The other blend herbs
Coleus Forskohlii in Sugar Defender, Plus Five More Blend Lines Checked Against Research
Coleus forskohlii in Sugar Defender is 9th of 22 blend ingredients, so 1 mL holds at most about 22 mg; forskolin trials at 500 mg a day found no weight effect. Grape seed, capsicum, grapefruit seed, raspberry ketones and a licorice compound have thin or no blood sugar evidence.
Written by the Sugar Defender label deskUpdated
Six more lines01
Which other herbs and compounds share the blend with coleus forskohlii in Sugar Defender?
Besides coleus forskohlii, Sugar Defender lists grape seed, capsicum, grapefruit seed, raspberry ketones and monoammonium glycyrrhizinate, a licorice compound.
None has a printed amount; the order is the only clue (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)).
| Name on the label | Grape (Vitis finifera) Seed Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Vitis vinifera seed (the label misspells it 'finifera') |
| Place on the label | 2 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #2 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 100 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | Studied for other uses |
| Strength of evidence | Not established for blood sugar |
| Marketed or traditional use | Plant polyphenols |
| Main caution | Generally well tolerated. |
| Name on the label | Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Plectranthus barbatus root (forskolin) |
| Place on the label | 9 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #9 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 22 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | 500 mg a day of 10% forskolin extract |
| Strength of evidence | No weight effect in small trials |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sold for weight loss |
| Main caution | Can lower blood pressure; bleeding risk with blood thinners. |
| Name on the label | Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Chili pepper (capsaicin) |
| Place on the label | 10 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #10 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 20 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | 2-4 mg capsaicin a day |
| Strength of evidence | No significant weight change |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sold for metabolism |
| Main caution | Stomach irritation; cough with ACE inhibitors. |
| Name on the label | Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) Seed Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Citrus paradisi seed |
| Place on the label | 11 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #11 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 18 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | No studied dose found |
| Strength of evidence | Not established |
| Marketed or traditional use | Plant compounds |
| Main caution | Grapefruit can interact with statins and other prescription drugs. |
| Name on the label | Raspberry Ketones |
|---|---|
| What it is | Synthetic or raspberry-derived compound |
| Place on the label | 13 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #13 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 15 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | Only tested in combination products |
| Strength of evidence | No human evidence alone |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sold for weight loss |
| Main caution | Safety not established. |
| Name on the label | Monoammonium Glycyrrhizinate |
|---|---|
| What it is | Glycyrrhizin salt from licorice root |
| Place on the label | 18 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #18 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 11 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | No studied dose found |
| Strength of evidence | Not established |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sweetener and flavor |
| Main caution | Large or long-term use can raise blood pressure and affect heart rhythm. |
Blend math02
How much coleus forskohlii and the rest can 1 mL of Sugar Defender hold?
One mL of Sugar Defender holds at most about 22 mg of coleus forskohlii, from its 9th place in the 200 mg blend.
The rule is 200 divided by the place number.
Coleus is 9th: 200 / 9 is about 22 mg. Licorice is 18th: 200 / 18 is about 11 mg. Grape seed, 2nd, tops out at 100 mg.
Coleus03
Does coleus forskohlii in Sugar Defender help with weight?
No good evidence says so. Three small trials of forskolin at 500 mg a day found no effect on body weight, and Sugar Defender holds at most about 22 mg (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss).
The sales page calls coleus a "Fat Burning Aid" (Sugar Defender sales page).
Memorial Sloan Kettering says studies proving its safety and benefit are lacking (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)).
The gap
22 mg is under 5% of the 500 mg studied, which itself did not move weight.
Claim outruns evidenceSide effects
Low blood pressure, slow heart rate and diarrhea. It may add to blood-pressure drugs and raise bleeding risk with warfarin (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)).
Ask if on these drugsDrug clashes04
Which Sugar Defender herbs can clash with prescription drugs?
Grapefruit and licorice, along with coleus, are the Sugar Defender lines most tied to drug problems. Their amounts are unknown, so ask a pharmacist.
Grapefruit juice can make some statins and heart drugs build up (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs). Whether a seed extract does that is unknown.
Glycyrrhizin can cause irregular heartbeat with large or long-term use (NCCIH, Licorice Root).
Never stop or change a prescribed drug because of a supplement. Show the label to your pharmacist if you take a statin, a corticosteroid or heart medicine. More: side effects.
Sugar Defender: from $49 a bottle60 mL · 1 mL a day · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day guarantee
See packsRaspberry ketones05
Is there proof raspberry ketones in Sugar Defender do anything?
No. The only human studies of raspberry ketones used multi-ingredient products, so no benefit belongs to them alone. Sugar Defender holds at most about 15 mg (OPSS (DoD), Raspberry Ketone).
No evidence shows they are safe or effective for weight loss.
Grape seed and capsicum06
What do grape seed and capsicum add to Sugar Defender?
Grape seed and capsicum add plant compounds to Sugar Defender, but neither has solid blood sugar evidence. Grape seed may hold up to 100 mg per mL.
Grape seed may modestly affect LDL cholesterol in small studies (NCCIH, Grape Seed Extract).
Capsaicin can upset the stomach and add cough with ACE inhibitors (MSKCC, Cayenne (Capsicum)).
The panel misspells grape as "Vitis finifera". See claims vs evidence.
The rest of the blend07
Where do coleus forskohlii and these lines sit in the full Sugar Defender list?
Coleus forskohlii and the five other lines are spread from 2nd to 18th place in the Sugar Defender blend.
Amino acids close the list.
See all 23 lines on the ingredients page.
FAQ08
What do people ask about the other blend herbs?
People most often ask: Does coleus forskohlii burn fat? The short answer, and 5 more, open below.
Each answer starts with the direct reply, then the reason, with a source where one exists.
Does coleus forskohlii burn fat?
No trial shows it does. Three small trials of forskolin at 500 mg a day found no effect on body weight (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss). The drops hold at most about 22 mg per mL, well under even that studied amount.
Is grapefruit seed extract safe with statins?
Ask your pharmacist first. Grapefruit juice can make some statins build up in the body (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs), and nobody has shown whether a seed extract does the same. The drops hold at most about 18 mg of it per mL.
Do raspberry ketones work?
There is no evidence they do. Human studies only tested raspberry ketones mixed with other ingredients, so no effect can be tied to them alone, and their safety for weight loss is unproven (OPSS (DoD), Raspberry Ketone). The drops hold at most about 15 mg.
Why is licorice in Sugar Defender?
The label does not say. Monoammonium glycyrrhizinate is a salt of glycyrrhizin from licorice root, often used as a sweetener and flavor. It is 18th of 22, so 1 mL holds at most about 11 mg.
Is capsicum in Sugar Defender spicy?
No taste note is published, so we cannot say. Capsicum is chili pepper, whose heat comes from capsaicin. The drops hold at most 20 mg of extract per mL, alongside citrus extract, flavors, stevia and xylitol.
What does grape seed extract do?
Small studies suggest modest effects on LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and diastolic blood pressure, but the findings are not definitive (NCCIH, Grape Seed Extract). It is generally well tolerated. In the drops it is 2nd of 22, at most 100 mg per mL.
Who wrote this09
Who wrote and reviewed this Sugar Defender guide?
The Sugar Defender label desk wrote it from the label, the sales page and linked public sources.
A medical reviewer's name goes in the box below once a review is on file.
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. authorized Sugar Defender merchant, not by the manufacturer or the label distributor. We are paid when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
What should you read next about Sugar Defender?
Read side effects, claims vs evidence, is it legit? next: they pick up where this one stops.
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