5 Best Weight Loss Supplements to Kickstart Your Health in 2023

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Editor’s note: This article was updated on January 3, 2023.

If you struggle with food cravings, have a sluggish metabolism or have stubborn areas of fat that diet and exercise won’t shift, there is a wide selection of weight loss pills or supplements that may be able to help. Losing weight can be a challenge, especially if we aren’t gifted in the genetics department or are getting older. So naturally, you may be in the market to find a supplement that’s right for you to provide that necessary boost!

When combined with the proper diet and exercise plan, the best weight loss supplements can provide a helping hand to get over that plateau and reach your fitness goals. There are hundreds of supplements and diet pills on the market, but not all can give what they promise. So how do you know which one is going to deliver results?

To find the best weight loss supplements to support your wellness journey, we’ve done the hard work for you, researching dozens of brands based on ingredients, dosages, effectiveness, reputation and price.

Best Supplements for Weight Loss in 2023

SkinnyFit: Best Overall Weight Loss Supplement
Organixx: Runner Up
Akasha Naturals: Best Vegan Option
Bioptimizers: Best Keto Supplement
CBDfx: Best Supplement with CBD
Alli: #1 Bestselling Amazon Weight Loss Supplement
OLLY: Best Cravings & Metabolism Support

1. SkinnyFit: Best Overall

SkinnyFit

To boost your all-around health and wellness, you might want to choose the Green Juice Superfood Powder by Skinny Greens. It contains a blend of 34 essential superfoods, stress-relieving adaptogens and pre and probiotics to support weight loss and provide the body with vital nutrients.

Pros:

Probiotic blend
Helps calm bloating
Immunity boosting ingredients
Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benefits
Paced with superfoods
Stress-relieving formula

Cons:

On the expensive side but there is a subscribe and save option

The slimming blend, which includes pre and probiotics, helps improve digestion and gut health, ease bloating and cramping, boost metabolism and curb cravings all day long.

One scoop of the vibrant green powder makes a delicious green apple flavor shake or juice containing dozens of powerful plant ingredients, such as spirulina, turmeric, matcha and apple cider vinegar, to provide numerous health benefits besides weight loss.

All-natural plant ingredients may help improve mood and focus, reduce inflammation for healthier skin, boost the immune system, and protect the body against free radicals. Notable ingredients include:

Rhodiola root powder, a natural adaptogen that helps the body adapt to physical, mental and emotional stress while boosting mood.
Organic spirulina, packed full of vitamins and minerals and is a powerful antioxidant that helps reduce inflammation and cholesterol.
Apple cider vinegar which can dramatically increase fat loss by over 60% while also helping your body flush out toxins.

2. Organixx: Runner Up for Weight Loss

Organixx

The Clean Sourced Collagens supplement from Organixx promises multiple health benefits from a single scoop of the odorless and flavorless powder stirred into your favorite drink. It’s made from collagen derived from 4 authentic food sources (eggshell, fish, beef and chicken) and contains silica to increase bioavailability.

Pros:

Low-calorie supplement
Multiple potential health benefits
Odorless and tasteless
High protein content
Extensive third-party tested
Subscribe and save

Cons:

Not certified organic or vegan

The low-calorie supplement contains 5 types of collagen (types I, II, III, V and X), is fortified with added vitamins C, B6 and zinc, and includes tryptophan for 8g of complete protein per serving. With only 32 calories and zero carbs and sugar in each serving, this weight loss aid will not disrupt your new healthy eating plan.

The powerful and collagen-rich supplement may have several health benefits, including:

Boosting metabolism for easier weight management
Promoting thicker hair and stronger nails
Boosting cardiovascular and gut health
Improving mobility by lubricating joints
Reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

Extensive third-party testing confirms that the supplement is free from GMOs, herbicides, pesticides, insecticides and heavy metals. You don’t need to take their word for it, as the test results for all of Organixx’s products are publicly available on their website.

3. Akasha Naturals: Best Vegan Weight Loss Supplement

Akasha Naturals

Vital Meal by Akasha Naturals is a gluten-free and dairy-free blend that can convert your favorite smoothie or shake into a healthy meal replacement. The unsweetened protein powder is 100% vegan and formulated to support your daily metabolic functions without potential dietary irritants such as whey, dairy, or soy.

Pros:

Doctor formulated
Gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free
Plant-based proteins
Probiotics to promote healthy digestion
Flavor and odor-free
Packed with essential nutrients

Cons:

Not specifically formulated for weight loss

The plant-based protein powder is made from the highest-quality yellow peas. It contains omega-3 and probiotics to help support a healthy gut and provide the body with critical nutrients if you’re detoxing during a cleanse or using the powder as a meal replacement.

