Ingredients
Glyco Defender Ingredients: All 22 Label Lines, From Chromium to L-Carnitine
Glyco Defender ingredients are chromium (as chromium picolinate, 7 mcg per dropperful) plus a 15.47 mg proprietary blend of 21 lines, led by maca root, African mango seed and grape seed and ending with L-carnitine. Only chromium has a printed amount. Water, natural flavors, potassium sorbate, stevia, xylitol and citrus extract make up the liquid.
Written by the Glyco Defender label deskUpdated
The formula01
What are the ingredients in Glyco Defender?
Glyco Defender contains 22 active lines: chromium with a printed amount, then a 15.47 mg blend of 21 plant extracts, compounds and amino acids.
All 22 sit in each 1 mL dropperful. Maca is listed first, so it is the largest share of the blend, and L-carnitine is last.
One liquid, every line
Each line is part of every dose, so you cannot take one ingredient without the others. The amounts are tiny, and the order on the label is the best clue to size.
Full list02
What is the full Glyco Defender ingredients list?
The full Glyco Defender ingredients list runs from chromium picolinate through maca, African mango and grape seed down to GABA, L-tryptophan and L-carnitine.
Only chromium has a printed amount. The 21 blend lines share 15.47 mg, about 0.74 mg each on an even split, and the line in place k holds at most 15.47/k mg.
Most plant lines carry a "^" for a 20:1 concentrate, and African mango a 10:1 mark. A ratio describes yield, not strength (Monagas et al., Front Pharmacol 2022).
| Label line | Place | Per mL (1 dropperful) | Amount used in research | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chromium (as Chromium Picolinate) | Chromium line | 7 mcg | Hundreds of mcg in key trials (200-1,000 mcg a day) (NIH ODS, Chromium) | Mixed; small effect in some people with diabetes |
| Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Root Extract | 1 of 21 | at most 15.5 mg | Studied for other uses, not blood sugar (MSKCC, Maca) | No blood sugar trials |
| African Mango (Irvingia gabonensis) Seed Extract | 2 of 21 | at most 7.7 mg | 150 mg twice a day (300 mg) (MSKCC, Irvingia gabonensis (African mango)) (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss) | Weak, small trials |
| Grape (Vitis vinifera) Seed Extract | 3 of 21 | at most 5.2 mg | Studied for other uses (100-300 mg in many trials) (NCCIH, Grape Seed Extract) | Not established for blood sugar |
| Guarana (Paullinia Cupana) Seed Extract | 4 of 21 | at most 3.9 mg | Caffeine source (MSKCC, Guarana) (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?) | Not a blood sugar ingredient |
| Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) Root Extract | 5 of 21 | at most 3.1 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 21 | at most 2.6 mg | No blood sugar dose established (NCCIH, Astragalus) | Not established |
| Green Tea Leaf Extract | 7 of 21 | at most 2.2 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 21 | at most 1.9 mg | 200-400 mg a day of extract (Drugs.com, Gymnema monograph) | Small trials; small effect |
| Forskohlii (Coleus forskohlii) Root Extract | 9 of 21 | at most 1.7 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 |
| Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Fruit Extract | 10 of 21 | at most 1.5 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 | 11 of 21 | at most 1.4 mg | No studied dose found (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs) | Not established |
| Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Root Extract | 12 of 21 | at most 1.3 mg | About 100 mg to 20 g a day (mostly root) (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng) (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014) | Modest drop in fasting glucose; no A1C effect |
| Raspberry Ketones | 13 of 21 | at most 1.2 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 21 | at most 1.1 mg | About 15-45 g a day (sports studies) (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance) | Not supported for performance |
| L-Tyrosine | 15 of 21 | at most 1.0 mg | No verified dose source | Not established |
| L-Arginine | 16 of 21 | at most 0.97 mg | 2-20 g a day (sports studies) (MSKCC, Arginine) (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance) | Little or no performance benefit |
| Beta Alanine | 17 of 21 | at most 0.91 mg | 1.6-6.4 g a day (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance) | Mixed (exercise only) |
| Monoammonium Glycyrrhizinate | 18 of 21 | at most 0.86 mg | No studied dose found (NCCIH, Licorice Root) | Not established |
| GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid) | 19 of 21 | at most 0.81 mg | No verified dose source | Not established |
| L-Tryptophan | 20 of 21 | at most 0.77 mg | No blood sugar dose established (NORD, Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome) (Drugs.com, L-tryptophan) | Not established |
| L-Carnitine HCl | 21 of 21 | at most 0.74 mg | 2-3 g a day (type 2 diabetes studies) (NIH ODS, Carnitine) | Some glucose improvement; more trials needed |
Groups03
How are the Glyco Defender ingredients grouped?
