Experts Debunk Ozempic-Style Weight Loss Patches: Do They Really Work?
Could a simple patch, inspired by the weight-loss drug Ozempic, truly help you shed excess kilos without the pain and effort of an injection? Promotions for these Ozempic-style, weight-loss patches are proliferating online, often promising dramatic results with scant evidence to support their claims. Personal endorsements, including from some "doctors" on social media, are common, but independent fact-checkers have exposed these as AI-generated. Before you invest your money, here’s why you should think twice about purchasing a weight-loss patch.
What’s in Them? Do They Work?
Ozempic-style patches, also known as GLP-1 patches, do not contain any pharmaceutical ingredient from Ozempic (semaglutide) or related drugs such as Mounjaro (tirzepatide). Instead, these patches typically contain a mixture of herbal extracts, including berberine, green tea (Camellia sinensis), the tropical fruit Garcinia cambogia, and bitter orange (Citrus x aurantium L.).
Laboratory evidence suggests that select compounds from these herbs, such as berberine, polyphenols in green tea extract, and hydroxycitric acid from G. cambogia, may have some effects, including suppressing appetite, lowering blood glucose levels, and regulating fat metabolism to promote weight loss. However, laboratory findings do not automatically translate to human outcomes. Recent evidence in humans indicates these herbs have minimal impact on weight loss.
For instance, studies on berberine show that people taking up to 3 grams daily for a year experience only a small effect on weight and waist circumference. Similarly, reviews of green tea extract supplements (up to 2.4g daily for 13 weeks) and G. cambogia (over 4g daily for 17 weeks) found no significant weight loss. Bitter orange extract, with doses up to 54 milligrams of synephrine for eight weeks, also did not lead to weight loss. Importantly, these studies focus on oral formulations like tablets or capsules, not patches.
Do They Get Through the Skin?
Whether an extract in a weight-loss patch penetrates the skin depends on its formulation. Our skin is highly lipophilic, meaning it absorbs oily or fat-soluble chemicals but blocks water-loving, or hydrophilic, substances. Not all medicines can be delivered through the skin; for example, Ozempic is administered via injection because its drug molecule is too large and hydrophilic to pass through the skin.
If the extracts in these patches are made using a water-based process, their ingredients are unlikely to penetrate the skin and will remain inactive on your body until removal. Additionally, patches can only hold very small amounts of herbal extract—typically less than 0.1g. In contrast, the studies mentioned required grams of material to see any effect. Thus, even if ingredients do get through the skin, these patches lack sufficient quantity to have a meaningful impact.
You Can’t Assume Patches Are Safe
The Therapeutic Goods Administration regulates medical products in Australia, including herbal extracts. For a herbal product to be sold in Australia, it must be listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. Currently, no Ozempic-style patches are on this register, meaning their quality and safety have not been assessed or guaranteed.
An Australian study has reported instances of contamination in unregistered herbal products, including undeclared plant materials, heavy metals, and prescription drugs like warfarin. These contaminants are dangerous as they can potentially be absorbed through the skin and circulate in the body, posing significant health risks.
In a Nutshell
While the idea of Ozempic-style weight-loss patches might seem appealing, they do not work, and their safety is far from guaranteed. Instead of wasting your money, consult your doctor or pharmacist, who can recommend proven, safe, and effective treatments tailored to help you achieve your health goals.
About the authors: Nial Wheate is a Professor at the School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University. Wai-Jo Jocelin Chan is a Pharmacist and Lecturer at UNSW Sydney and the University of Sydney. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
