Ingredient profile
Glyco Defender Ingredients List: Forskolin, Cayenne, Grapefruit Seed, Raspberry Ketones and Licorice
Five more lines on the Glyco Defender ingredients list are Coleus forskohlii root, cayenne pepper, grapefruit seed, raspberry ketones and monoammonium glycyrrhizinate, a licorice compound. They sit in places 9, 10, 11, 13 and 18 of the 15.47 mg blend, so each holds at most 1.7 mg per dropperful. None has good evidence for blood sugar.
Written by the Glyco Defender label deskUpdated
Five lines01
What else is on the Glyco Defender ingredients list?
Beyond the headline herbs, the Glyco Defender ingredients list holds five lines that are mostly sold for weight or flavor. They are forskohlii root, cayenne, grapefruit seed, raspberry ketones and a licorice compound.
All five sit in the second half of the 15.47 mg blend, with no printed amounts (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)).
Label profiles02
What does the label say about each of the five lines?
The label gives each line its name and place. Forskohlii, cayenne and grapefruit seed carry the "^" mark for a 20:1 concentrate.
Raspberry ketones and the licorice compound are single compounds with no ratio mark.
| Name on the label | Forskohlii (Coleus forskohlii) Root Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Plectranthus barbatus root (forskolin) |
| Place on the label | 9 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropperful) | Not listed; #9 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 1.7 mg per mL |
| Extract footnote | 20:1 concentrate |
| 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. |
| Name on the label | Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Fruit Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Chili pepper (capsaicin) |
| Place on the label | 10 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropperful) | Not listed; #10 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 1.5 mg per mL |
| Extract footnote | 20:1 concentrate |
| Amount used in research | 2-4 mg capsaicin a day |
| Strength of evidence | No significant weight change |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sold for metabolism |
| Main caution | Stomach irritation; cough with ACE inhibitors. |
| Name on the label | Grapefruit (Citrus Paradisi) Seed |
|---|---|
| What it is | Citrus paradisi seed |
| Place on the label | 11 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropperful) | Not listed; #11 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 1.4 mg per mL |
| Extract footnote | 20:1 concentrate |
| Amount used in research | No studied dose found |
| Strength of evidence | Not established |
| Marketed or traditional use | Plant compounds |
| Main caution | Grapefruit can interact with statins and other prescription drugs. |
| Name on the label | Raspberry Ketones |
|---|---|
| What it is | Synthetic or raspberry-derived compound |
| Place on the label | 13 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropperful) | Not listed; #13 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 1.2 mg per mL |
| Extract footnote | None printed |
| Amount used in research | Only tested in combination products |
| Strength of evidence | No human evidence alone |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sold for weight loss |
| Main caution | Safety not established. |
| Name on the label | Monoammonium Glycyrrhizinate |
|---|---|
| What it is | Glycyrrhizin salt from licorice root |
| Place on the label | 18 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropperful) | Not listed; #18 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 0.86 mg per mL |
| Extract footnote | None printed |
| Amount used in research | No studied dose found |
| Strength of evidence | Not established |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sweetener and flavor |
| Main caution | Large or long-term use can raise blood pressure and affect heart rhythm. |
Blend math03
How much forskolin, cayenne and licorice does a dropperful hold?
Each of the five holds at most 1.7 mg per dropperful, and the licorice compound at most 0.86 mg.
Place k of a 15.47 mg blend weighs at most 15.47/k mg; an even split gives about 0.74 mg.
| Label line | Place | Most per mL | Amounts in research |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forskohlii root extract | 9 | 1.7 mg | 500 mg a day of 10% forskolin extract (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss) |
| Cayenne fruit extract | 10 | 1.5 mg | 2-4 mg of capsaicin a day (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss) |
| Grapefruit seed | 11 | 1.4 mg | No studied dose found |
| Raspberry ketones | 13 | 1.2 mg | Supplements give 100-1,400 mg a day (OPSS (DoD), Raspberry Ketone) |
| Monoammonium glycyrrhizinate | 18 | 0.86 mg | No studied dose found |
A 20:1 ratio describes how much plant went in, not potency, and it does not raise the label weight (Monagas et al., Front Pharmacol 2022). Cayenne extract is not pure capsaicin, so 1.5 mg of extract holds less capsaicin than that.
