Appetite suppressants help to control hunger, which can be the key to weight loss for many. No matter how hard you exercise, if you don’t properly control your energy intake, you’ll find it tough to reach your fat loss targets.
Below, you’ll find the best appetite suppressants, ranked and reviewed by our expert health panel.
Rankings
1. Lean Bean
Lean Bean’s capsule was recently reformulated with all-natural ingredients and no stimulants. It includes powerful ingredients such as glucomannan, choline, chromium and vitamins B6 and B12 that help accelerate fat loss and crush hunger pangs.
All capsules are produced in an FDA registered facility in line with good manufacturing practices. For these reasons, it’s our #1 pick.
2. Powher Cut Blend
Powher’s blend was specifically designed to work on its own, regardless of diet and exercise routines. It includes proven ingredients such as glucomannan, choline, chromium, magnesium, selenium and iron.
It also includes a small dose of caffeine to further help blunt your appetite and improve fat oxidation. People who have a low tolerance to stimulants should be careful when taking this supplement.
3. PhenQ
PhenQ combines 5 separate philosophies to fully target and effectively lose weight: suppress your appetite, burn fat, improve your mood, boost your energy and stop fat production.
This product is formulated with FDA and GMP approved ingredients to ensure you are putting wholesome items into your body.
4. Legion Athletics Phoenix
Legion Athletics Phoenix is caffeine-free but works to boost your metabolism through clinically backed ingredients such as synephrine, naringenin, hesperidin and EGCG.
It also includes 5-HTP to help boost serotonin levels, which can improve the feeling of fullness.
5. Genius Diet Pills
Genius diet pills are safe for both men and women and include saffron to help support your thyroid and manage stress levels. It also includes 5-HTP to boost serotonin levels.
The pills are made with vegan friendly cellulose.
6. Pure Sciences Appetite Suppressant
Pure Sciences provides appetite suppressant drops that are designed to be taken a few minutes before you eat each meal. It includes kava extract, 5-HTP, niacin and maca root.
This appetite suppressant is made with all-natural ingredients and is made directly in the USA.
7. Orphic Nutrition 100% Pure Garcinia Cambodia Extract
Orphic Nutrition’s appetite suppressant provides 2100 mg of garcinia cambogia extract per serving, which is more than double traditional supplements. This formula has no extra fillers and is formulated to be vegan and vegetarian friendly.
This garcinia cambogia blend is 3rd party tested and GMP certified.
8. AtraFen Elite Professional Formula
AtraFen Elite is made in the USA and is the company is registered with the FDA as well as GMP. It includes powerful ingredients such as raspberry ketones, acai fruit, green tea extract, resveratrol, and apple cider vinegar.
It also includes stimulants such as caffeine to boost the metabolism.
9. Burn-XT Thermogenic Fat Burner
Burn-XT’s Thermogenic fat burner is made in a cGMP manufacturer within the USA. This formula includes quite a bit of stimulants, including caffeine and green tea extract to ramp up the metabolism.
It also includes bioperine to improve the absorption of all ingredients.
10. Meal Enders Cravings Control Lozenges
Meal Enders are candy used to curb excess snacking by rewarding and reseting the taste buds with a clean, minty taste.
It’s free of stimulants, gluten and artificial sweeteners.
How We Rank
The first thing that we reviewed for each supplement was the ingredient list. Taking a supplement that is compounded with terrible ingredients would be no good, despite the results they promise. We specifically looked for natural ingredients that did not contain fillers or additional items. Products that had ephedrine, sibutramine, or fenproporex were eliminated from review as these ingredients can cause life-threatening side effects.
Rather we looked for ingredients such as Garcinia Cambodia, hoodia gordonii, caralluma, caffeine and other supplements that are natural and tend to have more minimal side effects. Products like Genius Diet Pills ranked higher because they included the neurotransmitter 5-HTP, which showed us that these brands are aware of the many pathways that appetite suppression can occur (not just increasing adrenaline).
Next we looked for unique appetite suppressants that went the extra mile. For example, Powher is a very potent combination and can work apart from other functions. Lean Bean was formulated specifically for women and contains ingredients and a compound that is designed to aid women with athletic performance and weight loss. AtraFen Elite was composed to be compatible with the keto diet but can be used by anyone.
Lastly we looked at promises and marketing. Legion Athletics Phoenix heavily discloses there is no magic pill and the supplement is meant to be an aid. Many appetite suppressants recommend a modified diet and exercise routine in order to see extensive benefits. What we were looking for was full disclosure as well as tested and shared results and reviews on the product.
Benefits
1. Appetite suppressants help control hunger. Appetite suppressants either indirectly or directly alter brain chemistry so that you feel satiated for longer periods of time when compared to other foods. And when you eat less you can achieve your calorie deficit much easier.
