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When it comes to weight loss supplements, the market is full of bold promises like “Lose 10 pounds in a week!” or “Burn calories overnight!” But the truth is, no supplement can magically melt away the pounds. While weight loss supplements can be a helpful addition to your journey, they are not a one-stop solution.
As a registered dietitian, I emphasize to my clients that lasting and safe weight loss is built on the foundation of following a healthy and balanced diet, being physically active, getting sufficient sleep, and managing stress. If you follow these healthy habits, adding a weight loss supplement to your routine can further support your weight loss goals.
This article isn’t about promoting unhealthy or extreme measures towards weight loss. Instead, we will be highlighting the best supplements for weight loss that contain research-backed ingredients that may support your weight loss efforts when taken in tandem with following a healthy lifestyle.
Types of Weight Loss Supplements
While there’s an abundance of options out there, we’ve chosen options that feature the following evidence-based ingredients:
- Probiotics: Maintaining a healthy gut may be key to weight loss, as research shows that a person’s gut microbiome can influence their ability to shed pounds. Certain probiotic strains help rebalance the gut and improve digestion, which could support weight loss efforts.
- Protein Powders: Bumping up your protein intake, especially while following a calorie-restricted diet, can help preserve lean muscle mass while promoting fat loss. Since muscle burns more calories even at rest, adding protein powders to your diet can boost metabolism and help keep you feeling full longer.
- Fiber Supplements: Adding more fiber to your diet through supplements or high-fiber foods can aid weight loss by promoting satiety, reducing appetite, and preventing overeating.
- Vitamins and Minerals: If you’re deficient in certain vitamins or minerals, correcting those deficiencies through supplementation can support your weight loss journey. For example, low levels of vitamin D, iron, or B12 can hinder weight loss by affecting energy levels, metabolism, or hormone balance.
- Thermogenic supplements: These products, often marketed as “fat burners” or “metabolism boosters,” typically contain caffeine, capsaicin (from chili peppers), or plant extracts. While they may help increase calorie burning, some thermogenic supplements carry risks, such as high caffeine content or undisclosed ingredients, and may interact with medications. It’s essential to choose them carefully.
Benefits of Using Weight Loss Supplements
As the name implies, supplements are meant to complement a healthy lifestyle, not replace it. While they won’t do the work for you, they may be able to enhance your efforts when combined with healthy habits.
Potential Drawbacks of Weight Loss Supplements
According to NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements, there is limited evidence supporting the effectiveness of weight loss supplements. Keep in mind that the FDA doesn’t regulate dietary supplements, so technically anyone can create a supplement, slap a label on it, and sell it to consumers. The FDA does not check whether what’s listed on the label is actually present in the pill, powder, or gummy in safe, accurate, or effective amounts. This lack of regulation poses health risks to consumers. Therefore, it’s critical to choose reputable supplement brands and check if the product has undergone third-party testing.
Weight loss supplements can also be costly, and some may interact with medications or other supplements, potentially leading to adverse effects.
How We Selected the Weight Loss Supplements
- Safety: We carefully reviewed ingredients to ensure they are safe for consumption.
- Research-Based Ingredients: Only supplements containing scientifically supported ingredients were included.
- Third-Party Testing: We selected products from reputable companies that conduct third-party testing for quality assurance.
*As always, consult your healthcare to ensure these supplements are safe for you before starting them*
The 10 Best Weight Loss Supplements
- Pendulum’s GLP-1 Probiotic
- Garden of Life’s Raw Organic Fit Vanilla Protein Powder
- bio.me’s Daily Prebiotic Fiber
- Supergut’s The Gut Healthy GLP-1 Booster
- Thorne’s Green Tea Phytosome
- Enzymedica Berberine Phytosome
- Life Extension’s AMPK Metabolic Activator
- TAHA Health & Nutrition New Zealand Grass-Fed Protein Blend
- NOW Foods Organic Psyllium Husk Powder
- Mega Foods Gummy B12 for Energy
Pendulum’s GLP-1 Probiotic
Main Weight Loss Ingredient: akkermansia muciniphila, clostridium butyricum, and bifidobacterium infantis
Pendulum’s GLP-1 Probiotic combines three probiotics strains, which may naturally enhance the body’s GLP-1 levels. This product contains Akkermansia muciniphila and Clostridium butyricum, which stimulates GLP-1 production. This may help reduce cravings and promote feelings of fullness, making it easier to manage one’s appetite and potentially support weight loss. Probiotics found in this supplement may also promote overall gut health by building up beneficial bacteria in the microbiome.