Vital Meal is also a good source of dietary fibers and greens, which can help keep cravings at bay. Furthermore, a full spectrum amino acid profile with the addition of spirulina, chlorella, barley grass and digestive enzymes will help contribute to several additional benefits, including the aid of metabolic function, muscle tissue building and the synthesis of neurotransmitters.

4. Bioptimizers: Best Keto Weight Loss Supplement

Bioptimizers

Kapex is a weight loss supplement specifically formulated to support those on keto and other low-carb diets. The blend of powerful ingredients is designed to optimize digestion, support muscle building and maintenance, increase fat burning, improve energy levels and much more.

Pros:

Designed to support a keto diet
100% plant-based formulation
Digestive enzymes to aid digestion
May provide numerous health benefits
Subscribe and save
365-day money-back guarantee

Cons:

Pricey when compared to other supplements

The 100% plant-based formulation is designed to help people avoid the digestive distress that can occur when those on the keto diet enter ketosis by providing digestive enzymes, dandelion root and betaine HCl to optimize the digestive process. Additional benefits of apex include:

Boosting AMPK production, an enzyme that promotes energy production in muscles by 52% and in fat cells by 300%
Improving exercise performance, boosting energy and enhancing fat loss when combined with proper exercise and nutrition.
Promoting the production of the hormone adiponectin, which supports fat loss and healthy blood lipids while also balancing inflammation.

That’s not all. The powerful enzyme formulation may also help boost cardiovascular health, reduce harmful cholesterol levels, lower inflammation, improve mitochondrial health and activate anti-aging pathways.

If you’re interested in trying out Kapex, but are slightly nervous about the high price point, don’t worry. All Bioptimizers products come with a 365-day money-back guarantee, so if you’re not completely happy with the result, you can send back your unopened bottles for a full refund.

5. CBDfx: Best CBD Weight Loss Supplement

CBDfx

These CBD gummies from CBDfx combine the detox health benefits of apple cider vinegar with 50mg of broad-spectrum CBD to aid in relaxation and ease everyday aches and pains. If you’re concerned about CBD, you don’t need to be, as the gummies contain non-detectable levels of THC, which is the psychoactive compound of hemp.

Pros:

All-natural, vegan and gluten-free
50 mg of broad spectrum CBD
1000 mg of apple cider vinegar
Third-party tested
60-day guarantee
100% of daily vitamin B12 per gummy

Cons:

No additional active ingredients

Each gummy contains 1000mg of apple cider vinegar which is associated with maintaining gut health by eliminating and preventing the growth of harmful bacteria. Furthermore, apple cider vinegar can help maintain healthy blood sugar levels and make you feel full faster to improve weight loss efforts.

With just a single gummy every day, you also get 100% of your recommended vitamin B12, which can support immune function and help boost your energy levels. Furthermore, organic pomegranate extract provides antioxidant action, and magnesium supports bone and cardiovascular health.

6. Alli: #1 Bestselling Amazon Weight Loss Supplement

Amazon

In addition to working out and maintaining a healthy diet, this specific weight loss supplement can help you reach your goals faster by blocking up to 25% of the fat you consume on a daily basis from getting absorbed into the body. This over-the-counter supplement is FDA-approved and great for both men and women! You take one capsule with each meal, and the main active ingredient Orlistat helps break down fats, which may result in you losing weight faster. For every five pounds of weight you naturally drop, this supplement can reportedly help you shed two or three more!

Pros:

FDA-approved
Low dosage
Both men and women can add it to their diets

Cons:

Expensive price per one month supply
May cause some nausea

7. OLLY: Best Cravings & Metabolism Support

Amazon

This daily supplement makes giving your weight loss journey a boost quick and easy! All you have to do is take one capsule per day with a glass of water at any time — day or night. We’d take it in the AM to help jump start your metabolism, which can help break down foods faster— plus the blend of vitamins and natural extracts may help suppress unnecessary cravings throughout the day. Shoppers say that while they have noticed some minor side effects, they truly feel a lack of cravings for junk foods thanks to this supplement!

Pros:

Tons of great positive customer feedback
Once-daily supplement
Affordable price
Energy-boosting
Metabolism and healthy eating habit support

Cons:

Some negative side effects possible

How We Chose the Best Weight Loss Supplements

We researched dozens of supplement brands to make sure we only selected the finest diet supplements for our list. We ensured all our choices included active ingredients with proven results and came from trustworthy brands.

Natural and Healthy Ingredients

The best supplements to help you lose weight are made of all-natural ingredients that are safe and healthy. We favored gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and vegan supplements so that they would be suitable for a wide range of diets.

It’s not enough that the ingredients are natural and safe. They also have to be backed by science. Many supplements contain filler ingredients that, while natural and safe, have no actual benefits to weight loss or anything else. We ensured that the supplements on our list included natural ingredients linked to boosted weight loss, such as caffeine, green tea extract and apple cider vinegar.

