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 ‘banned liquid jelly drink’ for sale in Japan to curb snacking has gone viral on social media, with users claiming it is an all-natural Ozempic.

The can of soda is called In Tansan and looks like a regular soda you find in the supermarket.

However, once the contents enter the stomach, a chemical reaction causes the liquid to expand and turn into a semi-solid gel.

This stays in the digestive system for ‘two to three hours’ and theoretically makes you feel full, reducing appetite and the need to snack.

Social media users are so impressed with the concept of the drink that they are even calling it an alternative to diet pills like Ozempic and Wegovy.

However, experts told MailOnline that while the drink is safe, there is probably too much hype about it.

Made by confectionery manufacturer Morinaga, Tansan comes in two flavors, ‘Dry Grapefruit’ and ‘Lemon’, and costs ¥1,426 for a box of six, which works out to about £1.18 per can.

The listed ingredients consist of a catalogue of chemicals including the sweetener erythritol, rice germ extract, thickener and artificial flavors, emulsifiers and colors.

The exact composition of these thickeners and emulsifiers has not been made public, but a video posted by the company shows the liquid in the can congealing when exposed to “artificial gastric juice.”

It also contains a substance called gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, which the body produces naturally and is also found in supplements.

GABA, when produced by the body itself, has a calming effect on the brain.

Social media users reported being impressed with the drink’s appetite-suppressing effect.

A user named Andrea wrote on X under the brand name SnaxShot simply “Forget Ozempic” with a photo of the drink.

“The Japanese have developed a canned drink that helps ‘quench hunger’. It is a liquid that turns into a jelly once it hits your stomach, giving you a ‘feeling of fullness,'” she wrote.

‘It takes 2-3 hours. Wild.’

A TikTok account associated with the same brand also called In Tansan a “banned liquid jelly drink” with the hashtags “ozempic” and “weightloss.”

Other X users described it as a ‘must have’ for workers and ‘busy people who don’t have time’ to eat

Dietician Dr Duane Mellor, from Aston University and the British Dietetic Association, told MailOnline that while the drink is safe, it is unlikely to be effective.

‘It contains thickeners and additives that are also found in other foods and that can have a gelling effect on the stomach.

‘These are common additions to vegetarian foods and can help you feel full, but they are unlikely to have a similar effect to drugs such as semaglutide. [the name for the active component of Ozempic and Wegovy],’ he said.

He said the amount of chemicals made it look like an ultra-processed food and he wouldn’t recommend people drink it or use it as an appetite suppressant.

“Given its composition, it clearly appears to be an ultra-processed food and it is not likely to help unless someone is on a low-energy diet and exercising more,” he said.

“So I wouldn’t recommend people to use it, but instead they should focus on making changes to their diet and exercise level.”

Dr Mellor added that some ingredients also posed health risks.

He said that erythritol, the sweetener in In Tansan, was linked to cardiovascular disease, adding that this was probably not due to dietary intake but to the body producing it directly.

However, he said it can also have other health consequences, including stressful and embarrassing digestive problems.

“Erythritol is also a laxative and can interfere with the absorption of other medications if taken in large doses. It can also cause stomach cramps,” he said.

According to Dr. Mellor, adding GABA would also have no effect, as there is little evidence that the delicate chemical survives the digestive process and reaches the brain.

“GABA is a neurotransmitter. In theory, it can help with relaxation and sleep, but it is unclear whether dietary supplements can travel from the blood to the brain. There is also little evidence that it works,” he said.

Social media users are speculating about the exact ingredient that causes the drink’s jelly-like effect.

Some theorize that it’s due to the psyllium husk, which is made from the seeds of the Plantago ovata plant, an herb that grows primarily in India and is used in some appetite suppressant supplements.

Others suggest it could be glucomannan, also known as konjac, a fiber made from the roots of the elephant root. Konjac turns water into gel and is used in various diet foods for this reason.

A reporter from the website Sora News 24attempted to artificially create In Tansan’s gel effect in a jar by adding lemon juice to the drink in an attempt to mimic stomach acid.

However, this was not successful. The author suspects that the warm temperature of the human stomach or some other missing internal element is required.

Professor Gunter Kuhnle, an expert in nutrition and food science at the University of Reading, said comparisons with real weight-loss drugs such as semaglutide were not meaningful.

“I don’t think they can really be compared to a drug that works directly on hunger. They make you feel full, but I don’t know if they work long term,” he said.

Ozempic and Wegovy work by mimicking the hormone GLP-1. This hormone is produced by the body when the body feels full. Through this mechanism, the appetite is suppressed.

These are prescription-only medications that, in theory, should only be prescribed by doctors to people who are obese or seriously overweight and have additional health problems.

However, there are growing concerns about people taking the shots as a cosmetic weight loss aid.

Semaglutide-based medications, like all other medications, have a wide range of potential side effects that vary in frequency and severity. In addition, users must continue to take the injections, which are administered as weekly injections, throughout their lives to maintain the health loss.

Tansan does not market itself as an Ozempic-like product or as a weight loss aid. The product is said to help reduce the need for snacks.