EXCLUSIVE UFC fighter loved by Donald Trump reveals 'miracle' $1 weight loss drug helped her cut 30lbs
The $1 pouches have been hugely popular among young people and TikTokers for their appetite suppressing effects.
But they've since entered the mainstream, capturing the attention of athletes and politicians.
Harrison, 34, credited Zyn pouches with helping her cut down from 165lbs to 135lbs for her championship fight at the weekend.
She secured the world title this weekend after tapping out her opponent, before wrapping the belt around President Donald Trump's waist in a viral photo.
Harrison, who has historically struggled with weight cutting, has been vocal about her grueling regimen, which includes six miles of biking, running and swimming a day and eating only foods made by a professional chef.
But days after her victory, the mixed martial artist revealed it wasn't just cardio or dieting that won her the title.
She wrote on X: 'Shoutout to @zyn for getting me to 135. I'm not sponsored but I wanna be.'
Zyn is a brand of tiny nicotine pouches no larger than a thumbnail that has emerged as an unlikely weight loss secret weapon.
It's well known that nicotine suppresses your appetite by sending satiety signals to receptors in the brain, convincing your brain that you don't need to eat.
It also ramps up your heart rate and sends in a flood of adrenaline, which activates the body's 'fight or flight' response. In this state, the body doesn't want food.
For this reason, cigarettes have long been linked to weight loss, but the risks of lung cancer and heart attacks far outweighs the benefits.
The same thing happens with Zyn, but the science is much murkier.
After being inserted between the lips and gum, Zyn releases nicotine into the bloodstream slowly, with effects lasting up to an hour, compared to just minutes for cigarettes. This could stave off hunger for much longer than smoking.
Experts told DailyMail.com that while the $1 pouch can ward off hunger, it still contains highly addictive nicotine, which attacks arteries and increases the risks of heart attacks and stroke.
It's also been shown to lead to gum disease and oral cancers, which are on the rise in the US and UK.
Tucker Carlson launched his own brand of nicotine pouches called Alp.
Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr was also seen popping what looked like a Zyn during his confirmation hearings.
The FDA approved Zyn as a smoking alternative earlier this year, citing evidence it would help wean smokers off traditional tobacco.
So far, 10 flavors have been approved in the US, including coffee, cinnamon and menthol.
However, the pouches have been available for over a decade, leading young people to boast improvements to their fitness, energy and sexual performance.
Gen Z has also dubbed them 'O-Zyn-pic,' a reference to it being a significantly cheaper Ozempic alternative for weight loss.
A pack of 15 Zyn pouches sells for $5-$10, whereas Ozempic can run up to $1,000 a month without insurance.
The nicotine in Zyn is thought to activate the α3β4 receptors in the brain, which send signals promoting fullness, even if a user is actually hungry.
It may also increase the production of leptin, a satiety hormone, and boost the body's ability to burn fat.
There's little evidence on the long-term effects of Zyn, but the risks of nicotine have been well documented.
Dr Hector Perez, lead bariatric surgeon at Renew Bariatrics, told DailyMail.com: 'I think it's safe to say that using Zyn as a weight loss drug is like using a chainsaw to slice bread. Yes, Zyn contains nicotine, and yes, nicotine is a known appetite suppressant.
'But let's be clear: using Zyn or any nicotine product as a weight loss tool is not safe, sustainable, or smart. To lose 30 pounds in a few months with nicotine as the main strategy would likely require near-constant dosing, and that's a chemical crutch verging on addiction, not simply hunger control.'
Though Zyn doesn't contain tobacco, it still has highly addictive nicotine. Roughly 24million Americans over 12, nine percent of the population, are dependent on nicotine.
Nicotine addiction leads to withdrawal symptoms like irritability, cravings, restless legs, anxiety and trouble sleeping.
The adrenaline rush caused by nicotine also increases heart rate and blood pressure as part of the body's 'fight-or-flight' response. While this gives users a burst of excitement, repeated stress on the cardiovascular system makes the heart have to work harder to pump blood.
The weaker the heart and its surrounding arteries get, the more likely they are to become blocked, leading to a heart attack.
Nicotine also attacks the lungs and reduces their function, which could prove detrimental for elite athletes like Harrison.
Dr Perez said: 'Zyn is the Wild West. You're playing with your heart rate, blood pressure, and potentially your long-term brain chemistry.'
Nicotine may also lead to lasting dental issues.
Dr Pia Lieb, cosmetic dentist at Cosmetic Dentistry Center in New York City, told DailyMail.com: 'Using [Zyn] more long term, users are putting themselves at risk of developing gum disease, as nicotine is a vasoconstricter.'
