Celsius has denied claims on TikTok that it contains Ozempic, a popular weight-loss drug.
The energy drink company said, “Celsius products do not and have never contained semaglutide.”
Semaglutide is the name given to the drug sold under the brand name Ozempic.
The drug has grown in popularity in recent years, and an estimated one in 60 adults in the US now has prescriptions for Ozempic, its higher-dose version Wegovy, and another weight-loss drug called Mounjaro.
False rumors that Ozempic is an ingredient in Celsius, which bills itself as a “fitness drink” and claims it can “boost your metabolism” have been circulating widely on the internet.
There are videos on TikTok falsely claiming that Celsius contains Ozempic
Celsius has denied false claims on TikTok that its drink contains Ozempic
According to Fox Business, there were 11 million searches for “Celsius Drink Ozempic” on TikTok.
Celsius says its “products provide functional energy that, when combined with proper nutrition and moderate exercise, has been shown to increase metabolism through thermogenesis.”
The company claims that this, in turn, causes the body to burn more calories and body fat than it would normally do with exercise alone.
It’s not clear what the company means by “functional” energy.
Celsius is an energy drink said to be made with “healthier ingredients” like ginger, green tea and essential vitamins.
According to the brand’s website, the drinks contain no sugar, aspartame, high fructose corn syrup, and no artificial preservatives.
A 12-ounce can contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, twice that of an 8-ounce cup of coffee.
That’s more than brands like Monster, Red Bull and Rockstar plus a shot of espresso or a cup of cold brew.
Some varieties from the brand contain varying amounts of caffeine, including Celsius BCAA at 100 milligrams and Celsius Heat at 300 milligrams.
The Food and Drug Administration advises that consuming up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is safe for most people.
“We recommend no more than (2) 12-ounce cans/(2) servings per day and that you follow the daily serving recommendations for all other CELSIUS products,” the brand’s website states.
The caffeine in Celsius drinks is derived from guarana extract, a plant native to the Amazon.
According to recent research, 70 percent of the guarana produced is used by the beverage industry in soft and energy drinks, the rest is processed into powder.
Semaglutide belongs to a group of drugs known as GLP-1.
They are a synthetic form of a hormone that the body naturally releases when you eat and stimulates the release of insulin, a chemical that helps control blood sugar levels.
It also slows the rate at which the stomach empties, telling the brain to increase satiety and reduce appetite.
Confusingly, semaglutide is referred to as two separate drugs, both manufactured by Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk.
Ozempic is aimed at patients with type 2 diabetes.
A 12-ounce can contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, twice that of an 8-ounce cup of coffee
It lowers blood sugar and reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes in people who also have heart disease.
Sister drug Wegovy contains a stronger dose of semaglutide and instead targets people who weigh too much.
Like most medications, semaglutide is not completely risk-free.
Users often complain of nausea, constipation, and diarrhea, but some also experience acid reflux, fatigue, and complain that the food tastes different after taking the drug.
It’s this side effect that some people blame for adding extra weight-loss support — by making their favorite junk food taste bad.
Semaglutide promotes weight loss by mimicking the action of GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone in the brain that regulates appetite and feelings of satiety.
Wegovy and Ozempic are weekly injections that cost just over $1,300 a pack, which works out to almost $270 a week, or about $16,190 a year.
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