weight loss · Jun 05, 2025

7 Best Natural Supplements for Weight Loss

motus weight loss supplement beside vegetables on kitchen counter

Written by Emily Johnson, MS, RD

When seeking out actionable, scientific advice for better health, we’re often bombarded with fad diets, weight loss trends, and quick-fix solutions, making it difficult to separate hype from legitimacy. Instead of chasing the next fad, what if you focused on well-researched ingredients that actually support your metabolism, fat burning, and energy levels – especially when they are combined in the right way?

In this article, we’ll cover some of the most promising natural compounds for weight management and metabolic health. From berberine to taurine and beyond, we’ll discuss what the supplement is, how it works, and what the research says about it. We’ll also dive into how Motus — Tonum’s proprietary weight loss blend, formulated with experts from Duke Health — brings the best ingredients together into one powerful, synergistic formula.

1. Berbevis® (Enhanced Berberine Complex)

You may have heard of berberine, an organic compound that is derived from plants and has recently become a popular supplement for metabolic health and metabolism. Berberine is well-researched to support weight loss, reduce blood glucose, and improve lipid metabolism [1, 2, 3].

Berberine is a fantastic supplement, but here, we’re focusing on Berbevis®, a next-generation form of berberine with significantly enhanced bioavailability compared to traditional berberine. This means it’s easier for your body to absorb and utilize for health benefits. Like berberine, studies have shown that Berbevis® is a powerful tool for regulating blood glucose, bettering cholesterol levels, and improving insulin sensitivity, making it a crucial supplement for metabolic health [4, 5, 6].

Why we use it in Motus

Berbevis® is used in Motus because it is the cutting-edge version of berberine. It has been shown to be just as effective in achieving healthy blood sugar levels and fat loss, without the gastrointestinal side effects that people sometimes experience when taking berberine.

A meta-analysis and systematic review of 12 randomized control trials looked at whether or not supplementation with berberine had an effect on weight, inflammation, and liver function [7]. The study found that, when compared to the control group, the group taking berberine saw a moderate but meaningful drop in body weight (about 2 kg or 4.4 lbs), a reduction in BMI, a reduction in waist circumference (a crucial marker of metabolic health), and reduced levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation in the body.

Another study on berberine in patients with type 2 diabetes found that berberine lowered blood sugar levels just as well as metformin, significantly reducing hemoglobin A1c, fasting blood glucose, blood sugar after meals, and triglycerides [8]. While more research is needed in non-diabetic patients, this suggests that berberine (and Berbevis® by extension) may be effective in regulating and preventing blood sugar fluctuations in non-diabetics too.

2. Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)

Alpha lipoic acid, or ALA, is another common supplement in the metabolic health space. ALA is a naturally occurring compound that is essential to mitochondrial energy production and glucose metabolism. Clinical studies suggest ALA helps:

improve insulin sensitivity, which can lower glucose levels and boost energy;
reduce oxidative stress, which contributes to chronic disease and premature aging; and
support healthy nerve function [9, 10, 11].

Why we use it in Motus

ALA is well studied and supports metabolic health by enhancing cellular energy, stabilizing blood sugar levels, and protecting your body from inflammation while it burns fat — not muscle.

In a recent clinical trial, 360 adults with obesity were randomly assigned to take either a daily dose of ALA (either 1200 or 1800 mg) or a placebo for 20 weeks and examine the effect on body weight [12]. At the end of 20 weeks, the participants who took daily ALA saw a statistically significant reduction in weight and BMI compared to the placebo group. In the 1800 mg ALA group, a significant number of participants lost 5% or more of their body weight, indicating that ALA is a helpful supplement for supporting weight loss goals.

3. Siliphos® (Silybin Complex)

Like berberine, silybin is a plant-derived supplement that research has shown to have positive effects on metabolic health, liver function, glucose regulation, and weight management. Here, we’re discussing Siliphos®, a patented complex combining milk thistle extract and phosphatidylcholine, another supplement derived from cell membranes to enhance bioavailability [13]. Siliphos supports liver detoxification, reduces inflammation, and improves metabolic function, and with enhanced bioavailability, it is easy for your cells to access and utilize in supplement form [14].

