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.
Can Food Supplements Cause Weight Loss?
There are several food-based weight loss supplements with significant research backing.
Dietary fiber is associated with weight loss in clinical trials, especially when combined with caloric restriction.
A landmark medical study found that moderate caloric restriction (750 calories per day below baseline) combined with dietary fiber intake (a minimum of 20 grams per day) caused an average weight loss of 16.03 pounds over 6 months. That’s a pace of 32 pounds per year of weight loss in overweight individuals simply by adding fiber to a moderately-restricted-calorie diet.
The fiber supplement we recommend is SuperGut Fiber Mix, which costs $59.
It contains a clean and effective formulation: a blend of three different types of unflavored dietary fiber and zero additive ingredients. It can be mixed into liquids or foods. Interested consumers can buy SuperGut fiber at this link to the product page on the brand's website.
We recommend using two fiber mixes per day, which provides 16 grams (g) of fiber. Diet should provide the remaining fiber necessary to meet the 20 g minimum threshold.
MCT oil is derived from coconuts, quickly absorbed by the body and increases metabolic rate, which causes fat loss. A meta-study on MCT oil documented weight loss of 1.12 pounds over 10 weeks. This equates to a potential annualized weight loss of 5.84 pounds with MCT oil supplementation.
We recommend Bulletproof MCT Oil as our top MCT oil product, because it has a clean and effective formulation. The only ingredient is MCT oil derived from coconuts, and the product has no questionable additives. Interested consumers can buy Bulletproof MCT Oil at this link to the product page on the brand's website. This supplement only costs $15.50 for over a month's worth of product.