Natural appetite suppressants have been around for hundreds of years. Herbal laxatives have been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, and even the Greek physician Soranus of Ephesus was said to have introduced various elixirs to stop his patients from overeating. Some of these natural nutrients are said to help weight loss by boosting satiety and reducing feelings of hunger, without a stimulatory effect.
Glucomannan is a fiber that shows inconsistent results for weight loss and appetite control (1). Hoodia gordonii, in high doses has been found to result in weight loss and appetite suppression but with significant side effects (2). Chromium and Gallix acid have been shown to be effective in combination with ingredients, not by itself (3, 4). Forskolin can help support men’s hormonal production (5).
Stimulants such as green tea and ECGC may help weight loss (6). Capsaicin research appears promising for appetite suppression use (7). The best results have been shown to be blends of the above ingredients, not individual ones (8, 9, 10)
Currently, commercially-available appetite suppressants are a huge market in the weight loss industry. Although they’ve been used in traditional medicine for many years, the supplement industry continues to use these more and more. To date, an ever-increasing number of appetite suppressant remedies are being manufactured. Some use the same kinds of herbal nutrients or foods, while others introduce less well-known blends of ingredients.
Prescription drugs can also act as appetite suppressants. When more modern appetite suppressant medicine came along in the early nineteen hundreds, drugs such as amphetamines became popular – along with prescription appetite suppressant drugs much later on that decade (11) (12).
The most common prescription appetite suppressants include (13): Bupropion-naltrexone, Liraglutide, Lorcaserin, Orlistat, Phentermine-topiramat, Phentermine, Mazindol, Amfepramone.
2. Appetite suppressants may increase the satiety response. Some appetite suppressants decrease hunger signals, increase feelings of satiety, delay digestion or reduce absorption and ultimately, result in less calories you consume. Glucomannan is an example of a fiber that is used as an appetite suppressant because it extends satiety, takes up space in the stomach and delays emptying, though research to support its use for weight loss is inconclusive (14). Presuming you burn more than you eat, weight loss is more likely.
Appetite is controlled by a region of your brain called the hypothalamus (15).
As the master computer of the body, it is responsible for telling you exactly when you need food. A cascade of hormone changes lead you to feelhungry so you can find food. Being able to ‘forage’ an energy source is an important aspect of energy homeostasis and survival.
The hypothalamus helps us maintain body weight around a set point, and avoid all of the pitfalls that comes with low energy intake (malnourishment, illness, death).
However, with so much food available in the modern climate, many people take foraging to the extreme, overeating an abundance of calories, leading to weight gain. Combined with the many other factors that drive obesity, appetite suppressants have become a more common treatment for obesity.
3. Appetite suppressants act on hunger hormones and neurotransmitters Appetite refers to the desire for food intake. Hunger itself relies on complex interaction between the central nervous system, hormones and the gut. The hypothalamus controls hunger and satiety using hormones. The most important and relevant ones are leptin, ghrelin, CKK, PYY and GLP-1.
Appetite suppressants are said to improve weight loss by changing the way in which these hormones work. Some also act on noradrenergic and dopaminergic receptors (alongside hormones) to produce satiety (16).
They essentially hijack satiety and appetite hormones and interrupt the hunger signals when you should normally feel hungry, helping you reduce overall food intake.
4. Research shows that prescription appetite suppressants can increase weight loss. There has previously been research showing appetite suppressant drugs can lead to significant weight loss by decreasing overall energy intake or by increasing energy expenditure.
For example, a study in the Lancet found that a type of monoamine-reuptake (MOA) inhibitor manufactured as an appetite suppressant resulted in an average of 4-5 kg of weight loss when used long term. Few prescription appetite-suppressants are considered safe for long-term use (17)
One report suggested that weight loss was greater with appetite suppressants when compared to placebo (18). It also stated that net weight loss varied from 2 kg to 10 kg and this could be sustained for up to 36 months (as long as the drug was continued).
MOA reuptake inhibitors are said to cause weight loss by selectively uptaking neurotransmitters such as 5-HT, noradrenaline and dopamine. This in turn directly enhances appetite suppressing effects on the central nervous system and the associated hormones (19).
5. Appetite suppressants might also burn more calories. Some appetite controlling drugs may also have an effect on total daily energy expenditure. The now banned appetite suppressant sibutramine was said to be able to prevent the drop in basal metabolic rate that is often seen during weight loss (20).
It did this by activating a protein involved in eating behaviour called MCR-4 (21).
Some tentative evidence also suggested that sibutramine also increased thermogenesis too (22).
According to some reports, “when used appropriately, appetite suppressants can be of real therapeutic benefit” (23).
6. Natural hunger suppressants are often added to over-the-counter products, but may not be as effective. Appetite suppressing nutrients are often added to ‘fat burner’ supplements. Natural ingredients such as caffeine, capsicum, ginger, piperine, glucomannan and grapefruit are often added to pharmaceutical supplements as a way of boosting satiety.
