Ingredient profile
Forskolin, Cayenne and Raspberry Ketones in Glyco Defender: How Much Is in One Dropper?
Forskolin root, cayenne, raspberry ketones, grapefruit seed and a licorice compound are five of the 21 blend lines in Glyco Defender drops. They sit 9th to 18th in a 15.47 mg blend, so none can top 1.72 mg per 1 mL dropper. Studies used far more, and none of the five has good blood sugar evidence.
Written by the Glyco Defender facts deskUpdated
Five lines01
What are the other blend lines in Glyco Defender?
The other blend lines are five ingredients the sales page rarely mentions: Coleus forskohlii root, cayenne pepper fruit, grapefruit seed, raspberry ketones and a licorice compound.
All five sit inside the 15.47 mg blend, listed from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). Divide 15.47 mg by the place number and you get each ceiling. Coleus, 9th, holds at most 1.72 mg per mL.
Most come from the weight-loss aisle, where their evidence is thin too (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss).
| Label line | Place of 21 | Most per mL | Studied dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coleus forskohlii root extract | 9 | 1.72 mg | 500 mg a day of extract (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss) |
| Cayenne pepper fruit extract | 10 | 1.55 mg | 2-4 mg of capsaicin a day (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss) |
| Grapefruit seed | 11 | 1.41 mg | No studied dose found |
| Raspberry ketones | 13 | 1.19 mg | Sold at 100-1,400 mg a day (OPSS (DoD), Raspberry Ketone) |
| Monoammonium glycyrrhizinate | 18 | 0.86 mg | No studied dose found |
Forskolin02
What is forskolin, and how much does Glyco Defender hold?
Forskolin is a compound from the root of Coleus forskohlii, a mint-family plant. The root extract is 9th of 21 in Glyco Defender, so one dropper holds 1.72 mg of it at most.
Three small trials gave 500 mg a day of coleus extract and saw no change in body weight (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss). That dose is about 290 times the dropper's ceiling.
Clinical safety data are lacking; reported effects include low blood pressure and diarrhea (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)). The 20:1 footnote does not make 1.72 mg heavier.
Cayenne03
Does cayenne capsaicin do anything at this dose?
Cayenne capsaicin is unlikely to do much here. The cayenne extract is 10th of 21, at most 1.55 mg per mL, and capsaicin is only one part of that extract.
Capsaicin makes chili peppers hot. At 2-4 mg of capsaicin a day, weight barely moved over 12 weeks (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss). Even pure, 1.55 mg would fall short of that range.
Its appetite effects are small, and it can irritate the stomach (MSKCC, Cayenne (Capsicum)).
Raspberry ketones04
Do raspberry ketones help with weight or blood sugar?
No good evidence shows that raspberry ketones help with either. The only human studies used multi-ingredient products, so no result belongs to the ketone alone.
Most research was in animals and cells; a Defense Department program found no proof of safety or benefit (OPSS (DoD), Raspberry Ketone).
Products sell it at 100-1,400 mg a day. Here it is 13th, at most 1.19 mg, less than one eightieth of the low end. The sales page ties its formula to "the stubborn weight around the middle", a claim these lines do not support.
Glyco Defender: from $49 a bottle30 mL · 1, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 6 · 60-day money-back
See packsGrapefruit seed05
Can grapefruit seed extract interact with medicines?
Grapefruit seed extract might, but nobody has shown it. The known interaction comes from the fruit and juice.
FDA says the juice can let some statins, blood pressure drugs and heart rhythm drugs build up too high (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs). The label lists grapefruit seed 11th, at most 1.41 mg per mL. If your medicine carries a grapefruit warning, ask your pharmacist first.
Licorice06
Is licorice glycyrrhizin a concern in Glyco Defender?
Licorice glycyrrhizin is mainly a concern at large or long-term intakes. The label lists it as monoammonium glycyrrhizinate, 18th of 21, so one dropper holds 0.86 mg at most.
This salt of glycyrrhizin is a common sweetener, so it likely helps the taste. NCCIH links glycyrrhizin to irregular heartbeat with heavy use, and to trouble at small amounts in people with high blood pressure or heart or kidney disease (NCCIH, Licorice Root).
Profiles07
How do the five lines compare with the research?
All five lines hold small amounts and carry thin or missing evidence. The tables set each label line beside the studies.
Sources sit in each table caption.
| Name on the label | Forskohlii (Coleus forskohlii) Root Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Plectranthus barbatus root (forskolin) |
| Place on the label | 9 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #9 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 1.7 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 | Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Fruit Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Chili pepper (capsaicin) |
| Place on the label | 10 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #10 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 1.5 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 |
|---|---|
| What it is | Citrus paradisi seed |
| Place on the label | 11 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #11 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 1.4 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 fruit and juice change how some drugs work; ask a pharmacist. |
| Name on the label | Raspberry Ketones |
|---|---|
| What it is | Synthetic or raspberry-derived compound |
| Place on the label | 13 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #13 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 1.2 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 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #18 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 0.86 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. |
Never stop or change a prescribed drug because you started a supplement. Forskolin and cayenne may add to blood pressure drugs, and forskolin may add to warfarin, based on lab work (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)) (MSKCC, Cayenne (Capsicum)). More on side effects.
The amino acids come next on the amino acid page; all 22 lines are on the ingredients page.
FAQ08
Forskolin, cayenne and licorice questions
How much forskolin is in Glyco Defender?
No exact amount is printed. The Coleus forskohlii root extract is 9th of 21 in a 15.47 mg blend, so one dropper holds at most 1.72 mg of extract. Weight trials used 500 mg a day and found no effect (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss).
Does Glyco Defender have capsaicin in it?
Yes, through cayenne pepper fruit extract, 10th in the blend at no more than 1.55 mg per mL. Capsaicin is only part of that extract. Trials at 2-4 mg of capsaicin a day saw no real weight change (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss).
Are raspberry ketones in Glyco Defender safe?
The amount is tiny, at most 1.19 mg per dropper, but safety is not established. Human studies only used mixed products, and a Defense Department review found no proof of safety or benefit (OPSS (DoD), Raspberry Ketone).
Is grapefruit seed extract in Glyco Defender a problem with statins?
It is not known. Grapefruit juice raises levels of some statins, but whether a seed extract does the same is not established (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs). If your statin has a grapefruit warning, ask your pharmacist first.
What is monoammonium glycyrrhizinate in Glyco Defender?
It is a salt of glycyrrhizin, the sweet compound in licorice root, used for flavor. It is 18th of 21, so one dropper holds 0.86 mg at most. Heavy, long-term licorice intake can affect heart rhythm (NCCIH, Licorice Root).
Do these five Glyco Defender ingredients help blood sugar?
There is no good evidence that they do. Forskolin, raspberry ketones and capsaicin were studied mostly for weight, with weak results (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss). Grapefruit seed and the licorice compound have no blood sugar studies at all.
Who wrote this09
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Learn about our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. stocking partner for Glyco Defender, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. We are paid when you buy through our order links.
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