Trimtone is a weight loss supplement marketed to women. The brand describes itself as a “100% natural fat burner for women” that can help consumers “see noticeable results within a few weeks.”
But does Trimtone contain research-backed ingredients for weight loss, or are these just marketing claims? Does the product contain any unhealthy additive ingredients? Do women really require different weight loss supplements than men? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Trimtone?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in Trimtone based on medical studies to give our take on whether or not the supplement is likely to be effective.
We’ll also share our thoughts about whether women-specific weight loss supplements are really more effective, and explain why Trimtone’s own sources disprove some of their health claims.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Trimtone are shown above. The brand publishes this Supplement Facts label all the way down in the FAQ section, rather than in the ingredients section.
Trimtone contains five active ingredients: caffeine, green coffee extract, green tea, glucomannan, and grains of paradise. All of these ingredients have at least been studied for their weight loss effect.
Caffeine was shown in a medical review published in the Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition journal to cause weight loss, and while the 120 milligram (mg) dose in Trimtone is lower than the dose in most of the trials cited in that review, there were some trials with a lower dose.
This is an equivalent caffeine intake to around one cup of coffee.
Green coffee extract was shown to cause weight loss in a medical review published in the Phytomedicine journal. Trial participants supplementing with green coffee extract lost an average of 1.29 pounds over 8 weeks. However, we’re unable to identify any clinical evidence that this ingredient at as low a dose as exists in Trimtone (100 mg) is effective.
Green tea was reported to cause a modest amount of weight loss in a 2012 meta-study. However, 16 of the 18 clinical trials analyzed included a catechin (the active phytochemical) dose between 270 and 646 mg, while the entire green tea dose (not just the catechin dose) is only 100 mg in Trimtone. Thus we consider this ingredient likely underdosed.
Glucomannan is a type of dietary fiber that was shown in a meta-study to have no effect on weight loss, as we documented in our Leanbean reviews article on another woman-specific weight loss supplement containing this ingredient.
Grains of paradise is a seed extract that was shown in a 2014 clinical trial to cause weight loss and fat loss at a dose slightly lower than that in Trimtone pills.
One benefit of Trimtone is that the inactive ingredients are totally safe and non-toxic.
Overall we consider this supplement to be potentially effective for weight loss. It contains two ingredients that we consider effectively dosed for weight loss, and two other ingredients that we consider effective for weight loss but underdosed in this formulation.
But do woman-specific weight loss supplements make sense? We’ll analyze in the following section.
Our Issues With Gendered Weight Loss Supplements
While men and women have differing hormone levels, we haven’t come across any convincing medical evidence that men and women require different weight loss strategies or products.
Weight loss is a simple thermogenic process that affects both sexes the same: calories consumed versus calories expended.
We consider Trimtone’s claim of a “fat burner for women” to be a marketing claim rather than a health claim, because the brand provides no proof that their supplement is more effective in women than men. We don’t see any clinical evidence that Trimtone is likely to be more effective for women, and in fact we consider the supplement potentially effective for weight loss in men given the two effectively-dosed active ingredients.
There are some categories of supplements that can be optimized for sex, including hormone supplements and sexual enhancement supplements. However, we don’t consider weight loss to be one of them.
In our opinion, gendered weight loss supplements are a red flag that consumers can look out for that may signal a brand that’s more focused on marketing than on good science.
Trimtone’s Own Sources Prove Their Ingredient Underdosing
Most consumers don’t take the time to read the fine print for health supplement citations, but we do.
As we outlined in the ingredient analysis, we don’t consider glucomannan to be an effective weight loss ingredient at the dose in Trimtone. Trimtone’s own medical citations use doses vastly higher than that in the supplement.
Here are the two medical studies cited by Trimtone to support their health claims about glucomannan causing weight loss. The first uses a dose of 3,000 mg daily (30x the amount in Trimtone), the second uses a dose of 2,000 mg daily (20x the amount in Trimtone).
The brand also claims that green tea is effective for weight loss, but the two clinical trials they cite use significantly higher doses than that in Trimtone.
We hope that in the future Trimtone either removes the health claims they’re making based on data that objectively disproves their own claims, or sources different trials proving their claims.
Will Trimtone Cause Side Effects?
Trimtone doesn’t appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, so it’s impossible to say for certain whether or not the supplement will cause side effects. However, we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.
We do not consider Trimtone likely to cause side effects. All of its active ingredients are well-studied and safe. Caffeine may cause side effects in some sensitive individuals, but the amount in Trimtone is only equivalent to around one cup of coffee.
Green tea extract can be harmful to the liver in high doses, but the dose in Trimtone is relatively low.
The brand states on their website that there are “no known side effects” of Trimtone.
Our Clean Weight Loss Picks
There are food-based nutrients which have been shown in medical studies to be effective for weight loss.
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).
Supergut Fiber Mix is our recommended fiber supplement, because it contains three different types of fiber powder and no questionable additive ingredients. Interested consumers can check out Supergut Fiber Mix at this link to the product page on the brand's official website, where it retails for under $2 per serving at a subscription rate.
MCT oil is quickly absorbed by the body and increases metabolic rate, which causes fat loss. A 2015 meta-study on MCT oil documented more than one pound of weight loss over 10 weeks. This equates to potential annualized weight loss of 6 pounds per year with less than one tablespoon's worth of MCT oil per day.
Bulletproof MCT Oil is our top MCT oil product, because the only ingredient is MCT oil derived from coconuts. There are no questionable additives. Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof MCT Oil at this link to the product page on the brand's official website, where it currently costs only $15.50 for over a month's worth of product.
Coffee is one of the few whole food ingredients associated with weight loss in clinical trials. A meta-analysis published in the Nutrients journal found that coffee intake was associated with reduced body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.
VitaCup Organic Instant Coffee Sticks is our top coffee product for weight loss, due to its convenience. No preparation or machinery is needed. The sticks can be mixed into hot or cold water (or other beverages) and consumed. The only ingredient is organic instant coffee; no questionable additives.
Interested consumers can check out VitaCup Organic Instant Coffee Sticks at this link to the product page on the brand's official website, where they retail for $1 per serving at a subscription rate.
