WEIGHT loss jabs are big business, but what if we told you there were people slimming down just taking a supplement instead?
Despite seeming like the magic fix, fat jabs can have , , and there’s the risk of piling the lost weight back on after stopping.
Jules Brown, 59, who once struggled to get into a car or tie her shoelaces due to her weight, lost 15st with the help of a blackcurrant extract supplement Credit: Supplied
The mum-of-one has never felt fitter, now wearing a size 10 Credit: Supplied
Aida Azizi struggled with weight gain, cravings and low self-esteem due to PCOS Credit: Aida Azizi
She says inositol supplements helped quieten the food noise in her head Credit: Aida Azizi
They’re also costly, with dramatically last year.
The good news is, there is an alternative – several, actually. And here we ask the experts for the supplements which really work, without costing a fortune.
For her part, 55 year old journalist Lisa Byrne says she lost 6-7lbs in 2-3 weeks on ‘magic tablet’ Lyma, without changing anything else.
She tells Sun Health: “Once I started taking Lyma, I did start losing weight without even realising I was losing weight.”
Married mum-of-one Jules Brown, 59, says she is now a healthy 11st 3lb and wears size 10 jeans
She claims to have dropped a staggering 15st 7lb by overhauling her lifestyle over five years – an average of 3st per year – with the help of “little miracle capsules”.
Meanwhile, content creator , 29, credits a 27p supplement called inositol with helping her break a cycle of weight gain and food cravings caused by ) – and shed 13st in a matter of months.
And 63-year-old says a £1 herbal supplement helped him shed an incredible 7st 12lb, after weight loss jabs failed to work for him.
Here, experts give their verdict on some of the key products on the market right now which claim to bust fat…
1. Lyma
Lyma is pricey, at £6 a day, and contains 11 ingredients that may help with various aspects of health, from sleep to immune health Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk
£199 for 30 days of capsules (£6.60 per day)
AT £6-per-day this supplement certainly isn’t a bargain, but it packs in 11 ingredients targeting all areas of health, from and to and .
It’s not formulated for weight loss specifically, but contains some ingredients that can offer the body a little leg-up to make lifestyle changes easier.
Lauren Johnson-Reynolds, a registered nutritional therapist also known as LONDON WELLNESS COACH , says: “It contains which has anti-inflammatory properties and may reduce the appearance of bloat around the middle.
“Lyma also contains , an adaptogen that helps the body manage stress.
“We know that raised stress hormones such as can have an impact on sleep, blood sugar balance, appetite and even how the body stores fat so this could perhaps support weight loss.”
Lisa, who lost half a stone just by adding Lyma to her diet, says: “I wasn’t happy with my weight. I had . That area of fat is what doctors are hugely worried about in terms of health.
“Maybe I was being healthier because I had this magic tablet. Maybe it changed my outlook a bit.
“I’d take four a day, two in the morning and two in the evening and after the evening ones I’d always have a really good herbal tea rather than a cup of tea and a sandwich. It just made me more aware of what I was doing to myself.”
Lisa Byrne, 55, a journalist from York says she lost 6-7lbs in a fortnight with Lyma, without changing anything else Credit: Supplied
“Maybe I was being healthier because I had this magic tablet. Maybe it changed my outlook a bit,” says Lisa Credit: Supplied
Lisa decided to take Lyma after stopping treatment that she believes had a knock-on effect on her weight.
She says: “After suffering from aggressive breast cancer in my early forties, I was immediately put on designed to prevent cancer from returning by stopping oestrogen from fuelling the growth of any remaining cancer cells.
“I was flung into an early
“I remember the oncologist saying to me, ‘Normal menopause is like a drip drip effect, whereas if you go on Tamoxifen, it’s like a waterfall of hormones rushing out of your body’.”
Lisa was on Tamoxifen for 10 years until coming off in 2024.
“Towards the end of taking Tamoxifen, I started taking Lyma and it absolutely helped. Lyma was giving me more energy, which was helping me burn off calories, but the energy actually made me want to be doing things,” she says.
“I wanted to get out and about. I alsonow, and my sleep before was just horrendous.
“Lots of people have said that I look like I’m glowing a lot more, and I’m sure that’s a lot to do with how it’s making me feel internally.”
2. Inositol
Inositol may help with blood sugar control and weight loss in women with PCOS – and it costs just 27p per day Credit: Solgar
£13.50 for 50 capsules (27p per day)
AFTER battling weight gain, food cravings and acne, Aida was diagnosed with PCOS at 16.
