Ingredients
Sugar Defender Ingredients: What Is in Each 1 mL
Each 1 mL of Sugar Defender holds chromium picolinate and a 200 mg blend of 22 plant extracts, compounds and amino acids.
Chromium is listed at 0.7 mcg per mL, and maca root leads the blend. Single blend amounts are not printed.
Read how Sugar Defender works.
Written by the Sugar Defender label teamUpdated
The list01
What is the full Sugar Defender ingredients list?
The Sugar Defender ingredients list is chromium plus 22 blend ingredients, 23 lines in all. They fall into four groups: one mineral, twelve plant extracts, two other compounds and eight amino acids.
- 1Chromium (as chromium picolinate)0.7 mcg per mL · 2% DV
- 2Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Root ExtractBlend place 1 · at most 200 mg per mL
- 3Grape (Vitis vinifera) Seed ExtractBlend place 2 · at most 100 mg per mL
- 4Guarana (Paullinia cupana) Seed ExtractBlend place 3 · at most 67 mg per mL
- 5African Mango (Irvingia gabonensis) Fruit ExtractBlend place 4 · at most 50 mg per mL
- 6Eleutherococcus Senticosus Root ExtractBlend place 5 · at most 40 mg per mL
- 7Astragalus Membranaceus Root ExtractBlend place 6 · at most 33 mg per mL
- 8Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) Leaf ExtractBlend place 7 · at most 29 mg per mL
- 9Gymnema Sylvestre Leaf ExtractBlend place 8 · at most 25 mg per mL
- 10Coleus Forskohlii Root ExtractBlend place 9 · at most 22 mg per mL
- 11Capsicum Annuum Fruit ExtractBlend place 10 · at most 20 mg per mL
- 12Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) Seed ExtractBlend place 11 · at most 18 mg per mL
- 13Panax Ginseng Root ExtractBlend place 12 · at most 17 mg per mL
- 14Raspberry KetonesBlend place 13 · at most 15 mg per mL
- 15L-GlutamineBlend place 14 · at most 14 mg per mL
- 16L-TyrosineBlend place 15 · at most 13 mg per mL
- 17L-Arginine BaseBlend place 16 · at most 12 mg per mL
- 18Beta-AlanineBlend place 17 · at most 12 mg per mL
- 19Monoammonium GlycyrrhizinateBlend place 18 · at most 11 mg per mL
- 20GABA (Gamma aminobutyric acid)Blend place 19 · at most 11 mg per mL
- 21L-Ornithine HClBlend place 20 · at most 10 mg per mL
- 22L-TryptophanBlend place 21 · at most 10 mg per mL
- 23L-Carnitine BaseBlend place 22 · at most 9 mg per mL
From the Supplement Facts panel on the label. Places 1-22 are the blend, in order from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). Other ingredients (deionized water, citrus extract, natural flavors, stevia, xylitol) are left out of the count.
On the bottle02
Where are the Sugar Defender ingredients printed?
The Sugar Defender ingredients are printed in the Supplement Facts panel on the right side of the label.
Chromium sits on top with its amount, then the blend with one total, then the other ingredients.
Read it word for word
Every word of the panel, including the footnote and warnings, is typed out in the Sugar Defender supplement facts transcript.
Doses03
How much of each Sugar Defender ingredient is in one dropper?
Only chromium has a printed amount: 0.7 mcg per dropper. The other 22 share 200 mg, about 9 mg each if split evenly.
Because the blend runs from most to least by weight, ginseng, in place 12, can hold at most 17 mg.
| Label line | Place | Per mL (1 dropper) | Amount used in research | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chromium (as chromium picolinate) | Chromium line | 0.7 mcg | 200-1,000 mcg a day (NIH ODS, Chromium) | Mixed; small effect in some people with diabetes |
| Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Root Extract | 1 of 22 | at most 200 mg | Studied for other uses, not blood sugar (MSKCC, Maca) | No blood sugar trials |
| Grape (Vitis vinifera) Seed Extract | 2 of 22 | at most 100 mg | Studied for other uses (NCCIH, Grape Seed Extract) | Not established for blood sugar |
| Guarana (Paullinia cupana) Seed Extract | 3 of 22 | at most 67 mg | Caffeine source (MSKCC, Guarana) (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?) | Not a blood sugar ingredient |
| African Mango (Irvingia gabonensis) Fruit Extract | 4 of 22 | at most 50 mg | 150 mg twice a day (300 mg) (MSKCC, Irvingia gabonensis (African mango)) (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss) | Weak, small trials |
| Eleutherococcus Senticosus Root Extract | 5 of 22 | at most 40 mg | 800 mg a day in one trial (MSKCC, Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero)) (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance) | No effect in rigorous studies |
| Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract | 6 of 22 | at most 33 mg | No blood sugar dose established (NCCIH, Astragalus) | Not established |
| Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) Leaf Extract | 7 of 22 | at most 29 mg | 141-1,207 mg catechins (weight studies) (NCCIH, Green Tea) (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss) | Small, inconsistent |
| Gymnema Sylvestre Leaf Extract | 8 of 22 | at most 25 mg | 200-400 mg a day of extract (Drugs.com, Gymnema monograph) | Small trials; small effect |
| Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract | 9 of 22 | at most 22 mg | 500 mg a day of 10% forskolin extract (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)) (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss) | No weight effect in small trials |
| Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract | 10 of 22 | at most 20 mg | 2-4 mg capsaicin a day (MSKCC, Cayenne (Capsicum)) (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss) | No significant weight change |
| Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) Seed Extract | 11 of 22 | at most 18 mg | No studied dose found (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs) | Not established |
