Combat Cravings is a weight loss supplement sold by Olly. The brand suggests that this supplement can help "keep you in control of food cravings" and that it supports metabolism.
But does Olly Combat Cravings contain ingredients shown in research studies to cause weight loss? Does it contain any unhealthy ingredients? Will Olly Combat Cravings cause side effects? And how does it compare to other popular weight loss supplements like Green Tea Fat Burner?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Olly Combat Cravings to give our take on whether or not it's likely to be effective for weight loss, and whether or not it's healthy.
We'll also discuss the risk of side effects, and compare Olly Combat Cravings to other popular weight loss supplements in terms of formulation quality.
Key takeaways:
- Should support weight loss
- Contains very high chromium dose which concerns us
- We do not currently recommend Olly Combat Cravings
Ingredient Analysis
The active ingredients in Olly Combat Cravings are shown below:
Chromium is a mineral that was shown in a meta-study published in the Obesity Reviews journal.
However, the study authors stated that "The magnitude of the effect is small."
This supplement provides 1,000 micrograms (mcg) of chromium, which is 2,857% of the Daily Value (DV). High doses of chromium are clinically shown to cause kidney damage:
"Chromium supplements may cause serious renal impairment when ingested in excess."
At the time of publishing this article, the brand fails to publish any information on their product page showing this chromium dose to be safe for repeated intake in humans.
Green tea extract was shown in a 2009 medical review to cause weight loss.
However, we can't identify any trials showing it to cause weight loss at a dose as low as that in Combat Cravings.
Ginger extract has been shown in research studies to cause weight loss, as we documented in our PhenGold reviews article.
Goji berry juice powder is the final active ingredient, and we can't find any clinical evidence that it has an anti-obesity effect at the dose in this supplement.
The inactive ingredients in this supplement are shown below:
Olly has significantly improved the healthiness of this supplement since our initial publication of this review, removing titanium dioxide from the inactive ingredients.
Titanium dioxide is banned in the EU for use as a food additive due to toxicity concerns.
Overall, we consider Olly Combat Cravings somewhat likely to cause weight loss, because it has one active ingredient we consider effectively dosed for weight loss.
We don't currently recommend this supplement due to the relatively high chromium dose.
Will Combat Cravings Cause Side Effects?
Olly Combat Cravings doesn't appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, which makes it more challenging to determine the risk of side effects.
However, we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.
We do not consider this supplement likely to cause side effects in otherwise healthy individuals, because its active ingredients are well-studied.
However, we're concerned about a rare potential risk of kidney issues due to the relatively high chromium dose, for reasons explained in the previous section of this article.
There is no mention of side effects on the product page on the brand's website at the time of publishing this article.
Do Craving Hacks Exist?
A YouTube creator named "TheHealthNerd" has a video on research-backed natural appetite suppressants:
Combat Cravings vs. Popular Weight Loss Supps
Here's how Olly Combat Cravings compares to other popular weight loss supplements in terms of likely effectiveness and safety, in our opinion:
ZipSlim
Marketed as a weight loss lemonade, ZipSlim contains one more active ingredient we consider unhealthy than Olly Combat Cravings.
Also contains three inactive ingredients we consider unhealthy, as we documented in our ZipSlim review article.
Winner: Olly Combat Cravings
Green Tea Fat Burner
Contains green tea extract at an 800% higher dose than Olly Combat Cravings, but contains chromium at a lower dose.
Also contains titanium dioxide as an inactive ingredient.
Winner: Tie
Redotex
Dangerous Mexican weight loss drug that contains active ingredients not approved by the FDA.
Contains a documented addictive potential, and product quality is a serious question, given that these pills are not currently manufactured by any reputable American company.
Winner: Olly Combat Cravings
Our Clean Weight Loss Picks
Ceylon cinnamon was described as "an effective anti-obesity agent" in a 2022 meta-analysis. The study authors concluded that effects were greater at doses at or over 3 grams daily.
Illuminate Labs Ceylon Cinnamon Extract is our standardized Ceylon cinnamon supplement which is third-party tested to ensure purity and potency.
Dietary fiber was shown in a medical review published in The Journal of Nutrition to cause 16 pounds of weight loss in 6 months when combined with moderate caloric restriction (750 calories per day below baseline).
MBG Organic Fiber Potency+ is our top fiber pick because it's certified organic, provides 7 g of fiber per serving and costs under $1.85 per serving at the time of updating this article.
Both of the products mentioned in this section are free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Olly Combat Cravings Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Chromium is effectively dosed for weight loss
- Green tea and ginger have research backing for weight loss
- Mostly positive reviews on TikTok
- Affordable
- Capsule rather than gummy (generally healthier)
- Unlikely to cause side effects if used for short periods
- Brand recently improved healthiness of formulation
Cons:
- Doesn't appear to be clinically tested
- High chromium dose
- Green tea and ginger may be underdosed
