Meticore is a dietary supplement used for weight loss. The supplement's manufacturer suggests that this product increases core body temperature, which in turn increases metabolic rate, which can cause weight loss.
But does Meticore contain ingredients proven to cause weight loss? Does it contain any unhealthy ingredients? Why do we take issue with the health claims on the brand's website? And is Meticore better or worse than popular weight loss supplements like Leanbean?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Meticore to give our take on whether or not the supplement is likely to cause weight loss, and whether or not it's healthy.
We'll also highlight some questionable health and marketing claims on the brand's website, and compare Meticore to other popular weight loss supplements to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- We consider active ingredients to be underdosed
- Questionable health claims on brand's website
- We do not currently recommend Meticore
UPDATE: At the time of updating this article, Meticore appears to be out of business. You can scroll down to the section titled "Our Healthy Body Weight Picks" to see our current research-backed picks in this category.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Meticore are shown below:
image source: https://meticore.com
It's important to note that several different companies sell supplements called "Meticore," but this ingredient list comes from the website that we determined to be the official manufacturer at the time of initially publishing this article.
Vitamin B12 deficiency was shown to be associated with weight gain in a 2019 medical review, but we can't find any evidence that B12 supplementation benefits overweight individuals who aren't deficient in the vitamin.
Chromium is a mineral that's often included in weight loss supplements, however as we documented in our Plexus Slim reviews article, data from 19 clinical trials on chromium and weight loss found the results to be inconclusive.
The remaining active ingredients are included in a proprietary (prop) blend called Meticore Formula Blend, with a total dose of 250 milligrams (mg), which equates to an average ingredient dose of 42 mg.
Turmeric may cause weight loss at an appropriate dose, given that one of the phytochemicals in turmeric called curcumin is clinically shown to cause weight loss at or above a 500 mg dose.
However, that dose is more than 10x higher than the average ingredient dose in Meticore's prop blend, suggesting this ingredient may be underdosed.
African mango seed was shown in a 2011 clinical trial to cause weight loss, but a more concentrated, extracted version was used than the raw African mango seed in Meticore.
Further, the dose used in the trial was 150 mg, or more than 300% of the average ingredient dose in Meticore's prop blend.
Ginger was shown to be effective for weight loss in a 2018 meta-study that analyzed data from 14 clinical trials.
However, the lowest dose used in any of the trials was 200 mg daily, or more than 4x the average ingredient dose in Meticore's blend.
Moringa leaf and citrus bioflavonoids have been shown in animal studies to cause weight loss at high doses, but we can't find any human studies showing similar.
Fucoxanthin is an compound derived from brown algae.
A clinical trial published in the Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism journal found that fucoxanthin caused weight loss when combined with pomegranate seed oil, but pomegranate seed oil is not included in Meticore so we can't necessarily assume similar effects.
The inactive ingredients in this supplement should be safe and non-toxic.
Overall, we do not currently recommend Meticore because we're unable to identify any effectively-dosed active ingredients for weight loss.
Questionable Health Claims
When the Meticore website was still live, it contained the below health claim:
image source: https://meticore.com
No proof was provided for this claim, and we consider it to be a sign of a low-quality brand to make health claims without citation.
The website also claimed that Meticore was “safer than your daily multivitamin” without any medical citation.
Multivitamins have been studied extensively and are conclusively safe for long-term use. We found this statement to be highly questionable given that Meticore doesn't appear to have been studied in any clinical trials.
The website also claimed that “doctors researching these natural ingredients recommend you take Meticore for at least 90 days to 180 days to ensure you reach your desired weight.”
There was no reference to which doctors were making these claims, and this claim may be misleading to consumers.
Meticore later updated the language on their website, possibly due to our comments.
Questionable Marketing Practices
Meticore’s website included logos from various medical institutions right under their product pictures, which suggested that these institutions recommended the supplement:
image source: https://meticore.com
We very strongly disagree with this marketing practice because it may confuse consumers.
The logos of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), International Journal of Obesity, American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA), and the Journal of Applied Physiology were shown.
It’s unclear why these associations were highlighted, but it’s likely because some of the ingredients used in Meticore were referenced by these associations. That does not infer a recommendation of Meticore by any of these associations.
If a supplement company uses vitamin C in their formulations, it doesn't mean they can claim that the Council for Responsible Nutrition backs their product, just because that organization has studied vitamin C.
Our Healthy Body Weight Picks
Ceylon cinnamon was shown to support healthy body weight 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 help reduce body weight 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.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Meticore vs. Weight Loss Products
Here's how Meticore compares to other popular weight loss products in terms of formulation quality, in our opinion:
Leanbean
This women's weight loss supplement contains some research-backed active ingredients like green coffee extract, which is clinically shown to cause weight loss.
In regard to potential efficacy, we have similar concerns with Leanbean and Meticore; we're unable to identify any effectively-dosed active ingredients.
Leanbean has an official and clearly-defined manufacturer, which gives it an advantage from a safety perspective.
Winner: Leanbean
Sono Bello
This brand utilizes a type of liposuction for in-office fat loss treatment.
Major surgical complications can occur around 3% of the time, as we documented in our Sono Bello review article.
Nonwithstanding that risk, Sono Bello has the advantage from a safety perspective, because its risks are clearly defined and documented, as opposed to a dietary supplement from an unclear manufacturer without third-party testing data.
Winner: Sono Bello
Hydroxycut
FDA published Health Hazard Evaluation suggesting risk of liver injury.
While Meticore may be unsafe, Hydroxycut is unsafe in our view.
Meticore is the winner from a health and safety perspective.
Winner: Meticore
Meticore Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Inactive ingredients should be safe
Cons:
- Supplement appears to have been taken off market
- Doesn't appear to have been clinically tested
- Manufacturer website included uncited health claims
- Manufacturer website included unproven marketing claims
- Unimpressive formulation
- We're unable to identify any effectively dosed active ingredients
- Unclear official manufacturer/distributor
- Less healthy than some competirors
