The other blend herbs
Sugar Defender Blend Herbs: Coleus, Grapefruit Seed, Licorice and Three More Lines
The other Sugar Defender blend herbs are six lines: grape seed, coleus forskohlii, capsicum, grapefruit seed, raspberry ketones and a licorice compound. None has a printed amount; label order caps each at about 11 to 100 mg per mL. None has good evidence for blood sugar, and three carry medicine cautions.
Written by the Sugar Defender label deskUpdated
On the label01
What are the other herbs in the Sugar Defender blend?
The other Sugar Defender blend herbs are six lines that have no page of their own: four plant extracts, raspberry ketones and a licorice compound.
A blend lists its parts from most to least by weight and shows only the total (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). So place k can hold at most 200 divided by k mg per mL.
| Label line | Place | Most per mL |
|---|---|---|
| Grape seed extract | 2 | About 100 mg |
| Coleus forskohlii root extract | 9 | About 22 mg |
| Capsicum annuum fruit extract | 10 | About 20 mg |
| Grapefruit seed extract | 11 | About 18 mg |
| Raspberry ketones | 13 | About 15 mg |
| Monoammonium glycyrrhizinate | 18 | About 11 mg |
Coleus02
What does coleus forskohlii do in Sugar Defender?
Coleus forskohlii is a root extract sold for weight loss, and the sales page calls it a "Fat Burning Aid". The evidence does not back that.
Forskolin, its main compound, showed no effect on body weight at 500 mg a day in three small 12-week trials (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss). MSK says studies proving its safety and effect are lacking, and lists low blood pressure, slow heart rate and diarrhea as side effects (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)).
It may add to blood pressure medicines and raise bleeding risk with warfarin (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)). At place 9, 1 mL holds about 22 mg at most.
Drug interactions03
Can grapefruit seed extract interact with medicines?
Possibly. Grapefruit juice blocks a gut enzyme, CYP3A4, so some statins, blood pressure, heart-rhythm, anti-anxiety and transplant drugs can build up too high (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs).
Whether a seed extract acts like the juice is not known. There is a second issue: tests of commercial grapefruit seed extracts found a synthetic preservative, benzethonium chloride, instead of real extract, and it blocked CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 in the lab (Brandin et al., Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2007) (Avula et al., Pharmazie 2007).
No lab report for the Sugar Defender extract is published, so we cannot say which kind it is.
Ask your pharmacist whether your drug interacts with grapefruit. Keep taking prescribed medicine as directed.
Licorice04
Is the licorice extract in Sugar Defender a blood pressure risk?
The line is monoammonium glycyrrhizinate, a salt of glycyrrhizin from licorice root, used as a sweetener and flavor. Glycyrrhizin can affect heart rhythm.
NCCIH says large or long-term use can cause an irregular heartbeat, and people with high blood pressure may be at risk even from small amounts. Large amounts are unsafe in pregnancy (NCCIH, Licorice Root). At place 18, 1 mL holds about 11 mg at most.
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See packsThree more05
What about grape seed extract, capsicum and raspberry ketones?
All three have thin evidence and no blood sugar trial in people. Grape seed is the biggest share of the six.
Grape seed extract
Small studies hint at modest effects on LDL, triglycerides and diastolic pressure, not proven. Generally well tolerated (NCCIH, Grape Seed Extract).
Capsicum annuum
Capsaicin at 2 or 4 mg a day did not change weight in 12 weeks (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss). It can irritate the stomach and may add cough with ACE inhibitors (MSKCC, Cayenne (Capsicum)).
Raspberry ketones
No evidence they are safe or effective for weight loss. Supplements run 100 to 1,400 mg a day (OPSS (DoD), Raspberry Ketone).
Profiles06
What does each of the six lines show?
Each table shows one line as printed, its ceiling per mL and the research we found. The caffeine herbs are on green tea and guarana.
| Name on the label | Grape (Vitis vinifera) Seed Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Vitis vinifera seed |
| Place on the label | 2 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #2 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 100 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | Studied for other uses |
| Strength of evidence | Not established for blood sugar |
| Marketed or traditional use | Plant polyphenols |
| Main caution | Generally well tolerated. |
| 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. |
| Name on the label | Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Chili pepper (capsaicin) |
| Place on the label | 10 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #10 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 20 mg per mL |
| 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 Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Citrus paradisi seed |
| Place on the label | 11 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #11 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 18 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | No studied dose found |
| Strength of evidence | Not established |
| Marketed or traditional use | Plant compounds; sold as a preservative-like extract |
| 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 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #13 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 15 mg per mL |
| 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 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #18 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 11 mg per mL |
| 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. |
More ingredients07
Where are the rest of the Sugar Defender ingredients?
The other 17 lines have their own pages, listed below. See the full ingredient list or side effects.
FAQ08
Questions about the other Sugar Defender blend herbs
Can I take Sugar Defender with a statin?
Ask your pharmacist first. The blend lists grapefruit seed extract, and grapefruit juice can raise levels of some statins (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs). Whether the seed extract does the same is unknown.
Does the coleus in Sugar Defender affect blood pressure?
It might. Forskolin can cause low blood pressure and may add to blood pressure medicines (MSKCC, Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)). Coleus is 9th of 22, so 1 mL holds about 22 mg at most.
Is grapefruit seed extract the same as grapefruit juice?
No. It comes from the seeds, and tested commercial extracts often held a synthetic preservative instead (Brandin et al., Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2007). The juice warning (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs) is the closest guide we have.
Do raspberry ketones in Sugar Defender help weight loss?
No evidence says so. Human studies only tested mixed products (OPSS (DoD), Raspberry Ketone), and 1 mL holds about 15 mg at most.
Why does Sugar Defender contain licorice?
The label does not say. Monoammonium glycyrrhizinate is used as a sweetener and flavor. People with high blood pressure may be at risk from glycyrrhizin even in small amounts (NCCIH, Licorice Root), so mention it to your doctor if yours runs high.
Will the capsicum make Sugar Defender taste spicy?
We cannot say; the label prints no heat level. Capsicum is 10th of 22, so 1 mL holds about 20 mg of extract at most.
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 Isugardefender, a Sugar Defender U.S. shop, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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