Japan A banned weight loss drink raises a great controversy!

A banned liquid jelly drink that helps curb snacking on sale in Japan has gone viral on social media, with claims it is a natural Ozempic.

The canned sparkling drink, called In Tansan, triggers a chemical reaction in the stomach that causes the liquid to expand into a semi-solid gel, staying in the digestive tract "for two to three hours," theoretically helping to stimulate feelings of fullness and curb appetite and cravings for snacks, experts say.

The concept of the drink has been so popular on social media that it has been described as an “alternative to weight loss pills” like Ozempic and Wegovy.

Experts explained that its ingredients include a group of chemicals, including the sweetener erythritol, rice germ extract, thickeners, artificial flavors, emulsifiers and colorants.

The exact composition of these thickeners and emulsifiers has not been announced, but a video released by the company shows the canned liquid turning into a gel when exposed to "artificial stomach fluid."

The drink also contains a compound called gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, which is produced naturally by the body and is also found in nutritional supplements.

But nutritionist Duane Mellor, from Aston University and the British Dietetic Association, told MailOnline that while the drink may be safe, it is likely to be ineffective.

“It contains thickeners and additives used in other foods, which may have a gelling effect in the stomach,” he explained. “These are common plant-based food additives and may give a feeling of fullness, but they are unlikely to have the same effect as drugs such as semaglutide (the name of the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy).”

Mellor added that the combination of chemicals made it look like an ultra-processed food, and he did not recommend people drink it or use it as an appetite suppressant.

"Looking at its composition, it clearly looks like it's an ultra-processed food, and it's unlikely to help unless someone follows a healthy, low-energy diet, while increasing their levels of physical activity," he continued.

Mellor revealed that there are also some health concerns with some of the ingredients, saying that erythritol has been linked to cardiovascular disease, but he added that this is not related to its consumption in the diet, but rather to its direct manufacture in the body.

Erythritol is a laxative and may interfere with the absorption of other medications if taken in large amounts.

Professor Gunter Kunle, a nutrition expert at the University of Reading, said comparisons with actual weight-loss drugs were not helpful.

"I don't think the drink can really be compared to a drug that directly affects hunger, it makes you feel full, but I don't know if it will work for long," he explained.

It is worth noting that Ozempic and Wegovy work by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which sends messages to the brain after eating, to make us feel full.

These medications require a prescription, and in theory, doctors should prescribe them to people who are obese or severely overweight with accompanying health problems.

Tansan does not classify the drink as an Ozempic-like product or a weight loss aid, but simply describes it as helping to reduce snacking.