What are the best supplements to support women's weight loss goals?

"Weight loss is simple — you just burn more than you eat!"

It's the age-old, well-intentioned 'advice' we're all tired of hearing. Because anyone who has ever tried to lose weight (and actually keep it off) knows the reality is actually far more complicated.

That's especially true for women, thanks to the intricate web of factors like hormones, body image pressures, and age-related metabolism changes to contend with.

On top of that, it can feel like a minefield trying to navigate all the weight loss products and protocols on the market these days. Now, you can't even scroll through Instagram without being bombarded with ads for the latest powder, capsule, or gummy that claims to help you rapidly burn fat.

While some of these supplements are helpful additions to your weight loss journey — helping you tackle some of those biological factors that can sabotage your efforts — not all are created equal.

To help you sort the diamonds from the doozies, read on for our guide to the best dietary supplements for women's weight loss.

Do you need supplements to lose weight?

Let's get this straight — you absolutely don't need supplements in order to lose weight.

Some people find they do just fine without them, through a combination of diet, exercise, and healthy lifestyle changes.

Others skip the supplement path altogether and seek medically-assisted weight loss programs to tackle the root of their weight loss challenges.

However, for plenty of others, supplements are a helpful adjunct to their weight loss journey.

When chosen wisely, they can help address dietary deficiencies, reduce stress, improve your energy levels, and burn calories [1].

What are the best supplements for weight loss?

To help you get the most out of your weight loss efforts, it's important to choose dietary supplements wisely.

This means going for naturally derived products that are clinically proven to help with weight management. Here are some of the best supplements for female weight loss.

Protein

There's a reason why protein powders have been popular in the health and fitness world for so long.

The macronutrient is essential for keeping us full and giving us enough energy to power through our workouts.

It's also crucial for muscle function and development. Plus, muscle has a direct impact on your basal metabolic rate — meaning, the more lean body mass you have, the more calories you burn at rest [2].

That said, not everyone gets enough protein naturally through their diet — especially those who don't eat meat-based products. That's where protein supplementation comes in.

There are many different types to choose from these days, ranging from dairy-based ones like whey and casein to plant-based ones like hemp and pea. So, you can find the perfect one for your specific tastes and lifestyle.

Ashwagandha

As a medicinal herb extract known for its calming benefits, you might be surprised to see this on a list of the best weight loss supplements.

However, the adaptogen can also have a powerful indirect effect in helping you shed excess weight.

In one clinical study, participants who took ashwagandha extract saw a significant reduction in body mass index (BMI) compared to the placebo group — likely due to a reduction in chronic stress [3].

There's also evidence that the compound can improve thyroid function, which can moderate and reduce appetite.

For a convenient way to get your daily dose of ashwagandha, it happens to be a star ingredient in our Daily Essential Superblend greens powder.

Berberine

Berberine has been getting a lot of attention recently. A compound found in plants such as goldenseal, barberr and Oregon grape, it's been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine to treat various conditions for hundreds of years.

However, newer research shows promise specifically for weight loss — with a 2022 meta-analysis showing it can significantly lower weight, waist circumference, and body mass index as well as other metabolic health markers like blood pressure [5].

It's thought that berberine's alkaloid properties promote weight loss by improving blood glucose levels and reducing insulin resistance.

Berberine supplements are now available over-the-counter but take care: it can have a number of digestive side effects like bloating and nausea.

It's also important to manage your expectations — as, while you might see some, weight loss, it likely won't be as reliable or effective as medically-backed treatments.

Dietary fibre

One of the reasons medical treatment works so well is because it keeps you full for longer. This helps to naturally reduce calorie intake, which leads to weight loss over time.

But, if you're not eligible for these treatments — or they're just not for you — dietary fibre can have a similar effect.

While the impact is likely to be slower and less pronounced, water-soluble fibre expands in the stomach, to help give you that feeling of fullness and satiety [7].

They can also help keep you 'regular', while can help flush out some of that water weight you've been holding onto (often translating to a drop on the scales).

Our Daily Fullness and Digestion Blend harnesses Sunfiber (a clinically studied prebiotic fibre derived from guar gum) and Solnul (an upcycled potato-derived prebiotic fibre containing resistant starch type 2) to help ensure your food is digested more slowly.

