⚖️Manage My Weight

A 2017 meta-analysis of 10 randomized trials found ALA supplementation produced about 1.3 kg more weight loss than placebo—statistically significant but a small absolute effect. A 2020 updated meta-analysis confirmed significant reductions in body weight and BMI at a similar magnitude.

A 2025 meta-analysis of 23 randomized trials found berberine significantly reduced body weight (−0.88 kg), BMI (−0.48 kg/m²), and waist circumference (−1.32 cm) vs. placebo. Earlier 2020 analyses are consistent. Effects are real but modest in absolute terms.

A 2016 AJCN meta-analysis of 29 RCTs found calcium supplementation combined with energy restriction significantly reduced body weight and enhanced fat loss; calcium supplementation alone showed only modest effects. The evidence supports calcium as an adjunct to dietary intervention rather than a standalone weight loss supplement.

A 2024 GRADE meta-analysis of 143 studies found creatine modestly reduced body fat percentage (−0.28%) while increasing total body mass (+0.86 kg) and fat-free mass (+0.82 kg). Creatine shifts body composition toward more muscle and less fat but does not reduce scale weight—it is a body-recomposition tool, not a weight-loss supplement.

A meta-analysis of 37 RCTs (n=2,292) found L-carnitine reduced body weight by ~1.2 kg, BMI by ~0.24 kg/m², and fat mass by ~2.1 kg; effects were modest, heterogeneous across trials, and confirmed for body weight only in the high-quality RCT subset.

A 2023 GRADE-assessed meta-analysis found black seed oil significantly reduced body weight (−1.46 kg) and BMI (−0.58 kg/m²) compared to placebo. Waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio changes were not statistically significant. An earlier 2018 meta-analysis of 13 RCTs (875 participants) showed similar weight effects.

The only meta-analysis to separate whey forms found that whey protein concentrate reduced fat mass by about 0.6 kg more than placebo in exercising adults, but the pooled sample was small (288 people across 8 trials) and limited to people who exercise regularly, so the finding should not be generalized broadly.

The only meta-analysis to separate whey forms found that whey protein concentrate reduced fat mass by about 0.6 kg more than placebo in exercising adults, but the pooled sample was small (288 people across 8 trials) and limited to people who exercise regularly, so the finding should not be generalized broadly.

A small 8-week trial found that older women taking whey protein hydrolysate during caloric restriction lost significantly more body weight (−2.34 kg vs −1.11 kg control) and fat mass (−2.45 kg vs −0.70 kg control) than controls; the result is real but the study was small, single-blinded, and limited to one population, so it cannot be considered settled evidence.

A 12-week RCT found skate-derived collagen peptides significantly reduced body fat percentage (−1.2% vs. +2.7% in control) and fat mass in overweight adults. This is a single small trial testing a specialized product; findings cannot be generalized to standard bovine or marine collagen supplements without independent replication.

A meta-analysis of 13 RCTs (n=749) found MCT oil reduced body weight by 0.51 kg, waist circumference by 1.46 cm, and total body fat versus a long-chain triglyceride comparator; commercial bias was detected and the comparison is dietary fat substitution, not supplementation versus an inactive placebo, which limits the claim.

A single 63-person RCT found that phosphorus supplementation (375 mg per main meal) halted weight gain and significantly reduced waist circumference versus placebo (−3.62 cm vs +0.38 cm); this is a single trial with a small sample and the findings need independent replication before they can support a weight management claim.

A 12-week trial of 300 mg standardized tongkat ali extract in 109 men found that overweight participants (BMI ≥ 25) had significantly greater fat mass loss than placebo (p = 0.008), but fat mass was a secondary endpoint in a trial primarily designed for sexual health outcomes, and the overweight subgroup finding has not been replicated in an adequately powered dedicated trial.

A 1985 double-blind trial found that 3 g/day of ascorbic acid produced significantly greater weight loss than placebo in 38 severely obese subjects over 6 weeks, though losses in both groups were described as small; this single 40-year-old trial with no body-fat measurement is insufficient to support a weight management claim.

A pilot trial of 37 overweight or obese individuals in a selenium-deficient region found that 240 µg/day selenomethionine added to a mild hypocaloric diet reduced fat mass significantly more than diet plus placebo, but the study was small, underpowered as a pilot, and conducted in a population with regional selenium deficiency, limiting generalizability.

A 2020 meta-analysis of 11 trials in 302 young adults found HMB produced no significant gains in fat-free mass or strength versus placebo during resistance training; a 2025 meta-analysis in adults over 50 found modest effects (lean mass +0.28 kg, handgrip +0.54 kg), suggesting HMB may matter more in older or clinical populations than in healthy adults pursuing a strength goal.

A large meta-analysis of nearly 8,000 participants found that casein protein supplementation had no statistically significant effect on fat mass (−0.06 kg, p = 0.83), while whey protein in the same analysis did produce a modest reduction; no trial specifically labeled as 'micellar casein' was found that measured body weight or fat mass as a primary outcome.

A meta-analysis of 21 studies found fish oil supplementation had no effect on body weight or BMI in overweight or obese adults, whether used alone or combined with lifestyle modification; a separate meta-analysis suggests a small waist-circumference reduction (~0.5 cm) but this is of doubtful clinical significance.

A 2025 meta-analysis of 9 randomized trials in 473 adults found astaxanthin supplementation had no significant effect on BMI or body weight, and the dose-response analysis found no meaningful association between astaxanthin dose and these outcomes.

A 2025 meta-analysis of 21 RCTs found L-citrulline supplementation had no significant effect on body weight, fat mass, BMI, or waist circumference; a subgroup signal appeared in adults over 40 taking >6 g/day but this requires independent replication.

A 2023 GRADE meta-analysis found green tea extract did not significantly reduce fat mass overall (WMD −0.39 kg, non-significant). A subgroup of overweight adults under 50 showed modest reductions, but the primary finding is null. A separate 2015 meta-analysis found modest short-term effects on BMI in metabolic syndrome patients.

A meta-analysis of clinical trials found NAC supplementation had no significant effect on BMI, body weight, or waist circumference in either the main analysis or any subgroup analysis.

A meta-analysis of 22 randomized trials found psyllium supplementation did not significantly reduce body weight (MD −0.28 kg), BMI, or waist circumference compared to placebo.

A pooled analysis of 9 trials found quercetin supplementation did not significantly change body weight (WMD −0.35 kg), BMI, or waist circumference, with results robust across sensitivity analyses.

A meta-analysis of 20 randomized trials involving 3,153 healthy adults found that vitamin D supplementation did not significantly reduce BMI, waist circumference, or waist-to-hip ratio compared with placebo.

A meta-analysis of 24 randomized trials found no significant effect of vitamin E supplementation on body weight (WMD 0.15 kg), BMI (WMD 0.04 kg/m²), or waist circumference.