| Panax Ginseng Root Extract | 12 of 22 | at most 17 mg | About 100 mg to 20 g (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng) (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014) | Modest drop in fasting glucose; no A1C effect |
| Raspberry Ketones | 13 of 22 | at most 15 mg | Only tested in combination products (OPSS (DoD), Raspberry Ketone) (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss) | No human evidence alone |
| L-Glutamine | 14 of 22 | at most 14 mg | About 15-45 g a day (sports studies) (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance) | Not supported for performance |
| L-Tyrosine | 15 of 22 | at most 13 mg | No verified dose source | Not established |
| L-Arginine Base | 16 of 22 | at most 12 mg | 2-20 g a day (sports studies) (MSKCC, Arginine) (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance) | Little or no performance benefit |
| Beta-Alanine | 17 of 22 | at most 12 mg | 1.6-6.4 g a day (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance) | Mixed (exercise only) |
| Monoammonium Glycyrrhizinate | 18 of 22 | at most 11 mg | No studied dose found (NCCIH, Licorice Root) | Not established |
| GABA (Gamma aminobutyric acid) | 19 of 22 | at most 11 mg | No verified dose source | Not established |
| L-Ornithine HCl | 20 of 22 | at most 10 mg | No verified dose source | Not established |
| L-Tryptophan | 21 of 22 | at most 10 mg | No blood sugar dose established (NORD, Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome) (Drugs.com, L-tryptophan) | Not established |
| L-Carnitine Base | 22 of 22 | at most 9 mg | 2-3 g a day (type 2 diabetes studies) (NIH ODS, Carnitine) | Some glucose improvement; more trials needed |
Research04
Which Sugar Defender ingredients were studied for blood sugar?
Four Sugar Defender ingredients have human blood sugar research: chromium, gymnema, Panax ginseng and L-carnitine. The rest were studied for other goals, or barely at all.
Even those four show small effects, at doses the dropper cannot reach. Each name in the table opens a profile, such as chromium picolinate in Sugar Defender.
Sugar Defender: from $49 a bottle60 mL · 1 mL a day · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsThe count05
Does Sugar Defender have 24 ingredients?
No. The label lists 23 active lines, while the sales page speaks of "24 proven ingredients" and names only 8 of them (Sugar Defender sales and order pages).
The word "proven" does not hold either. No ingredient is proven for blood sugar at these amounts, and the drops have no trial (ADA, Vitamins & Supplements). Read why in the Sugar Defender benefits review.
Other ingredients06
What else is in Sugar Defender besides the blend?
Sugar Defender also holds deionized water, organic citrus extract, natural flavors, stevia and xylitol. These carry and sweeten the drops.
Xylitol can cause a fast, dangerous drop in a dog's blood sugar (FDA, Paws Off Xylitol). Guarana and green tea add caffeine, with no amount printed; see guarana and green tea in Sugar Defender.
Before you start07
Who should check the Sugar Defender ingredients with a doctor?
Anyone on regular medicine should, as the label asks. Bring the list to your pharmacist.
- Insulin or a sulfonylurea: chromium, gymnema and ginseng may add to them (NIH ODS, Chromium)
- Statins or heart-rhythm drugs: grapefruit extract (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs)
- Antidepressants: L-tryptophan (Drugs.com, L-tryptophan)
- Blood thinners: coleus and ginseng (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii))
Keep taking prescribed medicine as directed. More in Sugar Defender side effects.
FAQ08
Sugar Defender ingredient questions
Which Sugar Defender ingredients are sweeteners?
No sugar appears on the label. The drops are sweetened with stevia (steviol glycosides) and xylitol, listed under other ingredients. FDA has not questioned high-purity steviol glycosides as sweeteners (FDA, Aspartame and Other Sweeteners).
Which Sugar Defender ingredients contain caffeine?
Guarana seed extract, third in the blend, and green tea leaf extract, seventh. Both are natural caffeine sources (MSKCC, Guarana). The label gives no caffeine amount, so count the drops toward your daily total.
Does Sugar Defender contain berberine or cinnamon?
No. Neither is on the label. Berberine has its own trials in type 2 diabetes (Frontiers in Pharmacology, Berberine meta-analysis 2022), but it is not in this formula.
Why does Sugar Defender not list each ingredient amount?
It uses a proprietary blend. Federal rules let a blend show one total weight, with ingredients ordered from most to least (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). So the exact dose of each blend ingredient stays unknown.
Are the Sugar Defender ingredients natural?
Twelve of the 23 lines are plant extracts. Chromium picolinate, the amino acids and raspberry ketones are made compounds. Only the citrus extract is marked organic, and the label lists natural flavors without naming them.
Is Sugar Defender gluten free or vegan?
The label does not say. It prints no allergen, gluten-free or vegan statement. With an allergy, email the brand at [email protected] before you order.
Who wrote this09
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . 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.
Keep reading
More about Sugar Defender
Authorized American Sugar Defender outlet
Ready to try Sugar Defender?
Start with a medicine check, then pick a pack. Three or six bottles ship free in the US at a lower price per bottle, and every pack carries the 60-day money-back guarantee.
- Secure checkout
- 60-day money-back guarantee
- Ships from the U.S., free on 3 or 6
