'Natural Ozempic' could be just as effective without side effects, scientists say

Over the last few years, millions of people have turned to weight-loss jabs to shed pounds, with dozens of celebrities among those who have seen life-changing transformations.

But the results rarely come without side effects, reportedly ranging from libido problems to toilet troubles.

Despite their potential to leave users feeling rough around the edges, few are put off by the side effects, with a recent report by RAND showing that nearly 12 percent of Americans have used GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, including about one-fifth of women aged 50 to 64.

According to the report, around half of those surveyed reported having nausea, while about one-third experienced diarrhea while taking the drugs.

However, those looking to slim down may not need to suffer for much longer.

Scientists have discovered a new molecule that may be just as effective as Ozempic (Getty Stock Images)

Scientists at Stanford Medicine have discovered a new molecule that closely mimics the effects of appetite-suppressing drugs without their unpleasant aftereffects.

A tiny peptide called BRP has been unearthed using artificial intelligence and appears to be able to alter the brain's appetite-control center, potentially helping people to eat less and lose weight without nausea or muscle loss.

BRP works similarly to Ozempic but uses a different, related biological pathway to activate distinct groups of neurons in the brain, thereby offering a more specific way to control appetite and metabolism.

Assistant professor of pathology Katrin Svensson, PhD, told Stanford Medicine: "The receptors targeted by semaglutide are found in the brain but also in the gut, pancreas and other tissues.

"That's why Ozempic has widespread effects, including slowing the movement of food through the digestive tract and lowering blood sugar levels. In contrast, BRP appears to act specifically in the hypothalamus, which controls appetite and metabolism."

Many people experience unpleasant side effects when using weight-loss drugs (Getty Stock Images)

Svensson, the senior author of the study, is also the co-founder of a company that plans to begin human clinical trials in the future.

AI played a key role in detecting the molecule. Using its help, scientists were able to sift through a large group of prohormones, which are initially inactive but can be cut into smaller fragments - peptides - some of which can act like hormones to influence processes like metabolism in the brain and body.

Without AI, the discovery would likely have been far more challenging. Prohormones can be split up in a number of different ways, meaning that finding a peptide like BRP using just traditional lab methods could have been much harder, as researchers typically struggle to decipher these rare molecules from the many inactive fragments.

"The algorithm was absolutely key to our findings," Svensson said.

'Nothing we've tested before has compared to semaglutide's ability to decrease appetite'

So far, the drug has been tested in mice and minipigs, with promising results. Just one injection before feeding reduced their consumption by 50 percent within an hour.

Researchers are now examining how specific receptors interact with BRP to better understand how it could work in human bodies, as well as exploring ways to extend its effects so it can be used most conveniently.

"The lack of effective drugs to treat obesity in humans has been a problem for decades," Svensson said. "Nothing we've tested before has compared to semaglutide's ability to decrease appetite and body weight. We are very eager to learn if it is safe and effective in humans."