The number of dietary supplement brands that make GLP-1-related claims is spiking. Yet, the emerging category of supplements has been largely met with silence from regulators, creating ambiguity for brands.

Ozempic and similar drugs, classified as GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) agonists, were initially designed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but now are commonly used for weight loss. The drugs have seen immense popularity in recent years.

One study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine identified a 700% increase in prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs in patients with overweight or obesity diagnoses over a four-year period. The study — which tapped 45 million de-identified medical records — found about 21,000 patients in the U.S. were using GLP-1 drugs to treat overweight or obesity in 2019, compared to 174,000 in 2023.