She was prescribed , a drug used to manage levels and the Microgynon 30 for her irregular periods, but the 29-year-old reached a turning point in 2022 after having a “breakdown” about her weight.
She heard about inositol, a supplement used to support hormonal balance, through PCOS communities on social media and says she noticed a difference within two weeks of taking it.
“The spots on my chest and back, which had made me feel really insecure, started to clear and over time, my periods became regular,” Aida tells Sun Health.
“But the biggest thing was my cravings. I found inositol helped quieten the food noise in my head to the point where I could finally stick to a calorie deficit.”
Aida slowly introduced exercise and after 18 months, she dropped from 145 kilos (22st 8lb) to around 80 kilos (12 stone 5lb).
Aida was prescribed Metformin and the contraceptive pill as a teenager, but both had negative side effects for her Credit: Aida Azizi
She said she reached a turning point in 2022 when she had a ‘breakdown’ and knew something had to change Credit: Aida Azizi
Today she weighs 63 kilos (9st 9lb) and works out three to four times a week, mainly focusing on .
“I feel better, move more and my confidence has soared,” Aida says.
Studies show that inositol supplements may help women with PCOS improve their blood sugar regulation and it can trigger “significant” weight loss too.
Jodie Relf is a registered dietitian who specialises in women’s health, says the supplement “can be a total game changer for women with PCOS”.
“The recommended dose is 4000mg of myo-inositol per day, this should be split into two doses: 2000mg morning and 2000mg evening,” she adds.
“Most studies assess outcomes over at least 12–24 weeks, so it’s important to use inositol consistently over a few months before expecting meaningful changes.
“While results are promising and clinically meaningful, it’s important to recognise that responses can vary, and more high-quality, standardised research is still needed.
“It’s also worth noting that inositol is not a standalone solution and tends to be most effective when used alongside dietary and lifestyle changes.”
3. VLC Diet Supreme
Weigh Less With Jess VLC Reset 50 day caps, Credit: Supplied Credit: Supplied
STEVE Durrant weighed 19st 7lb and had tried everything to lose weight – including Ozempic – before finding the fix in a £1 daily supplement.
Steve, who lives in Port Kembla, Wollongong, Australia, says his weight fluctuated for decades as he battled an addiction to alcohol, a back injury and the effects of a music career that saw him rely on takeaways.
Then he started programme called Weigh Less With Jess , developed by Jess Arroyo, which included a protein-rich meal plan and herbal supplements.
The pills are ‘all natural’, containing amino acids, vitamins, and plant-based actives that have been clinically studied for busting fat, without medicine – such as rhodiola rosea, astragalus membranaceus and .
Steve tried everything to lose weight, even weight loss jabs for 18 months Credit: Steve Durrant
His last resort was a £1 daily supplement and weight loss programme, Weigh Less With Jess, which saw him drop 50kg – and he’s kept it off Credit: Steve Durrant
Steve says: “Whatever was in the supplement made the difference. It made me feel better, mainly because the weight was coming off, but I had no adverse side effects from it.
“I was never hungry, which helped maintain the diet.”
Two years since enrolling on the programme, Steve says he’s managed to keep most of the weight off, currently weighing 12st 10lb.
But UK-based nutritionist Robert Hobson notes there are different regulatory requirements for supplements in Australia compared to here.
“In Australia, products like this only need to show that the ingredients are safe at the stated dose; they don’t need to prove that they actually work for weight loss,” he says.
“When you look closely, the ingredients are not backed by strong evidence in this area, so any results people think they’re seeing are unlikely to be coming from the capsule itself.
“If long-term results are your goal, the best investment is still in changing what’s on your plate and how you approach your way of eating daily.”
4. Anti-Spike Formula (Glucose Goddess)
“I feel the ingredients and the reviews speak for themselves,” says Lauren of Anti-Spike
£49.14 for 30 servings (1.60 per day)
is one way to help with managing your weight.
Lauren says: “Some supplements, especially those focused on supporting blood sugar levels, could definitely support weight loss.”
When blood sugar is kept steady, it can reduce cravings, prevent energy crashes and make it easier to maintain a calorie deficit, which is the best way to lose weight.
In fact, research in StatPearls , an online medical reference book, has shown that improved blood sugar control is linked to reduced body weight and waist circumference, even without drastic calorie restriction.
