Coleus forskohlii
Coleus in Sugar Defender: How much forskolin root sits in one dropper?
Coleus forskohlii in Sugar Defender is a root extract, ninth of the 22 ingredients in the 200 mg blend. That place caps it at about 22 mg per 1 mL serving, and an even split gives about 9 mg. Forskolin trials used 500 mg a day of a 10% extract and found no clear weight effect. No trial has tested coleus at these doses.
Written by the Sugar Defender label teamUpdated
The plant01
What is coleus forskohlii in Sugar Defender?
Coleus forskohlii in Sugar Defender is an extract of the plant's root. The label prints it as "Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract", the ninth line of the proprietary blend.
The plant is a mint relative from India and Southeast Asia. Botanists now file it as Plectranthus barbatus, but supplement labels keep the old name.
Its root holds forskolin, the compound most supplements sell it for. Memorial Sloan Kettering notes that clinical studies showing forskolin is safe and effective are lacking (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)).
| Name on the label | Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Plectranthus barbatus root (forskolin) |
| Place on the label | 9 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #9 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 22 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | 500 mg a day of 10% forskolin extract |
| Strength of evidence | No weight effect in small trials |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sold for weight loss |
| Main caution | Can lower blood pressure; bleeding risk with blood thinners. |
Dose math02
How much coleus is in one dropper of Sugar Defender?
One dropper of Sugar Defender holds at most about 22 mg of coleus root extract. The real amount is not printed, so that is a ceiling, not a measured dose.
The math is simple. The blend weighs 200 mg per mL and lists its 22 ingredients from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). Each of the first nine lines must weigh at least as much as coleus, so coleus can hold no more than 200 divided by 9.
If all 22 ingredients shared the blend evenly, each would get about 9 mg.
| Scenario | Coleus extract per mL | Share of 500 mg studied dose |
|---|---|---|
| Label-order ceiling (place 9) | At most about 22 mg | About 4.4% |
| Even split of 200 mg by 22 | About 9 mg | About 1.8% |
| Forskolin weight trials | 500 mg a day of 10% extract | 100% |
| Exact amount in the drops | Not published | Not published |
To reach 500 mg at the ceiling, you would need about 23 mL in a day. The label says 1 mL. Never take more than the label dose.
Forskolin03
How much forskolin could Sugar Defender's coleus provide?
Sugar Defender's coleus could provide only about 2 mg of forskolin per mL, and only if the extract matched the 10% strength used in trials. The label prints no strength at all.
Worked example: 22 mg of extract at 10% is 2.2 mg of forskolin. At the even split of 9 mg, it is under 1 mg. The trial product delivered 50 mg of forskolin a day.
Start with 200 mg
The whole blend in 1 mL, shared by 22 lines.
Divide by 9
Coleus is ninth, so it holds 22 mg at most.
Apply 10%
If it matched the trial strength, about 2.2 mg of forskolin.
Compare to 50 mg
The daily forskolin in the trial product, about 23 times more.
Sales claim04
Is coleus in Sugar Defender a "Fat Burning Aid"?
No evidence shows that coleus in Sugar Defender works as a "Fat Burning Aid", the words the sales page uses for it (Sugar Defender sales and order pages).
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements reviewed forskolin for weight loss. In three small trials, 500 mg a day of coleus extract had no effect on body weight (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss).
Those trials used about 20 times the most a 1 mL serving can hold. A dose that did not move weight at full strength gives no reason to expect a change at a sliver of it.
"Fat Burning Aid"
A one-line benefit next to the coleus picture. No study, dose or source is named for it.
No weight change
Three small trials at 500 mg a day found no effect on body weight, and MSK says solid clinical proof is missing (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)).
See how the other sales lines compare on the Sugar Defender benefits and claims page.
Blood sugar05
Does coleus in Sugar Defender help blood sugar?
No. Coleus in Sugar Defender has no human evidence behind it for blood sugar, and none of our sources lists it as a glucose ingredient.