Weight claims04
Do forskolin and raspberry ketones help weight or blood sugar?
No good study shows either one does. Forskolin at 500 mg a day had no effect on body weight in three 12-week trials (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss).
Clinical proof of forskolin's safety and effect is lacking (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)). Raspberry ketone has only been tested inside multi-ingredient products, so no benefit belongs to it alone (OPSS (DoD), Raspberry Ketone).
Neither has blood sugar evidence in people.
Grapefruit seed05
Does the grapefruit seed in Glyco Defender interact with medicines?
Nobody has tested that, but grapefruit is a known drug-interaction food. Grapefruit juice blocks a gut enzyme called CYP3A4, so some drugs build up to excess levels (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs).
Affected drugs include some statins, blood pressure and heart-rhythm drugs. Seed is not juice, and at most 1.4 mg is tiny, but a pharmacist can check your list.
If your medicine carries a grapefruit warning, show the label to your pharmacist before you start the drops. Never stop or skip a prescription to make room for a supplement.
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See packsLicorice compound06
Is the licorice compound in Glyco Defender a blood pressure risk?
Monoammonium glycyrrhizinate is a salt of glycyrrhizin, the sweet compound in licorice root. Glycyrrhizin can raise blood pressure and upset heart rhythm, mostly with large or long-term use (NCCIH, Licorice Root).
NCCIH adds that people with high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, or a high salt intake may be at risk even from small amounts. The drops hold at most 0.86 mg of this common sweetener and flavor.
Anyone with high blood pressure, a heart or kidney condition, or on corticosteroids.
Cayenne07
Can the cayenne in Glyco Defender upset your stomach?
It could in sensitive people, though the amount is small. Capsaicin, the hot compound in cayenne, can irritate the stomach (MSKCC, Cayenne (Capsicum)).
Cayenne may also increase cough in people on ACE-inhibitor blood pressure drugs. Its blood sugar link rests on one study. More on side effects and interactions.
Next ingredient08
Where do these five fit among all 22 Glyco Defender lines?
They fill five of the 21 blend places, between gymnema and ginseng and among the amino acids.
See the amino acid group, the full ingredients page or the Supplement Facts panel.
FAQ09
Questions about the other blend lines
Does Glyco Defender contain forskolin?
Yes, as Coleus forskohlii root extract, place 9 of the 15.47 mg blend. That caps it at about 1.7 mg of extract per dropperful. Forskolin trials used 500 mg a day of a 10% extract and found no effect on body weight over 12 weeks.
How much cayenne is in Glyco Defender?
At most 1.5 mg of cayenne pepper fruit extract per dropperful, because it sits tenth in the 15.47 mg blend. The extract is not pure capsaicin. Capsaicin studies used 2-4 mg a day and found no significant weight change in 12 weeks.
Does the grapefruit seed in Glyco Defender interact with statins?
No study has tested that. Grapefruit juice can raise levels of some statins and other drugs by blocking the CYP3A4 enzyme. Glyco Defender lists grapefruit seed, not juice, at most 1.4 mg. Ask your pharmacist first if your statin carries a grapefruit warning.
Is the licorice in Glyco Defender safe with high blood pressure?
Ask your doctor first. Glycyrrhizin, the licorice compound, can raise blood pressure, and NCCIH warns that people with high blood pressure may be at risk even from small amounts. The drops list monoammonium glycyrrhizinate in place 18, at most 0.86 mg per dropperful.
Do the raspberry ketones in Glyco Defender help weight loss?
There is no evidence that they do. Human studies only used raspberry ketone inside multi-ingredient products, so no effect can be credited to it alone. Typical supplements give 100-1,400 mg a day. Glyco Defender holds at most 1.2 mg per dropperful.
What is monoammonium glycyrrhizinate on the Glyco Defender ingredients list?
It is a salt of glycyrrhizin, the sweet-tasting compound in licorice root. It is common as a sweetener and flavor. In Glyco Defender it is place 18 of 21 in the blend, so it weighs at most 0.86 mg per dropperful.
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 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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