5 Best Supplements for Weight Loss

The best supplements for weight loss are going to be those that support you to address your unique underlying cause of weight gain.

While over eating, binge eating, living a sedentary lifestyle and other behaviours do contribute to weight gain, there are a number of underlying factors that can prevent weight loss even if you are eating and living in a way that should promote weight loss results.

These underlying factors may include:

– Insulin resistance
– Leptin resistance
– Hypo thyroid, subclinical hypothyroid or cellular hypothyroid
– Estrogen dominance
– Poor liver function / liver stress
– High cortisol / low cortisol

As you will learn below, supplements can support weight loss by helping you to address and resolve underlying problems. A supplement like inositol is great for improving insulin resistance and will help diabetics and those with insulin resistance to lose weight but will do little for those with optimal blood sugar and insulin levels. While supplements like milk thistle support liver health and may be helpful for those with NAFLD or elevated liver enzymes which can make weight loss significantly more challenging than it needs to be.

In all cases, it is best to seek professional support to ensure you are on a safe and effective combination of supplements for weight loss while also adhering to a nutrition and lifestyle plan that is uniquely tailored for you. This article is not intended to be a replacement for professional support, always check with your primary healthcare practitioner before commencing new supplements.

Here are 5 of the best supplements for weight loss.

Best Supplements for Weight Loss: Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is one of my favourite herbs to add to my custom herbal, weight loss blends. Milk thistle supports liver function, detoxification and clearance of estrogen.

Optimal liver health and detoxification is essential for anyone who has the goal to lose weight. Liver support in the form of herbs or key nutrients is essential for long term success for those with elevated liver enzymes or impaired liver function.

“Silymarin is a powerful antioxidant agent extracted from milk thistle (Silybum marianum) with a specific liver tropism. Silymarin improved ultrasound fatty liver grading and liver enzymes morbidly-obese patient candidates for bariatric surgery with NAFLD (non alcoholic fatty liver disease) after only eight weeks, without any adverse effects.” (1)

Silymarin combined with a calorie controlled diet produced a significant improvement in the BMI of the participants in this study. This is a great success due to the fact that weight loss can be incredibly difficult when NAFLD or elevated liver enzymes are present.

Best Supplements for Weight Loss: Inositol

Inositol is well researched, it often out performs popular drugs like Metformin and it is one of my favourite supplements for weight loss.

Stubborn weight gain is a sign of a deeper imbalance. Insulin resistance is a common underlying issues that can lead to weight gain that does not respond to regular methods of dieting.

A comprehensive blood test that includes fasting glucose, fasting insulin and your HBA1c score can confirm if insulin resistance is contributing to your inability to release weight with ease. Once confirmed, inositol combined with diet and lifestyle change is a protocol I would strongly consider for weight loss success.

“Myo-inositol at 2 g two times per day reduces the incidence of gestational diabetes by 65.0%–87.3%. In gestational diabetes, myo-inositol at 2 g two times per day for 8 weeks improves fasting insulin and glucose levels.

Myo-inositol lowers serum insulin and improves insulin resistance approximately twofold better compared with pioglitazone or metformin, which are considered the gold standard medications in those with impaired glucose tolerance. “(2)

Another studied showed that “oral inositol supplementation has a positive effect on BMI reduction and inositol in the form of myo‐inositol (MI) had stronger effect on BMI reduction. The effect of intervention was more clinically significant in participants with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and overweight/obesity.” (likely due to the presence of insulin resistance among those with PCOS) (3)

Best Supplements for Weight Loss: Gymnema

Gymnema is another herb with a potent ability to support weight loss. It has anti-diabetic qualities and can be used to control obesity. Gymnema improves insulin resistance and “the leaves are also noted for lowering serum cholesterol and triglycerides.” (4)

This herb must be used with caution due to its ability to significantly lower blood sugar levels. I commonly prescribe gymnema in the form of a custom herbal formula to support weight loss and to reduce appetite and cravings for sweets.

Best Supplements for Weight Loss: Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another one of my favourite supplements for weight loss. This home remedy is affordable, effective and easy to source. Choose an organic liquid and avoid “gummie” or flavoured supplements.

Apple cider vinegar can improve post meal insulin and glucose levels (5)(6) and reduce visceral fat and body fat (7)

A new study assessed 73 adults with type 2 diabetes in which one group consumed 30ml of apple cider vinegar daily and the other group consumed a placebo (8). Both groups were given the same dietary recommendations and had similar calorie intakes. within 8 weeks, the apple cider vinegar group saw significantly greater improvements in weight loss, waist and hip measurements, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar levels and HBA1c scores and LDL cholesterol levels.

Best Supplements for Weight Loss: Passionflower

While passionflower may not directly impact weight loss, it is a herb I love to use to calm anxiety, reduce stress, improve sleep and support nervous system regulation.

Stress, anxiety and poor sleep create hormone imbalances that significantly impact your ability to lose weight. In addition to these hormonal changes, stress and anxiety are a primary cause of binge eating and emotional eating which also make weight loss a challenge.

A double-blind randomised trial compared the efficacy of Passiflora incarnata extract with oxazepam in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder. Both were effective in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder. No significant difference was observed between the two protocols at the end of trial. The results suggest that Passiflora extract is an effective drug for the management of generalised anxiety disorder, and the low incidence of impairment of job performance with Passiflora extract compared to oxazepam is an advantage. (9)

Conclusion

There are a number of well researched and clinically effective supplements available that support weight loss by addressing the underlying drivers of stubborn weight gain. A targeted approach is key for success and it is important to work with a practitioner that can support you to select the right diet, lifestyle and supplement protocol for your individual needs.

If you are ready to address and resolve the root cause of stubborn weight gain, here are 3 ways I can help:

1. Work with me! Book a consultation in person (Evandale, SA) or AUS + NZ wide online via Zoom

2. Listen to the Holistic Weight Loss Podcast

3. Connect with me on Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9149185/

(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8896029/

(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9159559/

(4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2170951/#B10

(5) https://www.nature.com/articles/ejcn2014289

(6) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168822716308518

(7) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1756464618300483

(8) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10679383/

(9) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11679026/