Brand Reputation

Unfortunately, the supplement industry is full of scam products, with dozens of brands offering low-quality and overpriced products. Our list only contains weight loss products from reputable brands with a proven track record of producing safe, high-quality supplements.

Indicators of a trustworthy brand include:

Truthful advertising with no false claims or guarantees.
Positive customer reviews from verified buyers who have seen the supplement’s positive results.
Third-party test results show that the supplements are free of any harmful toxins and contain what is on the label.

Value For Money

It’s not unusual to see weight loss supplements or diet pills on the market for a seriously inflated price. When people are desperate to lose weight, they can easily be persuaded to part with their hard-earned money for a product that is not worth it.

We thoroughly researched each supplement on our list to ensure that every product provided good value for money. That doesn’t mean that we looked for cheap products, but we chose supplements where the ingredients and benefits were reflected fairly in the price.

Natural Ingredients that Encourage Weight Loss

The supplements on our list contain numerous natural ingredients associated with weight loss benefits. Let’s look in a little more detail at some of these natural ingredients, so you know what to look for in a weight loss supplement.

Caffeine

Studies indicate that caffeine has several weight loss benefits, including increasing energy, suppressing appetite, boosting metabolism and burning fat.

If you get your caffeine hit via coffee, choose a low-calorie option without high-calorie milk, creams and sweeteners.

Green Tea

Green tea contains EGCG, an antioxidant that may contribute to fat oxidation, i.e., the body’s process of breaking down fat tissues. Also, green tea extract may stimulate the production of norepinephrine, which may boost fat burning.

However, more research into the effects of green tea on weight loss is needed before firm conclusions can be made.

Glucomannan

Glucomannan is a water-soluble dietary fiber, meaning it absorbs water in your gut. This makes it expand and therefore suppresses your appetite by making you feel full. Plus, it may also help control blood sugar levels, which can also aid weight loss.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

CLA is a type of fat found in high concentrations in beef and dairy foods. Some animal studies have suggested that it may help reduce body fat deposits, but currently, there is no concrete evidence of its fat-burning effects in humans.

Green Coffee Bean Extract

Green coffee bean extract may help boost a process thrown as thermogenesis, which burns energy, including fat.  It also contains a high level of the compound chlorogenic acid, which studies indicate may interfere with carbohydrate absorption in the gut, leading to reduced fat deposition and insulin resistance.

How Supplements Work for Weight Loss

Typically, weight loss pills and powders contain plant-based and natural ingredients that suppress appetite, increase energy, avoid absorption of dietary fat, boost fat burning, or stimulate metabolism to burn more calories. Supplements can’t be relied on alone. They support weight loss when combined with a healthy diet and exercise.

Possible Side Effects

Weight supplements are typically considered safe, particularly if they include all-natural ingredients. However, large doses of specific ingredients or nutrients can result in certain side effects. For example, large amounts of caffeine can cause numerous health issues such as dehydration, insomnia, headaches and anxiety.

You should always speak to a doctor before you start any weight loss plan and/or start taking dietary supplements intended to speed up weight loss.

Prescription Medications for Weight Loss

There are several FDA-approved prescription medications for weight loss. Still, they are typically only prescribed by a doctor if your BMI is 30 or higher or is about 27 and you have a medical condition related to your weight, such as high blood pressure.  Prescription medications for weight loss include:

Saxenda: An appetite suppressant that mimics an intestinal hormone that tells the brain the stomach is full.
Xenical: Prevents the body from absorbing about a third of the fat you eat. It is also available without prescription but in half the dose.
Phentermine: Another appetite suppressant prescribed for short-term use only as it is an amphetamine, increasing the risk of dependency and drug abuse.
Qsymia: Works in several ways by suppressing appetite, helping you feel full, burning more calories and making food taste less appealing.

You still need to focus on diet and exercise while taking weight-loss drugs, and they may not be suitable for everyone, depending on any current medications you’re taking or if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.

The side effects of prescription weight loss drugs are much more pronounced than those from diet supplements. They include intestinal distress, abnormal blood pressure, shortness of breath, insomnia, kidney problems and impaired liver function.

Best Ways to Lose Weight

Supplements for weight loss can help you lose weight, but not on their own. If you’re not making the proper diet and lifestyle changes, you’re unlikely to see any significant weight loss, and any weight you do lose is likely to be regained once you stop taking the supplement.

Lifestyle changes you can make for successful long-term weight loss include the following.

Don’t Skip Breakfast

It may seem like an excellent way to cut calories, but research shows that those who skip breakfast miss out on essential nutrients and snack more throughout the day as they’re hungry.

Eat Regular Meals

Eating at regular times during the day helps burn calories faster and reduces the temptation to snack on high-calorie foods.

