Does TikTok's "Oatzempic" Weight Loss Drink Really Work? We Asked a Registered Dietitian (Exclusive)

The world of diet fads is unfortunately quite vast. From arsenic weight loss pills of the mid-18th century, to the Special K diet of the early aughts, to the media-induced eating disorder culture of today, dieting trends have always been questionable, as they tend to promise fast results and encourage unrealistic expectations. One of these TikTok-viral weight loss fads is cheekily called "Oatzempic."

Oatzempic is a weight loss-focused breakfast drink named after the controversial diabetes medication Ozempic, which is often prescribed off label to help patients lose weight.

Celebrities like Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, and Chelsea Handler have been open about taking Ozempic (or similar drugs) for weight loss, and NPR called Ozempic "the worst-kept secret in Hollywood."

Intrigued by the Oatzempic drink's suspicious promise of 40 pounds of weight loss in just two months, we spoke exclusively with Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, registered dietitian and author of The Better Period Food Solution, who gave us some insight into the legitimacy, safety, science, and ethics behind this new internet diet trend.

The Oatzempic recipe is easy and boasts a minimal ingredient list. Simply add half a cup of oats, juice from half a lime, and a cup of water to a blender. Once blended, just drink up in the morning on an empty stomach, as detailed by TikTok user Adrienne Elaine Chavez. (This is basically how you make homemade oat milk, but with different proportions and the addition of lime juice.)

While creators like @lustforadventuremom, @withlove.renita, and @roxxv10 have documented their journeys, claiming to have actually seen weight loss results, others, including @glendagax, haven't lost any weight.

"Any trend that promotes real ingredients from nature is a trend that I get can excited about," Beckerman tells us via email, adding that trying Oatzempic "may catapult someone into going grocery shopping more or even making healthier choices throughout the day."

Still, Beckerman offers plenty of concerns and eye rolls about Oatzempic.

"Any weight loss claim with specific pounds and timelines definitely has gaping holes in it," she says. "This smoothie is merely real ingredients that offer up soluble fiber, coming from the oats, and hydration, which can allow someone to maintain fullness for an elongated period of time. That fullness can lead to someone eating less at their next meal which can potentially lead to weight loss."

Med-peds doc, Dr. Tommy Martin, MD, has spoken about Oatzempic on his TikTok page. He agrees that substituting a traditional fatty breakfast with Oatzempic may help people lose fat and create a calorie deficit, but overall, he has a take similar to Beckerman's.

"Oatmeal helps with satiety, or helps us to stay full throughout the day and leads to snacking less later on in the day as well," he said in a March 2024 video. Additionally, Dr. Martin stated that "the fiber in the oatmeal and the increased water likely is helping [people] to have more regular bowel movements."

Overall, if people want to hop on the TikTok trend with healthy and realistic intentions, Beckerman doesn't see a major issue with it.

"If someone wants to jump on this smoothie as a means to integrate some belly-filling fiber, vitamin C, hydration, and B vitamins, there is no harm in doing so. Their agenda for integrating the smoothie into their lifestyle would have to be to add some real ingredients with real benefits; if they see some weight loss from eating this way, that is merely a bonus," she maintains. "However, it needs to be integrated in a diet that is filled with mostly plants, lean proteins, whole grains and healthy fats in order to be done safely and wisely."

Of course, we always recommend speaking with your own physician before making any major dietary changes.

Diet fads of the past, present, and future are closely tied to fatphobia, disordered eating, and toxic "thinspiration" culture. Does the Master Cleanse — which involves downing six to 12 glasses of a lemonade, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup concoction a day, plus herbal laxatives — sound healthy to you? (Spoiler: It's not.)

Overall, Beckerman believes that these modern diet trends are "capitalizing on the diet and weight loss industry and promising dangerous and falsified results."

"If someone looks at this trend (or any other internet diet fad) with any disordered eating thought patterns and is promised to lose an outrageous amount of weight in a short period of time, it can cause a dieting spiral and dangerous eating patterns to emerge."

All in all, those interested in Oatzempic should proceed with caution, check with a doctor, and analyze their own personal reasons for wanting to try out TikTok's A.M. diet trend.