There are some clinical trials that have reported benefits of these nutrients. For example, one study found that capsaicin offered modest improvements to both satiety and food intake choices in 24 men and women (24).
Specifically, ingesting capsules containing 0.9 g of red pepper (0.25 g capsaicin) increased satiety ratings from 689 to 757 mmh in the men and from 712 to 806 mmh in the women, both. And in another study, ginger was found to reduce feelings of hunger too (25).
It’s worth noting though that the research on natural appetite suppressants isn’t unequivocal. For example, a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition (26) found that adding the compound capsaicin to meals did not increase satiety, energy expenditure or had any effect on hunger hormones.
Likewise, a clinical study analyzing the safety and efficacy of glucomannan found that even though it is added to fat burner supplements as an appetite suppressant, it did not significantly alter body composition, hunger/fullness, or lipid and glucose parameters (27).
7. Appetite suppressants can provide mental clarity. One of the most common qualities of appetite suppressants is that they often do much more than just help control your appetite and cravings.
Appetite suppressants can also provide mental clarity and focus that will push you towards your goal while positively affecting your moods and helping to prevent those mood swings that commonly accompany dieting. While your body is adjusting to your dietary changes, these supplements can help you overcome hurdles (28).
Side Effects
1. Appetite suppressants can cause mild to moderate IBS like effects. These include: nausea, sickness, gastrointestinal discomfort, blurred vision, sleeplessness, insomnia and lack of energy, constipation, diarrhea and trouble urinating, dry mouth, irritability, elevated heart rate, mood changes and breathing difficulties.
There have also been cases of more severe adverse reactions reported too.
2. Appetite suppressants can increase the risk of primary pulmonary hypertension. A prospective case-controlled study found that there was a clear and significant correlation between appetite suppressant, ‘anorexia drug’ fenfluramine and pulmonary hypertension (29).
The odds of suffering from this serious medical condition were said to be more than double when taken for over three months. This resulted in the removal from the market of this drug in 1997.
3. Prescription appetite suppressants increase risk of cardiac valve disorders. Both fenfluramine and phentermine have at one time or another been implicated in higher risk stratification for cardiac valve disorders – in particular aortic and mitral valve insufficiency.
One study reported that pharmacological effects of these drugs elevated the risk of these cardiac-based illnesses (30).
The results showed that in those who had taken either fenfluramine and phentermine for four or more months, the cumulative incidence of idiopathic cardiac-valve disorders was 35.0 per 10,000 subjects. Zero reports of this condition were found among those who had not taken either drug.
And in a case study of a 28-year old male, an over-the-counter MAO inhibitor was seen to cause ‘hypertensive crisis’ after ingestion (31).
4. Commercial diet pills containing appetite suppressant ingredients can increase blood pressure. One case study found that a patient presented to the ER after ingesting commercially available diet pills containing the appetite suppressant phenylpropanolamine. The inhibition of prostaglandins (chemicals that have hormone-like effects in the body) caused by the drug resulted in extreme hypertension (32).
5. Appetite suppressants have certain drug interactions. Oral appetite suppressants can interact with some prescribed medications such as MAO inhibitors (linezolid and furazolidione in particular).
They can also interact with other types of weight loss medicines, as well as supplements.
Recommended Dosage
Because the term ‘appetite suppressant’ covers a group of drugs and supplements rather than one individual product there is no clear, catch-all dosage. For prescription drugs, dosage instructions range from 8-50 mg once daily to begin with.
Recommendations may include scaling up dosage over time – up to three times per day – once initial safety has been established. At no point are prescription appetite suppressants recommended to be taken at doses above 250 mg per day or for an indefinite period of time.
For natural compounds, dosage also varies. For example, capsaicin is often recommended to be effective at 150 mg in healthy adults, and glucomannan at around 2g per day. Clinically effective doses of synephrine range from 25 to 50 mg. Studies show naringenin is effective at 600 milligrams when used in conjunction with synephrine and hesperidin.
The clinically effective dose of EGCG ranges between 50 and 1,000 mg. While scientists haven’t pinned down an exact dose yet, 25 to 50 milligrams forskolin is known to be effective. 5-HTP seems to be effective between 150-500mg. The clinically effective dose of caffeine is between 3 and 6 milligrams per killogram of body weight. Yohimbine, is much lower, having an effective dose between 0.1 and 0.2 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
The maximum recommended dosage of Garcinia Cambogia 2.8g/day. The ideal dose has not been identified but the higher the dose, the more common the side effects. After 2800mg, it seems side effects are increased. Top Garcinia Cambogia supplements should contain at least 50-60% HCA to ensure proper absorption and function of HCA in your body.
For the more obscure and less-studied supplements, simply follow the guidelines on the supplement bottle.