This means is reduces blood flow to the gums, leading to swelling and bleeding.
'This can lead to gum recession, which can expose the roots of teeth, making them more vulnerable to decay and sensitivity,' Dr Lieb added.
She also warns nicotine is still a carcinogen linked to oral cancers, which strike 60,000 Americans a year and kill 13,000.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
2 minutes ago
- The Sun
Expert reveals green tea trick that'll burn more calories than a 20 minute daily walk & is way cheaper than Mounjaro
FANCY torching extra calories without breaking a sweat or spending hundreds on the latest slimming jab? According to TV medic Dr Michael Mosley, the secret could be hiding in your kitchen cupboard and it costs pennies a cup. 2 2 In tonight's episode of Channel 4's Michael Mosley: Secrets of the Superagers, the doctor travels to New York's Chinatown to try one of China's most prized brews. According to Michael, scientists think green tea could give your metabolism a serious lift. 'It certainly does seem to have an impact on metabolic rate,' Michael said. 'In one Thai study, overweight volunteers who took a small dose of green tea extract before each meal saw the amount of energy they burned at rest go up by about 60 calories a day. "That's roughly the same as walking for 20 minutes, without leaving the sofa.' It might not sound like much, but those extra calories add up and when combined with other healthy habits could mean a slimmer waistline without the need for pricey injections like Mounjaro. The tea shown in the episode is bilou chun tea, which is a famous Chinese green tea originating from the Dongting mountain region It is available for purchase on Amazon for £8.95. Green tea is particularly good as it is processed differently to your average black tea. Soon after the leaves are picked, they're pan-fried or steamed, which stops oxidation and keeps them vibrant green. That process locks in flavour compounds called catechins, which is thought to work with caffeine to nudge the nervous system into burning more energy. Green tea contains up to four times more catechins than your average cup of builder's. Green tea matcha KitKats are coming to the UK While most studies have used green tea in pill form, Michael says sipping one or two cups a day should give you a similar hit of these metabolism-boosting compounds. The added bonus is that it is virtually calorie free and costs £2.75 a box in Iceland, so you can save your pennies from Ozempic. Studies have linked the grassy green liquid to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and even slowed biological ageing. Nutritionists warn it's not a magic bullet, but if you're after a cheap, simple way to support weight loss, swapping your usual brew for green tea could be a small change with big benefits. As Michael put it: 'If you want to burn through the calories that little bit quicker, green tea might just be the tonic.' The episode airs at 8pm this evening. It was filmed prior to the star's death, at age 67, last year. The cause of death was ruled as "unascertainable" but likely linked to heatstroke or a non-identified medical condition. Does drinking green tea have other health benefits? Dr Mellor previously told The Sun, it has been suggested that green tea contains beneficial plant compounds with antioxidant properties called polyphenols. Epicatechins and an amino acid that is not found in protein called l-theanine are both mentioned. Test tube studies on polyphenols have "mistakenly linked their antioxidant functions in the test tube with health benefits", Dr Mellor said. But he noted that "in humans, this effect is far less clear". Some studies suggest that l-theanine can help people to relax and be in a calm state of alertness, the dietitian said. "However, currently the evidence in not conclusive and therefore no health claims can be legally made when marketing green tea." As for Prof Kuhnle, he said green tea might be linked to better memory and heart health. "Green tea does contain a group of compounds – flavanols – which can reduce the risk of cardio-vascular disease, so there is a likely health benefit," he told The Sun. Writing for The Conversation, he discussed a study he helped conduct which that people who eat lots of flavanol-rich foods may have better memory compared to those who have a low intake. Previous research also found that people with a low intake of flavanols were at higher risk of heart disease, Dr Kuhnle added. How often should I drink green tea? Prof Kunle said you would need to consume about two to three cups of green tea per day to reap its flavonol benefits. As for Dr Mellor, he said: "It's fine to drink 2-4 cups per day."