Swap Out Sugary Drinks

Sweetened drinks like soda add lots of extra calories without satisfying hunger, so instead, quench your thirst with water, low-fat milk, or small portions of 100% fruit juice. Low-calorie vegetable juice is also a good option to help curb hunger pangs between meals.

Boost Fruit and Veg Intake

Fresh produce is low in calories and fat and packed with fiber, which can help weight loss when they replace high-fat foods on your plate. They also contain plenty of vitamins and minerals to help support numerous body systems.

Get More Exercise

Being active is key to losing weight and maintaining that weight loss. As well as burning off the excess calories you can’t lose through diet alone, exercise also boosts mood, improves sleep and increases energy.

Eat High-Fiber Food

High-fiber food will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Incorporate more fruit and veg, oats, whole grain bread, beans, peas, lentils, brown rice and pasta, to boost the fiber content of your diet.

Plan Your Meals

Make sure you stick to your calorie allowance and nutritional needs. Eating a well-balanced diet all the time is so much easier than trying fad diets that restrict and ban foods.

Are Weight Loss Supplements for You?

The best way to lose weight is by eating a healthy and balanced diet and exercising regularly. However, sometimes some areas of stubborn fat refuse to shift, which can be frustrating and a real challenge to motivation.

This is where natural diet supplements may be able to help. Some work to boost your metabolism and increase your energy levels, while others may help suppress your appetite and cravings. While the effects may not be as pronounced as with prescription weight loss pills, the side effects of weight loss supplements are minimal, if they occur at all.

When choosing a weight loss supplement, make sure you look for ingredients—like green tea extract and caffeine—backed by science, and purchase from a reputable company that offers a money-back guarantee if you’re not happy with the results.

However, while we hope one of the weight loss supplements on our list will help you on your weight loss journey, they can’t be relied on alone to reach your goal. Use them in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise for the best results and weight loss that sticks.

FAQs

Does drinking water help you lose weight?

Drinking water can be really beneficial to weight loss. It is a 100% calorie-free beverage, helps burn more calories and can suppress appetite if consumed before meals.

Studies suggest that drinking 1-2 liters of water a day can aid weight loss, especially when consumed before meals and as a replacement for sugary beverages.

However, water is just one of several diet and lifestyle changes that will need to be made for successful weight loss that will stick.

Are supplements for weight loss safe?

Generally, weight loss supplements are safe, though it depends on the ingredients, your pre-existing medical conditions, whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding and taking any additional medications.

Therefore, it’s essential that you only buy weight loss supplements from a reputable brand that has publicly available third-party test results for safety, quality and purity. Furthermore, without speaking to your doctor first, you should never start taking a weight loss supplement, no matter how safe you believe it to be.

What should I look for in a supplement?

The best weight loss supplements are formulated with natural ingredients backed by science. They don’t contain high levels of stimulants or bulking ingredients and are made by a trustworthy company that thoroughly tests its products using independent labs.

Are supplements for weight loss a meal replacement?

There are weight loss supplements that ensure you get enough of the vital nutrients a body needs to function, but they should not be used to replace meals, which are essential for a healthy diet. Therefore, weight loss supplements should be taken alongside a balanced diet that provides the nutrients you need for your body to function.

Supplements should not be replaced with meal replacement shakes, designed to provide the same (perhaps better) nutritional profile as a traditional solid food meal but significantly fewer calories.

Do weight loss pills and supplements help me lose belly fat?

Some weight loss supplements and weight loss pills can help you lose belly fat, such as green tea extract, caffeine and certain protein supplements. However, they won’t be effective on their own. They will need to be combined with a healthy diet and exercise to be beneficial.

Are supplements FDA-approved?

While the FDA regulates dietary supplements, including those promoted for weight loss, it does not approve them. Therefore, it’s important to remember that the claims made by any weight loss supplements have not been evaluated, approved, or verified.

Can I take supplements to help me lose weight forever?

Weight loss supplements are not designed to be taken forever. They are meant to be used to help you out during the times when you need a little boost with your weight loss journey. Weight loss supplements are intended to help you reach a goal and should not be used as a crutch.

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Disclaimer: While we work to ensure that product information is correct, on occasion manufacturers may alter their ingredient lists. Actual product packaging and materials may contain more and/or different information than that shown on our website. We recommend that you do not solely rely on the information presented and that you always read labels, warnings and directions before using or consuming a product. For additional information about a product, please contact the manufacturer. Content on this site is for reference purposes and is not intended to substitute for advice given by a physician, pharmacist or other licensed health-care professional. You should not use this information as self-diagnosis or for treating a health problem or disease. Contact your health-care provider immediately if you suspect that you have a medical problem. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. Us Weekly assumes no liability for inaccuracies or misstatements about products.

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