FAQ
Is nicotine an appetite suppressant? Yes, and its a big reason smokers are often not overweight.
Can you shrink your stomach to control appetite? Your stomach remains the same physical size once you become an adult — unless you have surgery to intentionally make it smaller. However, portion control, increased fiber intake and other changes can you help you feel more full and satisfied with less quantity of food and/or calories.
Do appetite suppressant pills really work? It depends. Someappetite suppressant pills with proper dosages and ingredients may curb hunger in the short-term, others show no effect.
Can I take multiple appetite suppressants? You can rotate various appetite suppressants but you should not take more than one appetite suppressant at one time. Many appetite suppressants are formulated with similar ingredients. If you use more than 1 supplement with the same ingredients it will not make your results better but rather could overdose your system with the ingredients of the supplements.
Your goal is to make your body healthier and aid in weight loss, but remember that even the healthiest and natural ingredients can be taken in quantities that are too much. Take care of your overall health and use only one supplement at a time with the recommended dosage applied. If you tire of one or feel as though it is not delivering the results you desire, try changing to a new product but do not use them simultaneously.
Are there natural appetite suppressing foods? Yes, there are natural appetite suppressing foods. Spinach is a source of thylakoids, which have been associated with levels of leptin, the hormone that signals you to “stop” eating. Many foods are also rich in fiber that act as natural appetite suppressants.
Examples include: cruciferous vegetables, artichokes, berries, apples, beans, lentils, almonds, pistachios, and some whole grains. Fiber can keep us satisfied and full, while contributing minimal calories.
Do appetite suppressant patches work? There is not enough scientific evidence to prove appetite suppressant patches do work.
Do appetite suppressants have caffeine? Some appetite suppressants have caffeine in them. It is important to check the ingredient list and familiarize yourself with what is included in the supplement you choose to try.
The suppressants that contain caffeine recognize that there are various reasons to be taking the supplement and typically are striving to help you not feel like you need to reach for a soft drink and to give you higher energy levels to make it through your day. If you particularly want a suppressant that does not contain caffeine, pay special attention to the ingredients looking for one that advertises caffeine-free or does not contain caffeine in the ingredient list.
Are appetite suppressants dangerous? Yes, some may result in major health effects, even when used according to the dosage guidelines.
Can I take appetite suppressants while breastfeeding? Taking appetite suppressants while breastfeeding is an ill-advised way to lose baby weight. While you’re breastfeeding, your need for calories and nutrients also increases so you can give your body — and your baby — adequate daily nutrition.
Is there a time limit to taking appetite suppressants? Some appetite suppressants are meant to be cycled out of your routine while others are designed so that you could use for the remainder of your life if you felt that was what would work best for you. The purpose of an appetite suppressant is to help you train your body to fight cravings and not feel the need to snack excessively or overeat at meals.
Some appetite suppressants carry side effects with them as well. In general, you should plan to only use an appetite suppressant for about 8-12 weeks at one time. Then cycle off of the suppressants and test your body and your mind. Once you have allowed your body to reset for a few weeks, you can continue using appetite suppressants again. If you are able to discontinue using appetite suppressants and not begin gaining weight again, we recommend that you not begin taking them again unless you feel they are needed.
What drug suppresses the appetite? The FDA has approved on medication that you can only get with a doctor’s prescription: Liraglutide (Saxenda).
Does apple cider vinegar help with weight loss? According to this study, adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to your diet can help you lose weight. It can also reduce your body fat percentage, make you lose belly fat and decrease your blood triglycerides.
Do you need a prescription for appetite suppressants? There are appetite suppressants that require a prescription from a medical professional. Some examples of these are Phentermine, Contrave, and Orlistat (Xenical) are some popular examples of prescription weight loss supplements. However, there are numerous options that do not require prescriptions to purchase.
The majority of appetite suppressants are available over the counter for your convenience because they contain natural ingredients with proven benefits rather than some of the highly potent ingredients prescriptions carry. Each of the products shared in our ranking can be purchased and used without a prescription.
How are weight loss pills categorized? Weight loss drugs, pills and supplements can generally be separated into three categories (though some share categories): Increased thermogenic effect – this refers to increased heat production, metabolic rate and fat oxidation; reduced nutrient absorption – when fat or carbohydrate calories are absorbed less efficiently; decreased appetite – some nutrients and ingredients may decrease hunger, making it easier to reduce energy intake.
Recap
Appetite suppressants claim to help with weight loss by reducing hunger and increasing satiety. They may also have a direct effect on weight loss in some cases by increasing thermogenesis and offsetting a drop in metabolic rate while dieting. Weight regain often occurs once the product is stopped.
Research indicates that prescription appetite suppressants may help with weight loss. However, the number of case reports detailing adverse reactions and mild to serious side effects is concerning. Studies with follow-up find weight loss is not usually maintained once the drug is discontinued.
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