Effect sizes
Are Weight Loss Supplements Effective? The Numbers in Plain Words
Are weight loss supplements effective? Only slightly, by the best reviews. Chromium picolinate gave about 1.1 kg more loss than placebo over 12 to 16 weeks. Carnitine gave about 1.3 kg. Green tea gave about 1.3 kg in one review and almost none in another. NIH says little is known about whether they work.
Written by the SodaBurn label deskUpdated · 4 min read
The numbers
How big is the effect of weight loss supplements?
The effect is small. Most reviews report about 1 kg more loss than a placebo, and the quality of the trials is often low.
A kilogram is about 2.2 pounds. Spread over 12 to 16 weeks, that is a few ounces a week, far under the 1 to 2 pounds a week CDC calls a steady pace (CDC, Steps for losing weight).
| Ingredient | More loss than placebo | Quality note |
|---|---|---|
| Chromium picolinate | About 1.1 kg | Low quality, debatable relevance (Cochrane, Chromium picolinate (2013)) |
| Carnitine | About 1.3 kg | Shrank with longer use (Pooyandjoo 2016, Carnitine meta-analysis) |
| Green tea catechins | About 1.3 kg | 2009 meta-analysis (Hursel 2009, Green tea meta-analysis) |
| Green tea, outside Japan | About 0.04 kg | Cochrane 2012 (Cochrane, Green tea for weight loss (2012)) |
Does it matter?
Is a 1 kg loss clinically meaningful?
Usually not. One review of herbal trials used 2.5 kg as the bar for a clinical difference, and combination products stayed below it (Maunder 2020, Herbal medicines for weight loss).
NIH calls chromium's effect of little clinical significance, with 0.75 kg in a 2019 meta-analysis (NIH ODS, Chromium).
Amounts matter
Do the amounts in trials match what is in the bottle?
Often they do not. Trials use set doses, and many products print only a blend total, so you cannot compare.
The bubbles below size each of SodaBurn's 21 blend names by the most it could weigh under the label order. No single amount is printed.
The 21 names, in printed order
- 1Maca root extract≤ 15.5 mg
- 2African mango seed extract≤ 7.74 mg
- 3Grape seed extract≤ 5.16 mg
- 4Guarana seed extract≤ 3.87 mg
- 5Eleuthero root extract≤ 3.09 mg
- 6Astragalus root extract≤ 2.58 mg
- 7Green tea leaf extract≤ 2.21 mg
- 8Gymnema leaf extract≤ 1.93 mg
- 9Coleus forskohlii root extract≤ 1.72 mg
- 10Cayenne fruit extract≤ 1.55 mg
- 11Grapefruit seed≤ 1.41 mg
- 12Panax ginseng root extract≤ 1.29 mg
- 13Raspberry ketones≤ 1.19 mg
- 14L-glutamine≤ 1.1 mg
- 15L-tyrosine≤ 1.03 mg
- 16L-arginine≤ 0.97 mg
- 17Beta-alanine≤ 0.91 mg
- 18Monoammonium glycyrrhizinate≤ 0.86 mg
- 19GABA≤ 0.81 mg
- 20L-tryptophan≤ 0.77 mg
- 21L-carnitine HCl≤ 0.74 mg
Order and total come from the printed panel text quoted in the brief. Names are listed by descending weight (21 CFR 101.36, Proprietary blends), so the n-th name weighs at most 15.47 divided by n. The label prints no amount for any single name. Orange bubbles are plant extracts, teal are amino acids and related names, lime is other.
SodaBurn: 2, 3 or 6 bottles1 fl oz (30 ml) a bottle · 1 dropperful a day · 60-day money-back guarantee
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How does SodaBurn compare with trial doses?
Its printed amounts sit far below trial doses where we can compare. No study of SodaBurn exists.
Chromium is printed at 7 mcg, while Cochrane's trials used 200 to 1,000 mcg. Carnitine weighs at most 0.74 mg per 1 ml of blend, while NIH describes side effects at around 3,000 mg a day. Read the proprietary blend guide and the ingredients page. Ask a doctor first if you take medicine. Adults 18 and older only.
SodaBurn: 2, 3 or 6 bottles1 fl oz (30 ml) a bottle · 1 dropperful a day · 60-day money-back guarantee
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SodaBurn questions people ask
How effective are weight loss supplements?
Slightly. Reviews show about 1 kg or less more than placebo for single ingredients. NIH says little is known about whether they are effective, and lifestyle remains the base.
Which weight loss supplement is most effective?
No supplement is proven best. Chromium, carnitine and green tea catechins each show about 1 kg in some reviews. Results vary by dose, study quality and who was tested.
Do weight loss supplements work long term?
We found no source showing long-term benefit. In the carnitine review, the effect shrank with longer use. Lasting loss rests on eating, activity, sleep and stress care.
What does statistically significant mean?
It means the difference is unlikely to be chance. It does not mean the difference is big enough to matter. One review required 2.5 kg for a clinical difference.
Can a supplement replace diet and exercise?
No source says so. NIDDK warns against promises of weight loss without diet or exercise. Ask a doctor about a plan that suits your health.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the brand panels and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for a USA Authorized SodaBurn Retailer. It is not the manufacturer or a distributor named on the label. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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