When it comes to weight loss, it’s tempting to take advantage of every tool at your disposal—like supplements. While the supplement market is largely unregulated and tricky to navigate, certain supplements have a good track record of actually helping with health, wellness, and weight loss. Here are three supplements you probably haven’t tried that could be beneficial for fat-burning, weight loss, and fitness. As with any new medication or supplement, always talk to a medical professional before adding them to your wellness routine.
RELATED: This Affordable Supplement Can Help You Get Stronger.
Glucomannan
Shutterstock
Glucomannan is the fiber inside plants such as konjac (as in shirataki noodles). “Konjac plants grow from edible, starchy bulb roots called corms,” Gillian Culbertson, RD, LD, tells the Cleveland Clinic. “Corms are high in fiber but low in carbohydrates, calories and fat. That’s why products made with konjac fiber are growing in popularity. Foods made from konjac corms naturally have glucomannan, so people often use the terms interchangeably. It takes longer for this fibrous gel to move through your digestive system. This slow digestive process may help prevent or improve certain diseases.”
Berberine
Shutterstock
Berberine can help with insulin resistance and lowering blood sugar. “People are starting to look at more natural approaches and treatments. But not all ‘natural’ things are without side effects or proven effective,” functional medicine specialist Elizabeth Bradley, MD, tells the Cleveland Clinic. “But berberine, in many ways, acts similarly to medication. Berberine can help diabetes, high blood pressure and lipid levels. Combine berberine with lifestyle changes, like losing weight, and it can positively affect those conditions.”
RELATED: How to Target Belly Fat With This Affordable Supplement.
CLA
Shutterstock
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) may help with weight loss. “Conjugated Linoleic Acid might help reduce body fat deposits,” says Stacey Pence, MPH, RD, LD, via The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Researchers believe that CLA increases the breakdown of fat and cell death. Some believe that it also inhibits the creation of fat in loose connective tissue. CLA can be found naturally in some dairy and beef products.”
Always Talk To a Doctor
Shutterstock
Even the most seemingly-harmless supplement may be harmful if combined with prescription medication, so talk to a doctor before trying anything new. “Patients aren’t always forthcoming about what supplements they’re taking. But ingredients in fat burners can interact with medications and cause serious problems, so it’s important to make sure your doctor is aware,” Melissa Matteo, RD, tells the Cleveland Clinic.
