A "banned liquid gelatinous drink" that helps curb snacking on sale in Japan has gone viral on social media, with claims that it is natural Ozempic.

Experts said that this sparkling canned drink, called In Tansan, causes a chemical reaction in the stomach and causes the liquid to expand and turn into a semi-solid gel, and remains in the digestive system “for 2 to 3 hours,” which theoretically helps stimulate Feeling full, reducing appetite and desire to eat snacks.

The concept of this drink was so admired by social media users that they described it as an “alternative to weight loss methods” such as Ozempic and Wegovy.

Experts explained that its ingredients include a group of chemicals, including the sweetener erythritol, rice seed extract, thickeners, artificial flavours, emulsifiers and colourants.

The exact composition of these thickeners and emulsifiers has not been announced, but a video clip published by the company shows the canned liquid turning into a gel when exposed to “artificial gastric fluid.”

The drink also contains a compound called gamma aminobutyric acid, or GABA, which the body produces naturally and is also found in nutritional supplements.

But nutritionist Duane Mellor, of Aston University and the British Dietetic Association, told MailOnline that while the drink may be safe, it is likely to be ineffective.

He explained: “It contains thickeners and additives used in other foods, which may have a gelling effect in the stomach. These are common plant-based food additives and may give a feeling of fullness, but are unlikely to have a similar effect to drugs such as semaglutide (name The active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy)".

Mellor added that the combination of chemicals made it look like an ultra-processed food, and people were not advised to drink it or use it as an appetite suppressant.

He continued: "Given its composition, it clearly appears to be an ultra-processed food, and is unlikely to help unless someone follows a healthy, low-energy diet, while increasing their levels of physical activity."

Mellor revealed that there are also some health concerns in some of the ingredients, saying that erythritol is linked to cardiovascular diseases, but he added that this is not related to its consumption in the diet, but rather to its direct manufacture in the body.

Erythritol is considered a laxative, and may interfere with the absorption of other medications if taken in large quantities.

Professor Gunter Connelly, a nutrition expert at the University of Reading, said that comparisons with actual weight-loss drugs were not useful.

He explained: “I don’t think the drink can actually be compared to a drug that directly affects hunger. It makes one feel full, but I don’t know if it will work for a long time.”

It is worth noting that Ozempic and Wegovy work by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which transmits messages to the brain after eating, to make us feel full.

These medications require a prescription, and in theory, doctors should prescribe them for people who are obese or severely overweight and have associated health problems.

Tansan does not describe the drink as an Ozempic-like product or a weight loss aid, but rather simply describes it as helping reduce snacking.