Medical Review by Jennie Stanford, MD, FAAFP
Summary:
- Many weight loss supplements claim to boost metabolism, suppress appetite, or detox the body, but scientific backing can sometimes be weak or inconclusive, depending on the supplement.
- PCOS affects hormone balance, making weight loss difficult. Insulin resistance, low self-confidence, and fatigue are also major barriers. Conversely, supplements like berberine and myoinositol may help regulate insulin and improve your efforts.
- Fiber supplements, like psyllium husk and glucomannan, promote fullness and may aid weight management. Magnesium supports metabolism, reduces fat buildup, and improves blood sugar control, potentially lowering your obesity risk.
- Green tea extract, CLA, and L-carnitine are marketed for fat burning and metabolism boosting. While they may offer minor benefits, their effectiveness varies, and they may also come with risks like gastrointestinal discomfort.
- The best approach to weight loss is a balanced diet and exercise. FDA-approved medications like GLP-1 treatments (e.g., Wegovy®) can aid in weight loss under medical supervision when lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough.
Weight loss supplements are often viewed as quick and easy solutions for those looking to slim down. With bold claims and targeted marketing, supplements often promise dramatic results—however, not all products are backed by scientific evidence.
Lemonaid Health can help you understand how these products work, their potential benefits, and any associated side effects or risks. Our expert-backed insights into the various supplements available can shed light on their efficacy, and arm you with the knowledge to create an effective plan for weight loss with your healthcare provider before adding supplements to your routine.
How weight loss supplements are supposed to work
Supplement manufacturers often make bold claims about their products, especially for weight loss, though many of these claims lack strong scientific backing, and some can be misleading.
“Boosts metabolism”, “suppresses appetite” and “detoxes the body for weight loss” tend to be some of the more common claims made about these supplements. While the FDA regulates the supplement industry, dietary supplements do not require approval from the FDA.
If a supplement makes false claims, the FDA or FTC can take action, like recalling the product. Supplements also can’t contain pharmaceutical drugs or claim to treat, cure, or prevent diseases. But it is still up to manufacturers to ensure their products are safe and properly labeled.
This makes it important to do your research and consult with your healthcare provider before adding any supplements to your routine.
PCOS & weight loss supplements
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormone disorder worldwide for girls and women of reproductive age. Polycystic ovaries become enlarged, and contain fluid-filled sacs or follicles that surround the eggs.
Challenges of weight management with PCOS
Obesity, weight gain, and trouble losing weight are all potential symptoms of PCOS, which can make it hard to maintain an active lifestyle. A study of 10 women in Australia showed that low self-confidence and fatigue were major barriers to consistency in exercise. Motivation was also a key factor, with some saying that limiting meal plans left participants feeling uninspired.
Supplements for PCOS
Certain supplements may be able to help with PCOS, which could potentially reduce its impact on your weight. For instance, insulin has a direct impact on reproductive function in those with PCOS. It stimulates LH (luteinizing hormone) production, which helps turn follicle cells in the ovary into hormone-producing cells that support ovulation. It is important to regulate insulin to lessen the severity of PCOS.
One of the oldest treatments for PCOS, Metformin helps lower blood sugar by reducing the amount of glucose the liver produces. Doctors often check for insulin resistance before prescribing it.
There are two main supplements marketed toward treating symptoms in those with PCOS. These supplements are:
- Berberine: A natural plant extract that may help improve insulin sensitivity and lower high androgen levels in people with PCOS. It works by helping the body use insulin more efficiently while supporting healthy blood sugar levels. Researchers are studying it as a possible treatment for PCOS, as it may help improve hormone balance and ovarian function.
- Myoinositol: Myoinositol is a type of B vitamin that helps the body use insulin more effectively. It also plays a role in balancing hormones that affect ovulation and androgen levels. Some people with PCOS take it to support hormone health and improve insulin sensitivity.
Berberine improved insulin resistance and even heart health markers, outperforming metformin in reducing cardiovascular risk. Myoinositol enhances insulin sensitivity even more than metformin and may be a better first-line option for PCOS patients without prediabetes or diabetes.
Fiber supplements for weight loss
Dietary fiber may help prevent obesity by keeping you feeling full for longer. This in turn reduces hunger and helps control your portion size. When you eat food containing fiber, a signal is sent from your gut to your brain that you’re satisfied, so you eat less.
Psyllium husk
Psyllium is a natural fiber that upon hydration turns into a gel-like substance, which can’t be digested or fermented. This process slows the rate of digestion.
Psyllium has been shown to help control blood sugar in people with diabetes, lower cholesterol, and facilitate weight loss in those with overweight and obesity.
