrinking their waistlines.
Ans gals taking psyllium husk, which can cost as little as $8, claim the same.
The soluble fiber, primarily used in gentle laxative products such as Metamucil, boasts many benefits, including constipation and diarrhea relief, as well as blood sugar and cholesterol level management, per the Cleveland Clinic. It can also trigger weight loss.
Online, Yembe’s even specified the similarities shared by the sawdust-like substance and Ozempic.
“They both induce feelings of fullness,” she said in the caption of her post. “They both stabilize your blood sugars.”
“Both have been SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN to assist with weight loss,” emphasized the doctor before outlining their differences.
“Mechanism of Action,” wrote Yembe, designating it the top dissimilarity.
“Psyllium husk is a fiber, binds to water, forms a voluminous gel in the stomach, slows down your stomach from emptying, which keeps you full longer,” she explained. “It also slows down the absorption of sugar.”
“Ozempic,” continued the expert, “tells your brain you are full, slows down digestion and stimulates insulin production.”
Yembe went on to note that psyllium husk is available as a dietary supplement, whereas Ozempic shots require a prescription. She then listed the medical consequences of each aid.
“Side effects of Ozempic are loss of muscle mass, nausea, vomiting, low blood sugars, pancreatitis and risk of thyroid disease in some people,” advised the insider. “Side effects of psyllium husk [are] gastrointestinal symptoms, bloating or gas [and] rash.”
But petite-seekers are more impressed by the pros of the plant.
“Hot girls drink psyllium husk every night at 8 p.m. so they can stay regular, help their insulin resistance & shed weight fast,” Emily, an internet naturalist, captioned video footage of herself downing the goodie.
Megan Ringo, a 24-year-old content creator, also applauded the powder for regulating her digestive system.
“[Psyllium husk has] been working like magic for me,” she gushed in a clip.
But scientists have yet to officially deem psyllium husk a cheap substitute for the shots.
“We don’t have any clinical trials that compared the two,” registered dietitian Julia Zumpano told Cleveland Clinic. “Psyllium husk can support weight loss but not to the extent of a medication has potential to.
“They work differently in the body.”