Coleus is sold mainly for weight loss. The ADA says no supplement has been proven to lower blood glucose or support diabetes care (ADA, Vitamins & Supplements).
Your doctor's plan, your A1C and your daily habits matter far more. See our guide on Sugar Defender and diabetes medicines.
Sugar Defender: from $49 a bottle60 mL · 1 mL a day · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsCautions06
Is coleus in Sugar Defender safe with blood pressure pills or blood thinners?
Coleus in Sugar Defender is probably too small to cause trouble alone, but forskolin has two known interactions worth a pharmacist's look.
MSK lists low blood pressure, a slow heart rate and diarrhea as side effects. Forskolin may add to blood pressure medicine, and it may raise bleeding risk with warfarin and other blood thinners (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)).
The guarana in the same blend also has a possible bleeding note with warfarin (MSKCC, Guarana). Two small effects can stack, so mention the drops at your next refill.
Never stop or change a blood pressure pill or a blood thinner because you start a supplement. Ask your doctor or pharmacist first, as the label itself advises for anyone on other medication.
- Dizzy, lightheaded or a slow pulse after you start? Stop the drops and call your doctor.
- Surgery coming up? Tell your surgeon about every supplement you take (NCCIH, Using Dietary Supplements Wisely).
- More effects, line by line, are on the Sugar Defender side effects page.
The photo07
Why does the Sugar Defender coleus photo show leaves, not roots?
The Sugar Defender coleus photo shows leaves because the brand supplied a leaf picture. The label uses the root, which is where forskolin is found.
The leaves in the picture have magenta centers and ruffled green edges. That is the look of the plant above ground, not of the dried root that goes into an extract.
What to trust on the bottle
The Supplement Facts panel is the record. It names the plant part ("Root Extract"), the place in the blend and the blend total. Photos and splash art add color, not facts. Read every printed line on the Sugar Defender supplement facts page.
Other lines08
Which Sugar Defender ingredients come before and after coleus?
Coleus sits ninth in Sugar Defender, after gymnema (eighth) and before capsicum (tenth). Every line above it may weigh more; every line below it may weigh less.
See all 23 lines with their research doses in the Sugar Defender ingredients list, or jump to another profile below.
FAQ09
Coleus in Sugar Defender: questions people ask
How much forskolin is in Sugar Defender?
The label does not say. Coleus root extract can make up at most about 22 mg of each 1 mL serving. If it were a 10% extract, like the one in trials, that would be about 2.2 mg of forskolin. No strength is printed, so the true amount may be lower.
Is the coleus in Sugar Defender made from the root or the leaf?
The root. The label reads "Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract". The brand's coleus picture shows leaves, which is the part you see in a garden. Forskolin, the compound coleus is known for, comes from the root, so the label part matches the research.
Could the coleus in Sugar Defender drop my blood pressure too far?
It is unlikely at 22 mg or less, but forskolin can lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate in larger amounts (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)). If you take blood pressure medicine, ask your pharmacist before you start and watch for dizziness in the first weeks.
Should I pause Sugar Defender before surgery because of the coleus?
Ask your surgeon. Forskolin may raise bleeding risk with blood thinners, and NCCIH advises telling your surgeon about every supplement you use (NCCIH, Using Dietary Supplements Wisely). Your care team can tell you whether to pause the drops and for how long before and after the operation.
Will the coleus in Sugar Defender help me lose weight?
There is no good reason to expect it. Three small trials of 500 mg a day of coleus extract found no effect on body weight (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss). One serving holds at most about 22 mg. Proven steps such as more walking and smaller portions do far more.
Why is coleus ninth on the Sugar Defender label?
Blend ingredients must be listed from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). Ninth place means eight ingredients weigh at least as much as coleus. The maker chose the recipe; the order just reports it. It also gives coleus a ceiling of 200 divided by 9, about 22 mg.
Who wrote this10
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.
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