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Berberine and the pink salt trick are not GLP-1 drugs

Updated Sep 30, 2026. Numbers in brackets link to the source each fact comes from.

No. Berberine is a plant substance sold as a dietary supplement, and the “pink salt trick” is a salty drink promoted in online videos. Neither is a GLP-1 drug. A GLP-1 medicine such as Wegovy is, in its FDA label’s words, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, and it needs a prescription [1].

What berberine is

Berberine comes from plants such as goldenseal, barberry and Oregon grape [2]. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of NIH, says it took off on TikTok as a weight-loss aid, but few clinical trials have been done in people, so there is not enough solid evidence to say whether it works [3].

NCCIH describes one review of the research. It pooled 18 studies on body weight and 23 on body mass index and found decreases in both [4]. The effect showed up mainly at more than 1 gram a day taken for more than 8 weeks, and many of the studies had a high risk of bias with inconsistent results [5]. NCCIH does not give the size of the weight change on that page.

Published reviews of the trials do not agree on the size. A 2026 review that pooled 23 papers on randomized trials found berberine lowered body weight by 0.88 kg (under 2 pounds) more than the comparison groups [23]. An earlier review from 2020 found no significant drop in body weight [24].

The “nature’s Ozempic” nickname mixes up two different kinds of product. Wegovy went through FDA review as a prescription drug. Berberine is sold as a supplement, and the FDA does not have the authority to approve supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are sold [6].

Safety points NCCIH lists

  • Side effects reported in studies are mostly digestive: nausea, stomach pain, bloating, constipation or diarrhea [7].
  • Berberine can interact with medicines, and NCCIH tells anyone taking medicine to talk with their health care provider first [8]. That includes people already on a GLP-1.
  • It is likely unsafe for infants and may be unsafe during pregnancy or breastfeeding [9].

The pink salt trick

We found no NIH, FDA or CDC page that supports a salt drink for weight loss. The Federal Trade Commission, which polices advertising, says claims that you can lose weight without changing your habits are not true [10]. It also warns that scammers plant fake news stories and ads online to sell weight-loss products [11], and that “free” trial offers for these products have left many people with large bills for shipments they did not want [12].

The drink itself adds sodium. Salt is sodium chloride, and sodium is one of its elements [13]. Americans already average about 3,400 mg of sodium a day [14], while the Dietary Guidelines advise adults to stay under 2,300 mg [15].

Products sold as “GLP-1” that are not drugs

The FDA sends online advisory letters to companies that illegally market products to treat or prevent serious diseases [16]. Its public list includes one seller’s GLP-1 drops, oral liquids, a nasal spray and microneedle patches [17]. The FDA has also warned companies selling semaglutide, tirzepatide and similar drugs falsely labeled “for research purposes” or “not for human consumption” [18]. According to the FTC, the FDA has found hundreds of supplements with hidden drugs or chemicals not on the label, many of them for weight loss [19]. Prices that look too good to be true are one of the FDA’s warning signs [20]. More on this in fake and unapproved GLP-1 products.

Where real GLP-1 drugs come from

The FDA’s advice is to get a prescription from your doctor and fill it at a state-licensed pharmacy [21]. The cost gap with supplements is smaller than it used to be: the White House announced the Wegovy pill at as low as $149 a month on TrumpRx, depending on the dose [22]. Current prices from every seller we track are in our price comparison, and GLP-1 cost without insurance walks through the cash options. Whether a GLP-1 suits you is a decision for you and a prescriber.

Sources

  1. WEGOVY is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  2. Berberine is a substance found in a variety of plants, including goldenseal, barberry, Oregon grape, and others. nccih.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  3. Recently, berberine has gained popularity across the internet and on social media platforms such as TikTok for its purported ability to induce weight loss. However, while some preliminary studies have suggested that berberine may play a role in losing weight, there haven’t been many clinical trials (studies conducted in people), so there isn’t enough rigorous scientific evidence to determine whether it is effective. nccih.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  4. A 2022 review of 18 studies that examined the effect of berberine on body weight and 23 that examined its effect on body mass index (BMI; a value based on weight and height that may help determine whether a person has a healthy weight) found significant decreases in both weight and BMI in people who took berberine. nccih.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  5. Effects on weight were seen primarily in people who took berberine in doses of more than 1 gram per day and for more than 8 weeks. Many of the studies included in this review had a high risk of bias, and the outcomes of individual studies were inconsistent. nccih.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  6. The FDA does NOT have the authority to approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness, or to approve their labeling, before the supplements are sold to the public. fda.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  7. Some side effects of berberine have been reported in research studies, primarily gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea. nccih.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  8. Berberine may interact with medicines. For example, it has been shown to interact with cyclosporine, a drug used to prevent rejection of transplanted organs. If you take medicine, talk with your health care provider if you are considering taking berberine supplements. nccih.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  9. Therefore, berberine is likely to be unsafe for infants and may also be unsafe for use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding because of possible effects on the fetus or infant. nccih.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  10. It would be nice if you could lose weight simply by taking a pill, wearing a patch, or rubbing in a cream, but claims that you can lose weight without changing your habits just aren’t true. consumer.ftc.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  11. Scammers place false stories online through fake news websites, blogs, banner ads, and social media to sell their weight loss products. consumer.ftc.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  12. Many people who have signed up for “free” trials for weight loss products have wound up paying a lot of money and have been billed for recurring shipments they didn’t want. consumer.ftc.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  13. Table salt (also known by its chemical name, sodium chloride) is a crystal-like compound that is abundant in nature. Sodium is a mineral, and one of the chemical elements found in salt. fda.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  14. Americans eat on average about 3,400 mg of sodium per day. fda.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  15. However, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day fda.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  16. FDA sends online advisory letters to companies illegally marketing products for the treatment or prevention of serious diseases. fda.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  17. “Ourlyard GLP-1 Six-in-One Health Solution Oral Liquid,” “CroAie GLP-1 & NAD+ Slimming Support Drops,” “Croaie GLP-1 weight loss oral solution,” “Croaie GLP-1 20-in-1 Slim & Healthy Oral Solution,” “Croaie GLP-1 & Matrixyl 3000 Sliming & Health Drops,” “Croaie GLP-1 Weight Loss Liquid Gel,” “Croaie Nano Microneedle Patch with SMGT-GLP-1,” “Croaie Moringa GLP-1 NeuroSlim Nasal Spray,” “Lercea Nano Microneedle Patch,” and “Croaie GLP-1 Liquid Drops” fda.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  18. FDA has warned companies that have illegally sold unapproved drugs containing semaglutide, tirzepatide, retatrutide, survodutide or mazdutide that are falsely labeled “for research purposes” or “not for human consumption.” fda.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  19. In recent years, the FDA has discovered hundreds of dietary supplements that contain potentially harmful drugs or other chemicals not listed on the product label. Many of these products are for weight loss and bodybuilding. consumer.ftc.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  20. offers medicine at deep discounts or prices that seem too good to be true fda.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  21. Patients should obtain a prescription from their doctor and fill the prescription at a state-licensed pharmacy. fda.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  22. The monthly price of the Wegovy pill will fall from $1,349 to as low as $149, depending on dosage strength. whitehouse.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  23. A total of 23 articles were included. Berberine significantly reduced body weight (MD of -0.88 kg, 95% CI: -1.36 to -0.39, p = 0.0003) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 28, 2026.
  24. However, berberine supplementation yielded no significant decline in body weight (BW) (WMD: -0.11 kg, 95% CI: -0.99 to 0.76, p = 0.79). pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 28, 2026.