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Weight-Loss Supplement Ingredients

The ingredient database

Plain-language, evidence-first breakdowns of every ingredient we cover — what each one does, the doses research actually uses, safety notes, and which weight-loss formulas contain it. 69 ingredients, no hype.

69
Ingredients covered
100%
With dosage & safety notes
29
Formulas cross-linked

Jump to a letter:

Each entry summarizes what the published research supports — described honestly, including where the evidence is weak. This is education, not medical advice.

#
Serotonin precursor

5-HTP

The serotonin route to appetite

A
Vitamin-C fruit

Acerola

Cherry-sized vitamin C

Fibre-rich seed extract

African Mango

It’s the seed, not the fruit

Antioxidant

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Works in water and fat

Vitamin-C superfruit

Amla

An Ayurvedic cornerstone

Berry antioxidant

Arctic Lingonberry

A hardy northern berry

Adaptogen

Ashwagandha

An adaptogen for the stress-and-cortisol side of weight gain.

Carotenoid antioxidant

Astaxanthin

Why salmon is pink

Adaptogenic root

Astragalus

A classic Chinese tonic

B
Nitrate-rich vegetable

Beetroot

Better blood flow

Plant alkaloid

Berberine

A plant alkaloid with serious metabolic research — and serious drug interactions.

Methyl donor

Betaine (TMG)

Betaine and TMG are the same

Traditional fruit

Bitter Melon

Bitter by design

Thermogenic compound

Bitter Orange (Synephrine)

The ephedra alternative

Absorption enhancer

Black Pepper

The absorption booster

C
Vitamin-C superfruit

Camu Camu

A vitamin-C powerhouse

Thermogenic compound

Capsaicin

The heat compound in chili peppers, studied for a small calorie-burning bump.

Polyphenol

Chlorogenic Acid

Why green, not roasted

Essential nutrient

Choline

Fat out of the liver

Trace mineral

Chromium

A trace mineral studied for blood sugar and carbohydrate cravings.

Spice

Cinnamon

Cassia vs Ceylon

Soluble fibre

Citrus Pectin

The fibre in jam

E
Adaptogen

Eleuthero

Not actually ginseng

F
Botanical compound

Forskolin

The cAMP connection

Marine carotenoid

Fucoxanthin

A brown-seaweed pigment with intriguing early research — and thin human data.

G
Fruit extract

Garcinia Cambogia

A famous weight-loss fruit with a clean mechanism — and disappointing human results.

Isoflavone

Genistein

A plant with hormone-like effects

Warming root

Ginger

More than a spice

Soluble fibre

Glucomannan

A water-absorbing fibre with some of the better appetite evidence — if used correctly.

Master antioxidant

Glutathione

The master antioxidant

Polyphenol / catechin

Green Tea Extract

The most common weight-loss supplement ingredient — here’s what it actually does.

Standardized green-tea extract

Greenselect Phytosome

Green tea, better absorbed

Traditional herb

Gymnema Sylvestre

It mutes sweet taste

H
Cardiovascular herb

Hawthorn Berry

A traditional heart tonic

Antioxidant flower

Hibiscus

The tart red tea

Adaptogen

Holy Basil (Tulsi)

A sacred adaptogen

I
Prebiotic fibre

Inulin

Food for your microbiome

L
Amino acid

L-Arginine

The nitric-oxide route

Amino-acid derivative

L-Carnitine

The molecule that ferries fat into cells to be burned — but dose is everything.

Essential amino acid

L-Lysine

A carnitine building block

Amino acid

L-Theanine

Why coffee with tea feels different

M
Adaptogenic root

Maca

Food from the high Andes

Essential mineral

Magnesium

A mineral in 300+ reactions

Fruit antioxidant

Mangosteen

The antioxidants are in the rind

Berry antioxidant

Maqui Berry

One of the darkest berries

Sleep hormone

Melatonin

A sleep-timing hormone — and sleep is quietly one of the biggest levers on weight.

Liver-support herb

Milk Thistle

The liver connection

N
B vitamin

Niacin

The flush

O
Polyphenol

Olive Leaf

The other olive antioxidant

Tea polyphenol

Oolong Tea

Between green and black

P
Adaptogenic root

Panax Ginseng

“Panax” means cure-all

Polyphenol fruit

Pomegranate

Among the most antioxidant fruits

Cactus fibre

Prickly Pear

A cactus that binds fat

Beneficial bacteria

Probiotics

Live bacteria targeting the emerging link between your gut and your weight.

Q
Plant flavonoid

Quercetin

The onion antioxidant

R
Aroma compound

Raspberry Ketones

Mostly lab evidence

Polyphenol antioxidant

Resveratrol

The “red wine molecule”

Adaptogen

Rhodiola Rosea

An herb for cold climates

B vitamin

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

Bright yellow for a reason

S
Adaptogenic berry

Schisandra

Five flavours at once

Mineral resin

Shilajit

Resin from the mountains

T
Amino acid

Taurine

Not just for energy drinks

Mild stimulant

Theobromine

Why chocolate feels good

B vitamin

Thiamine (Vitamin B1)

Turning carbs into energy

Antioxidant spice

Turmeric

Curcumin needs a partner

V
B vitamin

Vitamin B12

An essential energy-metabolism vitamin — helpful if you’re low, hype if you’re not.

B vitamin

Vitamin B6

More isn’t always better

Vitamin / antioxidant

Vitamin C

The carnitine link

Z
Essential mineral

Zinc

Zinc and appetite

Get the plain-language breakdowns

Ingredient explainers and formula breakdowns to help you make informed weight-loss supplement choices.

Medical disclaimer: SourceLean provides educational information about dietary supplements and their ingredients. Nothing on this site is medical advice, and these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplements are not subject to the same strict pre-market testing as prescription drugs. Always consult your doctor before starting any supplement — especially if you take medications, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.

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