Britain has officially entered its post-weight loss jab era. While the injections such as Ozempic and Wegovy are as popular as ever, a number of easier-to-use options are now coming on to the market.

First we saw two new tablets, the Wegovy and Foundayo pills. They offer similar slimming benefits to jabs and as such, have sparked huge demand at pharmacies, with waiting lists of 100,000 patients.

Now there is yet another option offering similarly impressive weight loss – but this time without any prescription medication whatsoever.

Scientists in the US have identified a daily supplement that can result in just as much weight loss as Ozempic and Wegovy in two months – without any of the dreaded side-effects.

And unlike other 'natural Ozempics' trialled before, the tablet, which contains the bacteria Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, was found to double levels of the appetite-suppressant hormone GLP-1 in the gut, similar to the blockbuster injections.

The key is said to be a specific by-product of the bacteria, which is created when the bug is killed using heat, known scientifically as a postbiotic.

Unlike probiotics, which contain live microorganisms, postbiotics contain dead bacteria and their compounds, which can create fatty acids that boost cells in the gut.

Postbiotics can also be more stable than probiotics because they do not rely on bacteria surviving the journey through the digestive system.

Scientists in the US have identified a supplement that can, according to studies, result in just as much weight loss as Ozempic and Wegovy in two months – without any dreaded side-effects

The latest findings have been described as 'exciting' by experts, who have suggested supplements may one day pave the way for a cheaper alternative to weight-loss jabs, which can cost upwards of £300 per month.

In contrast postbiotics containing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum can be bought online for roughly £45 for a four-week supply.

'Supplements like this, which can boost GLP-1 naturally, could well be used as an obesity-prevention tool in the future,' said Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, who was not involved in the study.

'Early data [on the supplement] is somewhat exciting, but we need to see more data.'

Other experts have told the Daily Mail that a daily dose could help patients keep the weight off after quitting the jabs. Studies show users put on an average of one to 1.8lb per month after stopping injections.

The latest research, which is yet to undergo peer review by fellow scientists, followed 80 US adults who were overweight or obese.

A team from the University of Alabama split the group – randomly assigning half to take a supplement, while the others took placebo pills.

Participants were told not to change their diet or exercise habits during the trial.

After two months, those taking the supplement lost on average around 3 per cent of their body weight. Meanwhile, those in the placebo group gained 0.5kg.

In comparison, trials have shown that Wegovy patients lose roughly 4 per cent of their body weight over the same period.

The supplement group also reported a reduction in food cravings. Blood tests revealed their levels of GLP-1 – the hormone released by the gut that tells the brain it is full – more than doubled.

They also reported fewer side-effects such as bloating, gas and stomach pain than those given placebo.

The specific supplement used in the trial is sold online under the name ResM, costing £45 for a month's supply, featuring other health-boosting ingredients such as vitamin D3 and vitamin B12, which help keep bones and red blood cells healthy.

It also contains fenugreek extract, which is made from the seeds of a plant naturally rich in fibre.

Professor Penny Ward, a pharmaceutical expert from King's College London, said this could also help stimulate GLP-1, meaning the bacteria alone may not be doing all the heavy lifting.

The authors of the study, which was funded by the supplement company, say their findings suggest ResM is 'safe and clinically effective for weight-management'.

However, other studies have identified fat-blasting benefits of the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in the form of a live, probiotic that's far cheaper.

A 2024 analysis of nine trials involving 667 people found probiotics containing the bacteria helped patients lose weight.

'The [bacteria] can prompt other bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids, and there's data to show that these acids can activate important cells in the gut,' said Dr Madusha Peiris, a neurogastroenterologist at Queen Mary University of London.

This process, she added, 'leads to the release of anti-hunger hormones' such as GLP-1.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is available in probiotic form from online chemists for as little as 20p per pill.

And according to Professor Ward, there may be little difference in benefit between pro- and postbiotics.

'There could be similar benefits with foods that contain the bacteria, such as probiotic yoghurt Actimel or kimchi,' she said.

During the ResM trial researchers did not track participants' diets or exercise, meaning they cannot rule out changes in either contributing to the weight loss.

Dr Peiris has warned against using the supplement to 'boost' the effect of weight-loss jabs, adding that it's likely to be more helpful as a 'transition' pill.

'I think it's better to use it after coming off GLP-1 drugs, rather than use it alongside them, because you don't want to have too much of these hormones circulating in your body.'

However, all experts advise that supplements should not be taken without consulting a medical professional.

Some may be allergic to ingredients such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, which experts say can trigger severe reactions such as face swelling, breathing problems, hives, rashes, and sickness.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is not the only ingredient scientists have investigated for its effects on GLP-1.

Berberine – a plant compound dubbed 'nature's Ozempic' – has also been linked to increased production of the hormone.

A 2024 review published in Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry found berberine stimulates GLP-1 by altering gut bacteria and increasing short-chain fatty acids.

Growing concern about the safety of weight-loss injections will no doubt be fuelling demand for an alternative.

A Daily Mail analysis of official drug safety data this month revealed that 216 deaths in the UK have been linked to jabs, including Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy.

Around 150,000 suspected adverse reactions have been associated with the drugs since the earliest recorded figure in 2010 – 18,000 of which were serious or fatal.

The alarming findings came alongside news of two more deaths linked to the drugs.

First, 73-year-old British grandmother Caroline Savage died after increasing her dose of Mounjaro, which caused faecal peritonitis, whereby bacteria leaks into the abdomen through a hole in the bowel.

Separately, Josephine Nasr, 19, suffered a deadly irregular heart rhythm in her dorm room at the University of East London.

Ms Nasr, who was overweight but not obese, had been prescribed tirzepatide – the active ingredient in Mounjaro – in California, where she was born.

The coroner said that, on the balance of probabilities, the tirzepatide caused low blood sugar, which led to an electrolyte imbalance, which together with an underlying heart condition is believed to have triggered an abnormal and deadly heart rhythm.