My “Poor Man’s Ozempic”

I typically gain a few pounds during the winter and then spend spring trimming back down for my July birthday, where I do nothing because it’s too hot outside. But in my mind, I will have a pool party every year, so I start trimming down for the imaginary birthday bash that never materializes.

This year, I got a late start on the trimming down part of the tale. There were a few reasons, like crazy storms and the fact that my bench press is better when I have a few extra pounds on me. I’m trying to stay ahead of my son, who is now taller and heavier than me.

But I finally decided to tighten back up. This time, I’ve incorporated a secret weapon: my “poor man’s Ozempic,” known as my nightly Sludge.

The Sludge has three ingredients: psyllium husk fiber, collagen, and creatine. I call it “poor man’s Ozempic” because of the mechanism of action for Ozempic: increased satiety (feeling full) decreases appetite.

Ozempic delays gastric emptying, which in turn helps one stay full for longer. It has other mechanisms of action, too, but hunger is the enemy of weight loss, and reducing hunger is the primary way it works.

And nighttime after-dinner snacking is my enemy. Enter–The Sludge.

There are several reasons for the mix of the three ingredients. Let’s break them down individually.

Psyllium husk is the most essential of the three because it’s essentially liquid fiber. Fiber is good for the gut microbiome, increases satiety, and even helps reduce cholesterol. Once in your system, psyllium becomes a gel-like substance that increases the bulk in your GI system. That extra bulk increases the feeling of fullness, which keeps me out of the pantry after dinner. For more about psyllium, read this helpful article.

I should also mention that psyllium is the active ingredient in Metemucil, so it can also help with constipation.

Next, in order of importance, is collagen. Collagen is protein, and protein is also highly satiating. In my books on weight loss, I encourage eating more protein and fiber to win the war against hunger; this concoction is an easy way to do that.

Collagen can also increase skin elasticity and help lubricate joints as you age. I’ve been taking it for many years, but I’ve been more consistent since I hit my 50s. The list of things collagen supplementation can help with is pretty awesome. There are even studies showing supplementing can help with bone density.

To complete the trifecta, I add creatine to The Sludge. Creatine is well-known for its muscle-building effects. It helps your mitochondria regenerate ATP more quickly, enabling you to knock out those last few demanding reps when you’re working hard. Adding reps over time helps build strength and muscle density.

However, more and more studies show that creatine also has cognitive benefits. I’m always looking for ways to keep my edge and age gracefully, so a supplement that helps my muscles and brain is on the list of molecules I’m willing to pay for. And, bonus, creatine is pretty cheap. For a quick video review on creatine, watch this short video.

Put it all together, and this nightly concoction helps keep me from late-night snacking, lowers my cholesterol and blood sugar, fuels tissue repair, and increases muscle growth and cognition. The dosage is one tablespoon each of the collagen and fiber and a scoop (5 grams) of the creatine.

If you’re interested in trying this for yourself, I added the three base ingredients to my Fullscript store–all the basics are under “Doc G’s Monthly Supplement List.”