Whatever your thoughts on social media’s First Family, the Kardashians are nothing if not enterprising. Whilst some ventures have fared better than others (R.I.P Dash) this weeks’ launch from Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s supplement brand Lemme is a little more… problematic.
Touted as a ‘natural alternative’ to Ozempic, taken at face value Lemme GLP-1 Daily Capsules could be viewed as a way of democratising expensive treatments that are widely unavailable to most (particularly in the US). Afterall, as Kardashian Barker points out, there is clearly an appetite (pardon the pun) for a more accessible, less extreme weight-loss fix; “Since Lemme’s launch we’ve heard from thousands of you looking for a natural GLP-1 solution without side effects,” she explained. “We spent years working with our medical advisory board to formulate Lemme GLP-1 Daily into the most effective and researched GLP-1 supplement on the market.”
According to Kardashian Barker, who has previously championed postpartum body positivity and called out body shaming comments on social media, the supplements are ‘not about weight-loss’, instead focussing on “allowing you to regulate your glucose levels, to fight visceral fat and to reduce inflammation.”
However, considering that the majority of us had never heard of the term ‘GLP-1’ before Ozempic hit the headlines, the name itself comes off as a rather cynical way to cash in on the Ozempic boom and profit from women’s insecurities (the supplements are priced at £70 for a monthly delivery). In a world where celebrities are rapidly shrinking and skinny has seemingly become a status symbol once more, you can bet your bottom dollar most people buying it are buying it for weight loss and not for keeping their glucose levels in check.
What makes Kardashian Barker’s Ozempic dupe more problematic than the real thing? Aside from the fact there is scant evidence that it actually works, the K klan dynasty is built on aspiration, and by naming her latest supplement after the hormone activated by the notorious slimming jabs (tellingly the rest of the brand’s line-up are named things such as ‘Lemme Sleep,’ ‘Lemme Focus’ and ‘Lemme Purr) implicitly pegs it to the blockbuster drug whilst lending a veneer of science to the fact that they are essentially making weight-loss aspirational. If once the pen was mightier than the sword, these days a post packs the heaviest punch and endorsement from any Kardashian prompts an instant liturgy of likes and ‘adds to baskets’. ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ has taken on a whole new meaning as their influence on beauty standards and their role in cultural hegemony can’t be denied. They represent an idea of physical perfection, whether digitally or surgically manipulated which makes this foray into the weight-loss arena a rather depressing commentary on unrealistic body ideals and a regression in terms of the small gains in the body positivity movement. The mental implications of popping a pill to shed pounds loses sight of the notion that body health and body shape are not necessarily attributed to weight.
But mental health and body positivity discourse aside, does the pill (which is not FDA approved) actually work and is it in any way comparable to Ozempic?
In spite of its name, Lemme GLP-1 Daily is not a GLP-1 receptor agonist like Ozempic or Wegovy (a class of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity). Instead, it is said to work by boosting the body’s own GLP-1 levels (a hormone which is released in the gut after eating that plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels and appetite) to ‘promote insulin sensitivity, reduce hunger and support healthy weight management’ according to the press release.
Social media users were quick to voice their concerns and question the viability of the small-scale studies cited on the website whilst leading health experts and doctors caution that whilst some of the hero ingredients such as Eriomin lemon fruit extract, Supresa saffron extract and Morosil red orange fruit extract may show some effect, they don’t come close to matching results of pharmaceutical GLP-1 receptor agonists and also point out that the ingredients haven’t been studied together (it should perhaps also be noted that the act of eating any food also stimulates the hormone).
“Labelling supplements as ‘Ozempic alternatives’ is risky because it may give the impression that these products can match the clinical efficacy and safety profile of a prescription medication,” says Shenaz Shariff, founder of the www.faceandbodyclinic.co.uk who specialises in weight loss. “Ozempic has undergone rigorous clinical trials to demonstrate its safety and effectiveness, while many supplements lack this level of research. Patients need to understand that supplements are not regulated in the same way as prescription medications, and there is often variability in potency, quality, and efficacy and while some natural ingredients may offer health benefits, calling them ‘alternatives’ to a powerful medication like Ozempic could lead to unrealistic expectations.”
Despite claiming that the supplements are a way of avoiding side effects associated with Ozempic, there is also a risk of adverse reactions to ingredients; “Natural remedies may contain a number of substances with unknown interactions with the body and other medications. The natural alternatives have not undergone the same research and scrutiny as medications and should be used with caution and with advice from a doctor,” warns Dr Kajal Babamiri GP Specialist at CLNQ. “I have seen patients taking health supplements that have caused issues such as excessive bleeding which can have implications if performing surgery.”
Touted as one of the greatest medical breakthroughs of the decade, Ozempic has undoubtedly spurred a cultural phenomenon, the question is, are copycat versions like Lemme GLP-1 Daily simply another step back in terms of toxic narratives about food, appearance and the pursuit of thinness?
Cassie Steer is acting beauty director at Grazia with over 25 years’ experience on women’s glossies. She previously served as Beauty Director at Instyle and beauty editor at Marie Claire and her work has featured in Stylist, Sunday Times Style, the Telegraph, net-a-porter.com, glamour.com amongst many more.