We tested this weight loss supplement and found it effective. Our reviewer reported fewer hunger pangs throughout the day and lost 3 pounds over a month while using the supplement and increasing their exercise.
It’s important to note that this supplement does not contain GLP-1 itself, a medication used to treat conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Garden of Life’s Raw Organic Fit Vanilla Protein Powder
Main Weight Loss Ingredient: Organic protein blend, green tea extract, ashwagandha
The Garden of Life Raw Organic Fit Protein Powder is a plant-based protein powder formulated to support weight loss. It contains ashwagandha, which research has linked to helping manage stress and anxiety, which can lead to increased cortisol levels (our stress hormone) that make it tougher to lose weight. With 4 grams of fiber and 28 grams of protein, this protein powder helps you stay fuller for longer, while maintaining muscle mass. Plus, it contains svetol, a green tea extract, known for boosting thermogenesis, which, when revved up, may also assist with weight loss.
bio.me’s Daily Prebiotic Fiber
Main Weight Loss Ingredient: Fiber from partially hydrolyzed guar gum and resistant potato starch
bio.me’s Daily Prebiotic Fiber is a prebiotic supplement that contains two ingredients: partially hydrolyzed guar gum and resistant potato starch. Fiber helps promote feelings of fullness which can reduce overall calorie intake. Prebiotics also feed good bacteria in your gut, improving gut health and balance, which research has linked to weight loss success. Simply add this powder to a smoothie, yogurt bowl or cup of coffee, and reap the benefits of 7 grams of fiber.
Supergut’s The Gut Healthy GLP-1 Booster
Main Weight Loss Ingredient: Prebiotic fiber blend of resistant starch and beta-glucan.
The Supergut The Gut Healthy GLP-1 Booster is a powder that contains resistant starch and beta-glucan. Resistant starch can not be digested and acts like a fiber. It also contains beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber found naturally in oats, which is not digested either. Beta-glucan can help a person feel full for longer, as its digests slowly, contributing to weight loss.
Thorne’s Green Tea Phytosome
Main Weight Loss Ingredient: Green tea phytosome
Thorne’s Green Tea Phytosome features green tea phytosome, which is decaffeinated green tea and may enhance weight loss when combined with lifestyle changes. Green tea extract stimulates thermogenesis, which signals to your body to rev up heat and start burning calories.
Enzymedica Berberine Phytosome
Main Weight Loss Ingredient: Berberine phytosome
Berberine is the main ingredient in Enzymedica’s supplement which may support healthy blood sugar balance and weight loss. Berberine is found in plants and studies found people who took it saw decreases in body weight and BMI. This formula is designed to be gentle on your stomach, avoiding common GI side effects such as nausea or digestion discomfort.
Life Extension’s AMPK Metabolic Activator
Main Weight Loss Ingredient: Hesperidin and G. pentaphyllum extract
Life Extension’s AMPK Metabolic Activator contains two main ingredients: Hesperidin (an antioxidant found in oranges) and G. pentaphyllum extract (a herb). These two stimulate the AMPK enzyme, which plays a role in metabolism in our bodies. When activated, the AMPK enzyme begins to break down fat for energy, which may lead to fat loss.
TAHA Health & Nutrition New Zealand Grass-Fed Protein Blend
Main Weight Loss Ingredient: Whey protein isolate
This protein blend combines whey protein with collagen peptides, supporting both muscle growth and skin health. Increasing your protein intake during calorie restriction can help you lose fat and maintain muscle mass. TAHA’s Protein Blend contains 25 grams of protein per scoop, ensuring you meet your protein goals.
NOW Foods Organic Psyllium Husk Powder
Main Weight Loss Ingredient: Psyllium husk
NOW Foods Organic Psyllium Husk Powder contains only psyllium husk, which is an excellent source of fiber. In particular, it contains soluble fiber, which plays an important role in supporting weight loss as it absorbs water in the digestive tract, forming a gel-like substance that helps you feel fuller for longer. With 7 grams of fiber per scoop, you are a inch closer to meeting your dietary fiber goals.
MegaFood Gummy B12 for Energy
Main Weight Loss Ingredient: Vitamin B12
MegaFoods Gummy B12 for Energy provides you with 1000% of your daily value for this essential vitamin. While you won’t necessarily absorb all of it, low levels of vitamin B12 can significantly impact energy levels, leading to feelings of tiredness and weakness. Being low in B12 may also contribute to fat accumulation and obesity, according to research.
