If you’ve spent any time in 2024 on a celebrity’s social media comments section, you’ve probably heard of Ozempic — but if you’re not a celebrity yourself, getting your hands on it is another matter. Many are looking for an alternative option to help them lose weight, and word on the street is that ZYN nicotine pouches are a potential option.
While ZYN does have some appetite-suppressing qualities, it’s not suitable as an “Ozempic dupe” since it isn’t an approved medication. Let’s explore this in more detail.
Ozempic vs ZYN
First off, we need to define both Ozempic and ZYN.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a semaglutide injection that helps patients with type 2 diabetes. It increases insulin production, slows digestion, and reduces glucose produced in the liver.
Other brands like Wegovy and Mounjaro offer similar products.
But as well as Ozempic helping with medical conditions, it impacts hunger hormones — as a result, it’s become popular for weight loss. Although Ozempic is only FDA approved for treating type 2 diabetes (and not for weight loss), the world has been in an Ozempic frenzy since 2023.
What is ZYN?
ZYN is a brand of nicotine pouches, which are pillow-like sachets containing nicotine and (usually) other flavorings the user inserts between their upper lip and gum.
They’re primarily consumed for a “nicotine buzz” or to provide a tobacco-free alternative to cigarettes.
Is ZYN an Ozempic Dupe?
The difficulty of obtaining Ozempic and similar products has led people to seek out alternatives. Perhaps thanks to ZYN being in the news and media recently, the nicotine pouch brand has emerged as one of those solutions.
On social media platforms like Instagram, Reddit, and TikTok, users started a trend called “O-Zyn-pic” touting the weight loss powers of the sachets.
After the likes of the “zyndemic” and “mascu-zynity”, it turns out that social media users can’t help themselves when it comes to coining catchy phrases that use the word ZYN!
In some videos, users claimed the nicotine pouches helped them to lose significant amounts of weight. But just because you can, it doesn't necessarily mean that you should, as we’ll get to later in the article.
Part of the draw has been the staggering price of Ozempic, which has made many people desperate for alternatives — it can cost as much as $1,000 a month in some cases, without insurance or a prescription. This is where the celebrity association comes in!
In contrast, a can with 15 ZYNs costs less than $6 (November 2024).
Can You Use ZYN for Weight Loss?
Now it comes to the all-important question. Do ZYN and nicotine help with weight loss, or is it all just some big myth?
Some evidence suggests there’s a link between nicotine and weight loss, with nicotine considered to suppress appetite. The association between cigarettes and weight loss is nothing new — smokers have long had a reputation for thinness. Back in the 1920s, cigarette companies even marketed themselves based on their weight loss properties.
Therefore, nicotine pouches could technically have a similar effect on weight. But nicotine pouches have never been advertised as a product that can reduce hunger or help with dieting.
Instead, ZYN’s users and fans have pushed this craze.
Why Does Nicotine Make You Lose Weight?
There are a few channels through which nicotine can impact appetite. It changes the reward circuits in the brain, and it also influences the hormones that regulate appetite.
Also, when consuming a ZYN or nicotine pouch, the user absorbs at least half of the total nicotine contents, while cigarette smokers absorb closer to 10%. As a result, pouches could have a stronger effect.
Side Effects of ZYN Use
While medications like Ozempic have been developed as treatments for those with medical conditions, ZYN is primarily a product for recreational use or for reducing tobacco consumption (and avoiding the ugly brown teeth that come with it).
ZYN isn’t approved by the FDA for help with diabetes — or any medical condition.
There are also some unpleasant side effects of ZYN, such as:
- Stomach upset
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Throat irritation
For some people, nicotine can also cause headaches.
All medications come with a piece of paper that lists seamlessly endless potential side effects, which might make some dismiss the impacts outlined above. But since nicotine is believed to be physically addictive, users may want to consider the long-term effects of consumption instead of assuming they will only use nicotine temporarily to lose weight.
Some of these long-term effects include increasing blood pressure, causing inflammation in the body, and worsening the cardiovascular system.
What to Use Instead of ZYN
The good news is that there are ways to suppress the appetite and lose weight without turning to Ozempic or ZYN. Ultimately, weight loss simply comes down to sustaining a calorie deficit.
Appetite suppression is what many people find challenging, but the following tips can help:
- Drinking a lot of water
- Getting enough sleep
- Eating a lot of fiber and protein
- Avoiding alcohol
- Choosing low-intensity exercise like walking over high-intensity options
Seeking medical advice may also give you access to a different FDA-approved treatment. But here at Prilla, that’s far beyond our pay grade!