Glucomannan
Glucomannan is a water-soluble fiber supplement used to aid weight loss in those with obesity. It is extracted from the root of the elephant yam.
It has been shown that glucomannan can have a positive impact on cholesterol levels. While there have been different findings in terms of weight loss feasibility, unless there are dietary modifications, glucomannan has a minimal effect on weight loss when used as the sole method.
Magnesium & its effect on metabolism
Magnesium is an essential mineral found in foods and supplements. It helps the body with over 300 functions including DNA and RNA synthesis, muscle movement, nerve function, blood sugar control, and blood pressure regulation. It supports muscle movement, nerve signaling, and a steady heartbeat.
Magnesium also supports metabolism, leading to theories that it may help prevent obesity-related issues. It reduces fat buildup, improves blood sugar control, supports healthy blood vessels, balances cholesterol, and reduces inflammation.
Studies have shown that supplementing your diet with magnesium lowers your BMI. Another study, over a span of 30 years, showed that supplementing your diet with enough magnesium is linked to a lower risk of obesity regardless of age, gender, race, or starting weight.
In turn, hypomagnesemia—a lower than normal amount of magnesium in the blood—has been linked to metabolic disorders such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and low-grade inflammation.
Popular weight loss supplements
Green tea extract, CLA, and L-carnitine are often praised as weight loss boosters, but do they live up to the hype? With so much buzz around these supplements, it’s important to understand how they work. Let’s take a closer look at their efficacy and whether they’re worth adding to your routine.
Green tea extract
Green tea extract contains caffeine and catechins, especially EGCG, a natural plant compound. Its ingredients may help with weight loss by boosting calorie burning, increasing fat breakdown, slowing down fat production, and reducing fat absorption. Green tea might also decrease digestion and absorption of carbohydrates.
While green tea extract is deemed generally safe for consumption, mild to moderate side effects have been reported. These include nausea, constipation, abdominal discomfort, and increased blood pressure. However, high doses of catechins have been associated with liver damage in mice.
CLA
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a type of fat found in dairy and beef products. This supplement works by breaking down fat, reducing fat storage, shrinking fat cells, and increasing fat burning in muscles. Although studies have shown success with CLA supplements in weight loss, its effects are minimal.
Most side effects with CLA are minor and consist mainly of gastrointestinal issues such as:
- Abdominal discomfort and pain
- Constipation
- Diarrhea and loose stools
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dyspepsia, or indigestion
Carnitine
Carnitine is a substance found in the body that helps turn fat into energy. It’s made up of two amino acids–lysine and methionine–and is naturally found in foods like meat, fish, poultry, and dairy. It plays a key role in moving fat into cells where it can be burned for fuel, which is why some believe it may help with weight loss.
In one study, participants who received carnitine supplements lost 3 pounds more on average than those who received a placebo.
Carnitine supplements in doses up to about 4 g/day are generally safe. However, side effects can include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and a fishy body odor.
What science says about weight loss supplements
In the United States, more than two-thirds of adults and almost one-third of children and teens are overweight or have obesity. Fifteen percent of adults have used a weight-loss supplement at some point in their lives. The evidence for dietary supplements as a weight-loss aid is largely inconclusive, with studies for certain types of supplements yielding different results than others.
Safer evidence-based approaches to weight loss
The safest way to achieve a healthy weight is to follow a holistic approach of a well-balanced diet with regular exercise, under the guidance of your healthcare provider. If you have additional health risks, they may prescribe FDA-approved medication to aid in weight loss.
GLP-1 medications, such as Wegovy®, are FDA-approved for weight loss. They have been shown to have positive effects on long-term weight management when used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
If you have tried diet and exercise and are still not seeing the results you want, it may be time to check in with your healthcare provider. They might just be the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to your weight loss journey.
Learn more: The ultimate guide to GLP-1 medications: uses, side effects, options available
Build a weight loss plan that works for you with Lemonaid Health
Supplements can seem like an all-encompassing solution for weight loss, but the science behind them is still shaky. While some, such as fiber and green tea extract, can offer small benefits, others focus more on hormone balance as seen with PCOS treatments. Since supplements don’t fall under the FDA-approved guidelines of medications, it’s important to speak to your healthcare provider before adding them to your routine.
Lemonaid Health is here to help you decipher the details and make informed decisions about supplements. Guided by our trusted experts, you’ll have the knowledge you need to team up with your healthcare provider and find what works for you. Get started today.
Wellbutrin® is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S. Metformin® is a registered trademark of Bristol Myers Squibb.