These capsules, when taken just before your highest-carb meal of the day (think pasta, rice, potatoes or bread), reduce your meal’s glucose spike by up to 40 per cent, according to the creator Jessie Inchauspé, a French biochemist and founder of the popular Glucose Goddess movement.
“White mulberry leaf found in this product is thought to reduce the speed at which carbohydrates (AKA sugars) are absorbed into the blood stream,” says Lauren.
“This helps to , lessening the chance of symptoms like carbohydrate and sugar cravings and extreme hunger, which are all associated with imbalanced blood sugar levels.”
Lauren adds: “It also contains cinnamon bark which, in the long term, can support blood sugar control and lower levels of the hormone insulin.
“Excess insulin signals to the body to store more fat so this is beneficial for weight loss.”
According to the product’s website, the Anti-Spike Formula also increases levels of which reduces your appetite and slows how quickly your stomach empties, by up to 22 per cent.
Lauren says: “According to the website, the research is still only on the individual ingredients and not on the product as a whole, which is a tad misleading.
“That being said, the studies done on the ingredients are double-blind clinical trials which are the gold standard in research and the product has nearly 4.5k reviews.
“It’s not unusual for companies to make claims about the efficacy of a supplement based on the therapeutic effect of the individual ingredients and in this case, I feel the ingredients and the reviews speak for themselves.”
5. CurraNz New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract
New Zealand blackcurrants are particularly rich in anthocyanin, and CurraNZ claim their product can reduce muscle pain after exercise, while boosting fat burn
£21.75 for a pack of 30 capsules (80p per day)
AT a bargain price of just £1.45 per day (two capsules daily), CurraNZ, made using New Zealand blackcurrants, could help with weight loss.
which revealed their fat-burning potential.
A study, carried out at the University of Worcester, looked at the blackcurrant extract from New Zealand and its effects on exercise and recovery in a small group of volunteers.
Half of the 22 people in the study took two capsules of blackcurrant extract (600mg) a day over a week and half took a dummy (placebo) pill.
Researchers found that taking the extract for a week boosted a person’s fat-burning potential during exercise, according to findings published in the journal International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism .
In fact, the berry supplement was found to accelerate fat burning in 90 per cent of the group compared to their baseline level.
Dr Matthew Cook, a senior lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science and lead author of the study, explained that New Zealand blackcurrants are particularly rich in anthocyanin, the pigment which gives this berry its dark purple colour.
“These compounds confer health benefits through their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and blood flow-promoting effects, which alter fat metabolism and cardiovascular function,” he says.
But, supplementation needs to be paired with exercise to see the benefits of increased fat oxidation.
Lauren adds: “Polyphenols can also support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut which can help to regulate appetite and satiety.”
Jules believes CurraNZ turbocharged her weight loss. Before, she says pain after exercise that lasted for days put her off trying to get fit.
The pharmacy support worker, from Milton Keynes, says: “CurraNZ has been so helpful for many reasons. One of those is muscle soreness after exercise and I have no issues after my gruelling workouts.
“Before, I couldn’t climb stairs without being out of breath. Getting out of my chair, and getting into the car were so difficult previously.
“Now I’m running and – they really are little miracle capsules.”
6. Artah Metabolic Fix
Artah Metabolic Fix contains berberine, which people claim to be like ‘nature’s Ozempic’ Credit: Artah
£32 for 30 days (£1.06 per day)
THIS supplement has a long list of weight-loss-friendly ingredients you may have heard of before; , alpha-lipoic acid, inositol, chromium, extract and cinnamon.
This combo, Artah says, can help youand stay energised.
And Lauren agrees, saying: “This is what I would consider to be truly supportive of weight loss as it contains a number of blood sugar regulating ingredients which have a huge impact on.
“Berberine is well researched and shown to decrease and slow down the breakdown of carbohydrates in the gut, leading to more stable blood sugar levels.”
Berberine is often described as ‘nature’s Ozempic’ – and was what
Lauren continues: “L-carnitine is another ingredient known to help the body burn fat and it has been effective in studies at aiding weight loss and increasing muscle mass.
“Chromium is another ingredient known to help support blood sugar balance.”
In a study led by Artah, 87 per cent of the 112 participants said they noticed an improvement in appetite regulation after just one week of taking the capsules and 94 per cent noticed a
Research in the journal Clinical Nutrition also found that 12 weeks of treatment with high-dose green tea extract resulted in significant weight loss and reduced waist circumference.