The 22 Glyco Defender ingredients fall into four groups: one mineral, 12 plant extracts, two other compounds and seven amino acids.
The groups are ours, for reading ease. The label prints one blend list, in weight order.
Mineral
Chromium picolinate, the only line with a printed dose.
Plant extracts
Maca first, then African mango, grape seed and guarana, through Panax ginseng.
Other compounds
Raspberry ketones and a licorice compound, monoammonium glycyrrhizinate.
Amino acids
L-glutamine to L-carnitine: seven of the last eight blend lines.
Research04
Which Glyco Defender ingredients have the most research?
Chromium, gymnema and Panax ginseng have the most blood sugar research among the Glyco Defender ingredients, and all three were studied at far higher doses.
Each figure below compares the most one dropperful can hold with the daily amount used in studies.
- Chromium picolinate: 7 mcg here; trials used 200-1,000 mcg with mixed results (NIH ODS, Chromium)
- Gymnema: at most 1.9 mg here; studies used 200-400 mg (Drugs.com, Gymnema monograph)
- Panax ginseng: at most 1.3 mg here; 16 trials found a small fasting drop and no A1C change (Shishtar et al., PLoS One 2014)
African mango, listed second, has weak and small trials, mostly on weight (MSKCC, Irvingia gabonensis (African mango)). Maca and eleuthero have no human blood sugar trials, and astragalus has only low-quality studies paired with metformin (NCCIH, Astragalus). No trial has tested the Glyco Defender formula itself.
Glyco Defender: from $49 a bottle30 mL · 1, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsCaffeine and sweeteners05
Does Glyco Defender contain caffeine or sweeteners?
Yes. Guarana and green tea are caffeine sources, and the drops are sweetened with stevia and xylitol. No caffeine figure appears anywhere on the bottle (MSKCC, Guarana).
The panel lists zero calories and no total or added sugars.
Xylitol can cause a fast, dangerous drop in a dog's blood sugar (FDA, Paws Off Xylitol). Store the bottle out of reach.
The count06
Why does the sales page say 20 ingredients?
The sales page says "20 research-informed botanicals and nutrients", but the label lists 22 lines (Glyco Defender sales page). We follow the label.
The word-for-word panel is on the Glyco Defender supplement facts page.
Medicines07
Can Glyco Defender ingredients interact with medicines?
Some can. Chromium, gymnema and ginseng may add to diabetes medicines, licorice can raise blood pressure, and grapefruit affects some drugs (NIH ODS, Chromium) (NCCIH, Licorice Root) (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs).
The amounts are small, but no one has tested the mix with any medicine.
Do not stop or alter a prescription because of a supplement. Ask your pharmacist first, and see side effects and interactions.
FAQ08
Glyco Defender ingredients: common questions
What is the main ingredient in Glyco Defender?
Maca root extract is the largest blend line, because it is listed first and the blend runs from most to least by weight. It can hold at most about 15.5 mg per dropperful. Chromium is the only ingredient with a printed amount: 7 mcg, or 20% of the Daily Value.
Which Glyco Defender ingredient has the smallest share?
L-carnitine HCl, the 21st and last line of the 15.47 mg blend, so it can hold at most about 0.74 mg per dropperful. Studies in type 2 diabetes used 2 to 3 grams a day, thousands of times more (NIH ODS, Carnitine). Gymnema, eighth, holds at most about 1.9 mg.
Does the Glyco Defender ingredients list include berberine or cinnamon?
No. Neither berberine nor cinnamon appears on the Glyco Defender label. NCCIH notes weak evidence from small studies for chromium, cinnamon and berberine (NCCIH, Diabetes and Dietary Supplements). Of those three, only chromium is in these drops, at 7 mcg per dropperful, well below the 200 mcg low end of key trials (NIH ODS, Chromium).
Are the Glyco Defender ingredients natural or synthetic?
The label does not say for most lines. The plants are listed as extracts, and natural flavors appear among the other ingredients. Amino acids and raspberry ketones can be made in a lab or taken from food sources, and the source is not printed on the bottle.
What are the other ingredients in Glyco Defender drops?
Besides the active lines, the bottle holds water, natural flavors, potassium sorbate, stevia, xylitol and citrus extract. Potassium sorbate is a preservative. Stevia and xylitol sweeten the liquid. Xylitol is dangerous to dogs, so keep the bottle where a pet cannot chew it (FDA, Paws Off Xylitol).
Why are the Glyco Defender ingredient amounts hidden?
Federal rules let a proprietary blend show only its total weight and its order by weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). So the label prints 15.47 mg for all 21 blend lines together. The order still sets a ceiling: the line in place k can hold at most 15.47/k mg.
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 how we check reviews. This website is run by a licensed U.S. retail desk for Glyco Defender, not by the manufacturer or the label's distributor. Buying through our order links earns us money.
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