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Coleus Forskohlii and Weight Loss: The 'Fat Burning Aid' Claim

Quick answer

Coleus forskohlii weight loss claims rest on very little. In three small trials, 500 mg a day of forskolin did not change body weight, according to the NIH. Sugar Defender lists coleus ninth of 22, so a 1 mL serving holds at most 22 mg.

Written by the Sugar Defender label teamUpdated October 18, 2026 · 4 min read

A brand photo of the plant's leaves. The label uses the root extract and prints no amount.

The claim01

What is the coleus forskohlii weight loss claim?

The sales page calls coleus a "Fat Burning Aid". The idea is that forskolin, a compound in the root, helps the body use stored fat.

That is a marketing line, not a label statement. The bottle lists "Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract" ninth in the 200 mg blend and says nothing about fat.

The idea is easy to sell. Fat is easy to picture, and a root with a Latin name sounds like science. Sound is not proof, though, and the claim has to stand on trials.

Forskolin is the compound that gives the extract its name in supplement aisles. Memorial Sloan Kettering notes that clinical studies showing safety and effectiveness are lacking (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)).

Research02

Does coleus forskohlii help you lose weight?

The best summary says no clear effect. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements reports that forskolin at 500 mg a day did not change body weight in three small trials (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss).

Three small trials is not much to go on. A larger, longer trial could still find something, but none is cited here. Until one appears, the fair summary is that the claim is unproven.

Compare that with the products that do help. The CDC describes steady loss of 5% to 7% of body weight, plus 150 minutes of activity a week, as the approach with proof (CDC, Prediabetes).

Coleus at a glance
Item	Detail
Sales line	"Fat Burning Aid"
Studied dose	500 mg a day of 10% forskolin extract
Weight result	No effect in three small trials
Place on label	9th of 22
Ceiling per 1 mL	22 mg

The math03

How much coleus is in each Sugar Defender serving?

At most 22 mg, and the label does not print the real figure.

The blend runs from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)), so the ninth item cannot exceed 200 divided by 9. An even split would be about 9 mg.

The studied extract dose was 500 mg a day, and a bottle gives one 1 mL serving a day. The ceiling is about 4% of the trial dose. If the trials found nothing at 500 mg, a smaller amount is unlikely to do more. And because the true share is hidden, nobody outside the company can say how close to the ceiling it is.

Chromium
0.3% of the low end

1 mL, the label dose0.7 mcg
200-1,000 mcg a day in glucose studies200-1,000 mcg
Printed on the label: 0.7 mcg per mL. (NIH ODS, Chromium)
Gymnema
4.5% of the low end (even split)

1 mL, the label dose, even split9.1 mg
1 mL, label-order ceiling (place 8)25 mg
200-400 mg a day of extract200-400 mg
Not printed: #8 in a 200 mg blend of 22. (Drugs.com, Gymnema monograph)
African mango
3.0% of the low end (even split)

1 mL, the label dose, even split9.1 mg
1 mL, label-order ceiling (place 4)50 mg
300 mg a day (150 mg twice)300 mg
Not printed: #4 in a 200 mg blend of 22. (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss)
Panax ginseng
9.1% of the low end (even split)

1 mL, the label dose, even split9.1 mg
1 mL, label-order ceiling (place 12)17 mg
From about 100 mg a day (up to 20 g)100 mg
Not printed: #12 in a 200 mg blend of 22. (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014)
Coleus (forskolin extract)
1.8% of the low end (even split)

1 mL, the label dose, even split9.1 mg
1 mL, label-order ceiling (place 9)22 mg
500 mg a day of 10% extract500 mg
Not printed: #9 in a 200 mg blend of 22. (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii))

Red bars: what the label dose of 1 mL can hold. The label prints only the chromium amount; for blend ingredients we show an even split (200 mg / 22, about 9 mg per mL) and the most the label order allows. Gold bars: daily amounts of that ingredient alone in studies; the light extension shows a range. Even the ceilings sit under the studied doses.

The coleus forskohlii ingredient page sets this out beside the other blend lines.

Safety04

Is coleus forskohlii safe with blood pressure or blood thinner drugs?

It needs a talk with your pharmacist first. Memorial Sloan Kettering lists low blood pressure, a slow heart rate and diarrhea as side effects (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)).

Forskolin may add to blood-pressure medicines. It may also raise bleeding risk with warfarin and other blood thinners.

On a blood pressure drug: ask before starting.
On warfarin or similar: ask before starting.
Dizzy or faint after starting: stop and call your doctor.

Keep taking prescribed medicine

Never drop a prescription because of a supplement. Weight changes should be planned with your care team.

Verdict05

Should "Fat Burning Aid" guide your decision?

No. The phrase is a sales line, and the research does not back it.

Judge Sugar Defender on its label, price and guarantee instead. Ask what you would still want from the bottle if the weight line were removed. If the answer is nothing, skip it. If the rest appeals to you, the 60-day money-back window gives you time to decide.

The Sugar Defender ingredients page covers every line.

FAQ06

Coleus questions

What is forskolin?

Forskolin is the active compound from the root of Coleus forskohlii. Supplements often standardize the extract to a percentage of it. Sugar Defender does not say how its extract is standardized.

Can coleus lower blood pressure?

Possibly. Memorial Sloan Kettering lists low blood pressure and a slow heart rate as side effects, and says it may add to blood-pressure medicine. Ask your doctor before combining them.

Is coleus the same as Plectranthus barbatus?

They refer to the same plant under different botanical names. Labels may use either one, so check the English name, coleus forskohlii, when you compare products.

Who wrote this07

Written and reviewed by

Written byThe Sugar Defender label teamSugar-defenders, authorized American Sugar Defender outlet

Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.

Medically reviewed byDr. Aimee Duffy, MD, PhysicianRole: Medical reviewerReview date: October 19, 2026

Last updated October 18, 2026. Read our editorial standards and the way we check reviews. This website is run by an authorized American Sugar Defender outlet, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. Purchases made through our order links earn us money.

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