Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s Lemme Supplement Brand Debuts a ‘Natural Alternative to Ozempic’—Is It Legit?

According to a press release from the brand, the new supplement is supposed to "boost the body's GLP-1 levels, reduce hunger, promote insulin sensitivity, and support healthy weight management." The capsules are meant to be taken once daily for three to six months for best results, per the brand's website.

Supplements like Wegovy and Ozempic are GLP-1 agonists, meaning they mimic GLP-1 in your body, a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate blood sugar, appetite, and digestion. These drugs are available only by prescription to treat conditions such as type 2 diabetes and obesity.

While Lemme's new supplement has "GLP-1" in the name, it does not actually contain any of the synthetic hormone. So despite its clever marketing, it's not an over-the-counter version of Ozempic (and because it's a supplement and not a drug, it's not as well-regulated by the FDA). Instead, it's made with a combination of herbs, including lemon fruit extract, saffron extract, and red orange fruit extract.

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Here, we'll dig into the research around the new supplement's ingredients, what we know about their safety and efficacy, and whether it's worth your money.

Ingredients in Lemme GLP-1 Daily

The main active ingredients in this supplement are lemon fruit extract (200 mg), saffron extract (176.5 mg), and red orange fruit extract (400 mg). All are herbs that have been used in traditional medicine practices. Here's what research says about their effect on weight loss and GLP-1 levels.

Lemon fruit extract

Lemon fruit extract is a citrus flavonoid that comes from lemon juice and peel. There's very limited research on the extract in humans, but here's what we know so far: Last year, a double-blind, randomized controlled trial in Food Science & Nutrition found that Eriomin (a brand-name lemon fruit extract) had a moderately positive effect on gut flora, GLP-1 levels, and blood sugar. But this study was very small (only 30 people made it to the end of the 12-week period) and all participants had prediabetes—meaning we can't say whether these positive results extend to people without prediabetes. It also makes no mention of how Eriomin affected participants' appetite or weight.

Another July 2019 study in Phytotherapy Research found similar results, in that Eriomin slightly improved blood sugar and GLP-1 levels, but this study was also small (involving only about 100 people) and again only included people who had prediabetes.

Both studies only followed participants for 12 weeks, so we don't know much about its long-term effects. This also means no safe or effective dosage has been established.

Saffron extract

Saffron is an antioxidant-rich spice that's often used in holistic medicine for its purported benefits on sleep, mood issues, and inflammation, per a February 2022 article in Nutrients. The few studies that have looked at its effect on weight discovered little positive results.

While one older 2010 study in Nutrition Research suggests saffron extract may slightly reduce snacking when compared to a placebo, it did not cause significant weight loss. More current research also shows the extract has little to no effect on weight, BMI, or waist or hip circumference (though taking it did slightly decrease waist-to-hip ratio in some people), according to a July 2022 meta-analysis of 25 studies in Phytotherapy Research⁵.

Overall, there's not enough evidence to show that saffron can help you lose weight or help control blood sugar.

Red orange fruit extract

The third main ingredient in Lemme GLP-1 Daily is red orange fruit extract, aka Morosil—an extract from Silician Moro blood oranges. It's widely advertised as a natural supplement to help facilitate weight loss and reduce abdominal fat. But the studies examining its effects are mostly sponsored by companies selling the extract as a supplement, meaning there's a potential for findings to be biased.

For example, one February 2022 double-blind, randomized controlled trial in Nutrients found participants with overweight who took Morosil for six months saw reduced BMI and improved body composition. More specifically, participants lost about 4.2 percent of their body weight, compared to 2.2 percent with the placebo. That said, this study was also small: Fewer than 200 people completed the full six months. And it was funded by Bionap—a company that sells Morosil—so there's also a potential conflict of interest at play.

Another January 2015 randomized controlled trial in Natural Product Research had participants with overweight (who were otherwise healthy) take Morosil for 12 weeks. After four weeks, participants saw a significant reduction in BMI compared to the group who took a placebo.

That said, studies on Morosil have been small and short in duration. More research is needed to determine its long-term effects, safety, and ideal dosage.

It's also important to note that no research has looked at the effects of combining these three ingredients, so we don't know how they interact with one another.

Do these supplements actually work? (And are they safe?)

While there is some research to support that Eriomin and Morosil separately affect GLP-1 pathways and lead to slight weight loss, they're not nearly as effective as traditional GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, which have been proven in clinical trials to improve GLP-1 levels and promote significant weight loss in people with overweight, per a January 2022 trial in JAMA. There's still a lot more research to be done on this supplement's ingredients—including their efficacy, how they work when combined, and what's considered a safe dosage.

One good thing to note: Lemme confirmed to Well+Good that its GLP-1 Daily supplements have been third-party tested by NSF (a reputable consumer goods testing organization). NSF certification ensures that what's listed on the product label is actually in the supplement itself, and in the amounts claimed, without additional (potentially harmful) ingredients like heavy metals. This kind of testing, however, does not review the supplement's safety or efficacy.

The bottom line

Ultimately, if you are considering taking a GLP-1 supplement for weight loss or to improve your blood sugar, start by talking with your doctor. They can determine whether a GLP-1 supplement is safe or right for you and possibly recommend other ways to manage your weight.

Meghan Garcia Webb, MD, previously told Well+Good that there are more effective strategies for weight and blood sugar management than taking a supplement, and those include:

• Eating five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables each day
• Limiting how many processed foods you eat
• Getting at least 150 minutes of exercise each week
• Drinking plenty of water
• Getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night