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Japan invents 'forbidden liquid jelly' drink claimed to be a drug-free alternative to Ozempic - but experts warn there could be some very embarrassing side effects
A 'forbidden liquid jelly drink' that helps curb snacking on sale in Japan has gone viral on social media, with users claiming it's a natural Ozempic.
Called In Tansan the sparkling canned beverage looks like any ordinary soft drink you'd find on a supermarket shelf.
However, once the contents enters the stomach, a chemical reaction causes the liquid to expand and transform into a semi-sold gel.
This sits in the digestive system 'for two to three hours', in theory helping induce feelings of fullness, curbing appetite and the desire to snack.
Social media users have been so impressed by the concept of the drink they've even labelled it an alternative to weight loss jabs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
A 'forbidden liquid jelly drink' that helps curb snacking is taking Japan , and the internet, by storm
However, experts told MailOnline that, while likely safe, the drink is probably being overhyped.
In Tansan, made by the confectionery company Morinaga, comes in two flavours, 'Dry Grapefruit' and 'Lemon', and retails for ¥1,426 for a case of six, equivalent to about £1.18 per can.
Its listed ingredients are a catalogue of chemicals including the sweetener erythritol, rice germ extract, thickener and artificial flavourings, emulsifiers and colourings.
The exact formulation of these thickeners and emulsifiers have not been made public but a video posted by the company shows the canned liquid jellifying when exposed to 'artificial gastric fluid'.
It also contains a compound called gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, which is produced naturally by the body and also found in supplements.
GABA, when produced by the body, has a calming effect on the brain.
Social media users claimed to be impressed with the appetite reducing effect of the drink.
Writing on X under the brand SnaxShot a user called Andrea simply said 'Forget Ozempic' with a photo of the drink.
'Japanese have made a canned drink to help "curb hunger" - a liquid that turns into jelly format once it lands in your stomach giving you a "full sensation",' she wrote.
'It lasts for 2-3 hours. Wild'.
A TikTok account linked to same brand also labelled In Tansan a 'forbidden liquid jelly drink' with the hashtags 'ozempic' and 'weightloss'.
Other X users described it as a 'must have' for workers and 'busy folks who don't have time' to eat
But dietician Dr Duane Mellor, of Aston University and the British Dietetic Association, told MailOnline that while the drink was probably safe it was likely to be ineffective.
'It contains thickeners, additives used in other foods which might have a gelling effect in the stomach.
'These are common vegetarian food additives and may give a sensation of being full but are not likely to have anywhere a similar effect as seen with drugs such as semaglutide [the name for the active component of Ozempic and Wegovy],' he said.
He said the catalogue of chemicals made it appear to be an ultra-processed food and he wouldn't recommend people drink it or use it as an appetite suppressant.
In Tansan, made by the confectionery company Morinag, comes in two flavours 'dry grapefruit' and 'lemon', and retails for ¥1,426 for a case of six, equivalent to about £1.18 per can
Information distributed by Morinaga says once the drink hits your stomach acid, a chemical reaction causes the liquid to expand and transform into a semi-sold gel which helps curb feelings of hunger
'Given its formulation it clearly appears to be an ultra-processed food, and is not likely to help unless someone is following an energy reduced healthy diet and increasing their physical activity levels,' he said.
'So, I would not encourage people to use it, instead focus on trying to make changes to their diet and activity levels.'
Dr Mellor added there were also some health concerns in some of the ingredients.
He said erythritol, the sweetener in In Tansan, had been linked to cardiovascular disease but added this was likely not related to consuming it in diet but by the body making it directly.
However, he said it could have other health impacts, including distressing and embarrassing digestive effects.
'Erythritol is also a laxative and may interfere with the absorption of other drugs if consumed in high quantities. It can also cause stomach cramps,' he said.
Dr Mellor said the addition of GABA might not achieve anything either as there was little evidence the delicate chemical survived the digestion process to reach the brain.
'GABA is a neurotransmitter, in theory it can help with relaxation and sleep, but it is unclear if dietary supplements can move from the blood to the brain and there is little evidence of it working,' he said.
Social media users have speculated on the exact ingredient that causes the drink's jellifying effect.
Some have theorised it could be using of psyllium fibre, which is made from the seeds of the Plantago ovata plant, a herb grown mainly in India, and which is used in some appetite suppressing supplements.
Others have suggested it could be glucomannan, also known as konjac, a fibre made from the roots of the elephant yam that turns water into gel and is used in a variety of diet foods for this reason.
One reporter, from the website Sora News 24, tried to create the jellifying affect of In Tansan artificially in a jar by adding lemon juice to the drink in a bid to mimic stomach acid.
However, this wasn't successful, with the author theorising the warm temperature of the human stomach or another missing internal element might be needed.
Social media users was quick to compare the In Tansan drink to the blockbuster weight-loss jab Ozempic
One of those was 'Andrea' who wrote under the brand SnaxShot 'forget Ozempic'
Some users, commenting under the viral post, theorised the effect could down to addition of known fibres that absorb water like psyllium
Other users posting about the drink said it was a 'must have' for workers and 'busy folks who don't have time' to eat
Other people on social media said initial supplies of the drink had sold out due to interest
Professor Gunter Kuhnle, an expert in nutrition and food science at the University of Reading, said comparisons to actual weight-loss drugs like semaglutide were unhelpful.
'I don’t think they can be really compared to a drug that affects directly hunger – they will make one feel full, but I don’t know whether they would work long time,' he said.
Ozempic and Wegovy work by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1 which the body sends when the body feels full suppressing appetite via this mechanism.
They are prescription only medications and medics, in theory, should only prescribe them to people who are obese or very overweight with accompanying health issues.
However, there have been increasing concerns about people taking the jabs as cosmetic weight-loss aids.
Semaglutide-based medications, like any drug, have a host of potential side effects that vary in both frequency and severity with users also needing to take the jabs, administered as weekly injections, for life to maintain the health loss.
In Tansan itself does not brand itself as an Ozempic-like product or a weight-loss aid, simply describing it as helping reduce snacking.