Three supplements to avoid

At best, scammy weight loss supplements drain your bank balance and take up room in your pantry. At worst, they can actually sabotage your weight loss efforts and lead to unpleasant adverse effects (including weight gain).

Here are some of the so-called weight loss supplements that are best avoided.

Stimulants

You might find these marketed as a fat burner or something with 'shred' in the title.

They can be incredibly tempting to experiment with, especially as they tend to be accompanied by extreme 'before and after' transformation pictures. The idea is they put your body into a thermogenic state, leading to increased energy expenditure.

However, the reality is that these are essentially a glorified version of chugging a Diet Red Bull before you hit the gym.

There's limited evidence that using these stimulant fat burners leads to meaningful and lasting weight loss.

In fact, in some cases, it can backfire by putting your body into a high-stress state where it clings to fat for dear life [8].

Green tea extract

You might remember a time when green bottles with little leaves on them were everywhere. Chances are, this was green tea extract — a weight loss supplement that was popular in the early 2010s.

These claimed to rev up the metabolism, provide an energy boost and dampen appetite: helping the user (theoretically) burn fewer calories than they consumed.

Not only is there limited evidence backing its weight loss benefits, green tea extract also comes with serious safety concerns.

There have been several cases of liver failure linked to consuming the supplement — likely due to a buildup of inflammatory toxins.

If you're keen to harness the mild thermogenic (or, fat-burning) benefits of green tea, you'd be much better off pouring yourself a cuppa and getting the overall health benefits, too,

Laxatives

Another weight loss supplement best left in the 2010s, laxatives come in several different forms — including powders, capsules, chocolates, and teas.

These achieve one thing and one thing only: leaving you rushing to the toilet (usually at the worst possible time).

Any weight loss you do achieve will be temporary and simply food waste — not any meaningful fat loss.

Tips for incorporating supplements into your routine

Keen to try one of these weight loss supplements? Keeping in mind that consistency is key, here are some tips to make sure you actually remember to take them.

Anchor your habits

The best way to build any new healthy habit is to incorporate it into the things you're already doing — and taking dietary supplements is no exception.

Always reach for a glass of water in the morning after sleep? Prep a glass of the Daily Essential Superblend and pop it in the fridge overnight.

Crave something sweet after the gym? Replace your usual mocha frappe with the Nourish Shake.

It's also wise to avoid incorporating too many healthy habits at once. If you're already adding a greens powder to your stack, you probably don't want to add a bunch of other supplements at the same time.

Not only is it too many new things to remember, but it makes it difficult to identify what's working and what's not.

As it can take a few weeks to build a new habit, it's best to tackle one thing at a time.

Find what works for you

Everyone's daily routine is different. You may find it works best for you to take your supplements first thing in the morning.

Or, if mornings are too manic for you, it might be better to consume them at lunchtime or dinnertime.

Being unflavoured, our Daily Fullness + Digestion Blend is versatile enough to mix into hot or cold drinks — giving you more options to tailor it to your preferences.

It's important to note that many supplements do need to be taken with food (ie. not on an empty stomach), so do be sure to check the label for instructions.

Stay patient

As with anything, results aren't achieved with supplements overnight.

While some might give you immediate effects (like, feelings of fullness or being more energised), it often takes days, weeks, or months to see the full results.

To help make it easier to stay the course, it's important to find supplements that you actually enjoy.

Available in delicious vanilla and chocolate flavours, our Nourish Shakes are a supplement you'll actually look forward to taking every day.

Packed with 20 vitamins and minerals, 29 grams of high-quality protein and at only 205 calories per shake, you can feel confident that you're getting plenty of bang for your nutritional buck.

Reach your weight loss goals with Juniper

It's important to note that weight loss supplements work differently for everyone. What helps one person lose body weight easily might have a negligible effect on someone else.

Thankfully, Juniper's team of health professionals can help you cut out the guesswork and find the best weight loss solution for your individual situation.

Take our short questionnaire to discover your options today.

Image credit: Darina Belonogova via Pexels