The Independent
32 minutes ago
- The Independent
Former K-9 Maple is busy as a bee sniffing out threats to Michigan State University colonies
Researchers at a Michigan State University facility dedicated to protecting honey bees are enlisting a four-legged ally to sniff out danger to the prized pollinators. The Pollinator Performance Center's wide range of projects includes developing a training program for dogs to use their sensitive noses to uncover a bacterial disease called American foulbrood that threatens honey bee larvae. Bees and other pollinators have been declining for years because of disease, insecticides, climate change and lack of a diverse food supply. A considerable portion of the human diet comes from plants pollinated by bees. Maple, who once served as a human remains detection dog for the St. Joseph County sheriff's office, has created quite the buzz. The panting 9-year-old English springer spaniel stood patiently on a recent weekday as Sue Stejskal, her longtime owner, trainer and handler, slowly placed the retired K-9 in a yellow protective suit. The garment includes a veil for her head and four booties worn on her paws in case Maple steps on a bee. 'Much like with humans, we recognize that if a dog is going to be in an active bee yard, they need to wear the same personal protective equipment as people do,' said Stejskal, a Michigan State graduate who has been training dogs over a quarter-century for law enforcement and other uses. 'You can't buy them on Amazon for dogs. So, there's been some altering and testing.' Maple suffered an injury while on a case in Ontario, forcing her to retire as a detection K-9 in 2024. But fate intervened. Meghan Milbrath, an MSU professor whose lab studies risk factors that affect honey bees' health, was working to establish diagnostic and screening tools for honey bee diseases. A veterinarian who participated in a training about honey bees put Milbrath in touch with Stejskal. They met, and the dog detection plan was born. Stejskal then set about teaching an old dog a new trick. New to Maple, anyway. Maryland's agriculture department has also used canine detection methods in beehives. Michigan State's objective is to train many more dogs to join the ranks. Milbrath said she is documenting Maple's training and plans to write a book with Stejskal to educate other teams about their strategy. Maple, clad in her yellow suit, raced between hive boxes during a recent demonstration. When she found the scent clue left for her, Maple stopped at the box and coolly looked up at Stejskal. 'Good girl. Yes,' Stejskal enthusiastically said, before removing Maple's veil and tossing a green, Michigan State-branded toy her way. Stejskal recognizes the work they're doing is important. 'It's a cool project,' Stejskal said. 'But I was over-the-moon excited, because my dog would still have joy in her life and would still be able to work.'
Reuters
33 minutes ago
- Reuters
As Novo Nordisk ramps up lawsuits over Wegovy copies, investors ask where is Hims?
LONDON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - In Novo Nordisk's ( opens new tab legal fight against dozens of U.S. pharmacies and companies selling cheaper copies of its weight-loss drug Wegovy, one name remains conspicuously absent: Hims & Hers (HIMS.N), opens new tab. The high-profile telehealth company continues to sell compounded versions of Wegovy at lower prices, testing the limits of federal restrictions on such copies and contributing to weaker sales growth for Novo. In June, Novo accused Hims of violating its intellectual property and endangering patients, scrapping a brief arrangement enabling them to sell Wegovy directly to consumers and raising expectations of litigation. A Novo spokesperson said the Danish drugmaker was not ruling out further legal action after announcing new lawsuits against 14 small pharmacies, telehealth providers and weight-loss clinics this week, but declined to comment on Hims. The drugmaker has filed more than 130 cases in 40 U.S. states. A spokesperson for Hims defended personalization of medicines as the future of healthcare, saying patients and providers use their platform to make clinical decisions. "Investors are happy to see Novo getting more aggressive on the litigation front, but remain puzzled as to why they haven't confirmed that they are filing or have filed litigation against Hims yet," said Barclays analyst Emily Field. Legal experts say Novo's expanding litigation against smaller telehealth players could add pressure on a company like Hims to negotiate a settlement or help the drugmaker test out strategies. At the same time, the fact that Novo and Hims had a prior collaboration may complicate legal action. "Business happens in the shadow of the law," said Robin Feldman, a professor at UC Law San Francisco who has written books on the pharmaceutical industry and its intellectual property battles. "Sometimes companies file against smaller players as a shot across the bow, a way to rattle the larger players." The U.S. Food and Drug Administration set a May 22 deadline for compounding pharmacies to cease mass-producing copies of Wegovy, a practice allowed only when a drug is in shortage. Hims says it still offers personalized versions of Wegovy, in doses not manufactured by Novo, that better suit individual patient needs. The telehealth provider argues that individualized dosing remains legal under compounding rules. Compounding laws 'are just vague enough to allow for different interpretations, and the interpretation that matters – that of the courts – has not been provided to our knowledge,' said TD Cowen analyst Michael Nedelcovych. Novo's cases against smaller compounders could shape how courts interpret those boundaries, said Gaston Kroub, a partner at patent litigation firm Kroub, Silbersher & Kolmykov. 'This is an untested set of affairs,' said Kroub. 'If you want to train for a heavyweight championship fight, you start sparring with lighter opponents.' In addition to trademark infringement, Novo has accused pharmacies of steering people toward compounded Wegovy by interfering with the relationship between clinicians and patients. Josh Gerben, an intellectual property attorney, said the fact that Hims and Novo had a prior business relationship will complicate any claim Novo could bring.