7. Feel Pro Metabolic
Feel Pro Metabolic claims to “enhance fat oxidation” amongst other things beneficial for weight loss
£64.94 for 30 sachets (£2.16 per day)
A PROMISE that you’ll be in just 90 days, is pretty appealing – and that’s exactly what Feel claim they can do.
These sachets naturally stimulate your body’s own GLP-1 production to regulate your appetite, ‘without injections or extreme dieting’, the company claims.
The in the gel help to fire up the gut in the first month of taking, assisting with regular bowel movements and reducing .
At six months, vitamin B6 will keep energy levels up and black tea might help “enhance fat oxidation which overtime can result in noticeable fat loss”, the website says.
Lauren’s verdict? She says: “If it does what it says on the tin, Feel’s Pro Metabolic could help to control appetite over time.
“There seems to be a combination of ingredients that may support gut health by providing fibre and some beneficial bacteria.
“They (Feel) claim that it will naturally boost GLP-1 secretion which is beneficial for appetite control but I personally wouldn’t recommend this to a client for the sole purpose of weight loss.
“There are weight loss supplements with a combination of other blood sugar balancing and weight loss enhancing ingredients that I feel would be more beneficial than those in Feel.”
8. Elcella
Elcella capsules are expensive, but supporting the gut can “make weight loss easier”, says Lauren
£199 for 30 days worth of capsules (£6.30 per day)
WEIGHT control without side effects is apparently what Elcella offers.
This science-backed supplement contains three key ingredients – coconut oil, MCT Oil and flaxseed oil.
According to the Elcella site, taking eight of these capsules each day, leads to a seven per cent average weight loss in 12 weeks.
But Lauren says it may be too good to be true.
Lauren says: “Elcella contains linseed oil which is high inand therefore may help to regulate hunger hormones.
“It also contains MCT oil which studies suggest could reduce hunger – but I would be sceptical about how effective this would be.
“Elcella claims to deliver the directly to the part of the gut that regulates hunger hormones and seems to have scientific research behind it.
“Any supplement supportive of the gut will make weight loss easier but I would be realistic about results as a consumer.”
Lauren says that while Elcella might be supportive of weight loss, it needs to be used alongside
9. Akkermansia muciniphila
Akkermansia muciniphila supplements could help keep the pounds off after weight loss Credit: Unknown
£14.39 for 60 capsules (23p per day)
WONDERING how to avoid piling on the pounds after a diet or weight loss jabs.
suggests Akkermansia muciniphila could help spur weight loss and keep the pounds off afterwards.
Research showed that people taking the pill after dieting regained less weight than those taking dummy drugs.
A. muciniphila is a type of that lives in the gut and helps keep it healthy, reducing inflammation and improving metabolism.
But many people don’t have enough of this beneficial bug in their guts – with research showing that too little of it is linked to “, type 2 and metabolic syndrome [conditions such as high blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol]”.
Dutch scientists, led by Dr Ellen Blaak, observed adults given pasteurised versions of the bug in supplement form after following a low calorie diet over eight weeks to lose weight.
They regained 13.6 per cent of the weight they lost, while participants taking the dummy drugs regained 32.9 per cent.
Participants who took the supplement were about 3kg lighter than the second group at the end of the study.
They also reported no serious side effects during the study period.
Further studies still need to be conducted on the supplement, but researchers suggested it could be used to maintain fat loss after using weight loss jabs.
How to blast belly fat WITHOUT going to the gym or dieting
Chew your food
This mindfulness trick is used to focus your brain on the food you are eating – how it tastes and feels – rather than scoffing it in a hurry. If the brain does not register that you have eaten, you’ll soon crave more food.
Avocado a day
Eating avocado every day can fight visceral fat in women, which collects around the organs in the stomach and can lead to diabetes, heart attack, and some cancers, according to a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign study of 105 people.
Avoid fizzy drinks
Losing belly “fat” may just be a case of preventing , which can be onset by fizzy soft drinks. Instead, keep hydrated with water.
Reduce alcohol
Alcohol does . It is ’empty calories’, meaning it contributes to your calorie intake without giving any nutritional benefit.
Hangovers can also lead you to eat more fatty foods, while putting you off exercising.
Sleep more
Various studies have shown that if you’re .
People are more likely to crave junk food when they are sleep deprived because, not only are they in need of an energy boost, but their appetite hormones are all over the place.
Reduce stress
causes an imbalance of hormones, particularly cortisol. This hormone has been linked with obesity and excess belly fat.
Find ways to reduce your stress to avoid the so-called ‘stress belly’.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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