Why we use it in Motus

Siliphos® is a component of the Motus blend due to its role in supporting liver health and metabolic efficiency, especially during fat loss. While the research on Siliphos® is still in its infancy, animal models have been promising.

In one study, researchers fed mice a high-fat diet for 3 weeks to induce fatty liver, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome [15]. After 6 weeks, half of the mice were fed a high-fat diet with silybin added to it, while the other half maintained the high-fat diet.

The results showed that the mice that received silybin as part of their diet saw improved insulin sensitivity, lower cholesterol levels, and reduced inflammation. It also appeared to help restore healthy liver function by rebalancing bile acids. In the mouse cells, silybin also boosted the activity of a liver receptor called FXR, which is an essential factor in regulating metabolism.

4. Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3)

Nicotinamide is a form of Vitamin B3 and is essential to metabolism and cell function. It is water-soluble and occurs naturally in foods like nuts, meat, legumes, and fish. Crucially, nicotinamide is a precursor to NAD+, a molecule essential for mitochondrial function and cellular repair. It also supports skin, brain, and immune health [16].

Why we use it in Motus

Nicotinamide has been rigorously studied and is included in Motus for its role in enhancing metabolic efficiency and insulin signaling, supporting effective fat burn, and maintenance of healthy blood sugar levels.

In one study of prediabetic women who were overweight and insulin resistant, researchers found that women who supplemented with 250 g daily of nicotinamide (compared to the control) developed better insulin signaling and improved insulin sensitivity in their muscles, helping their bodies more effectively utilize and manage blood glucose [17].

Specifically, nicotinamide improved several of the cellular functions that drive a healthy insulin response, including AKT and mTOR activation, and increased muscle glucose uptake. These results suggest that nicotinamide is a useful supplement for reducing insulin resistance and, as such, can indirectly contribute to weight loss.

5. Taurine

Taurine is an amino acid that is predominantly found in animal products like fish, shellfish, dairy, and dark meat. But your body can synthesize taurine in the liver from other amino acids, so don’t worry if you’re a vegetarian — you’ll still get sufficient taurine.

Research shows that taurine is effective for supporting cardiovascular health and maintaining hydration and bodily electrolyte balance [18, 19]. It has also shown promising results in improving exercise performance, enhancing endurance capacity, and increasing insulin sensitivity [20, 21].

Why we use it in Motus

Diet is not the only critical part of weight loss. Exercise is also an essential component of losing fat, preserving muscle mass, and achieving your best health. We include taurine in Motus to support your weight loss efforts — especially exercise. Its role in bolstering cardiovascular performance and metabolic function during active weight loss makes it an excellent component of a complete and clinically effective supplement like Motus.

A systematic review examined taurine’s impact on athletic performance [22]. From 19 of the included studies, the authors found that compared to baseline, taurine supplementation resulted in the body using oxygen more efficiently, increased time to fatigue during exercise, improved recovery from training, and boosted strength and power. Taking 1-3 g of taurine about one to three hours before exercise, for 6-21 days, may help achieve these effects.

6. Probiotics

Another popular supplement, with research to back it up, is probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when ingested, support a healthy gut microbiome — which is linked to myriad health benefits, including weight loss. Probiotics are naturally occurring in fermented foods likeyogurt, kimchi, kefir, and sauerkraut, but can also be taken as a supplement. Probiotics improve gut health by strengthening your intestinal lining so it is more impervious to pathogens, regulating the production of neurotransmitters, and strengthening your immune system [23].

The gut microbiome is a relatively new area of study, and recent research has connected gut health and the type of microbes in the gut that affect body weight. A recent review discovered that overweight people have a significantly different gut microbiome composition compared to thin and healthy weight people, indicating that your gut bacteria may influence or be connected to your body weight [24].

Early research on probiotics suggests that probiotics may support weight loss [25]. Specifically, a 12-week study on Lactobactillus (a strain of bacteria found in probiotics) found that in the group taking probiotics, participants lost more weight, lowered visceral fat mass, and reduced their waist circumference compared to those who took the placebo. The probiotic group also had higher levels of adiponectin, a hormone linked to better fat metabolism and reduced inflammation.

These results suggest that probiotics taken as a daily supplement may be useful to support your efforts in reducing fat mass, reducing inflammation, and improving metabolic health.

7. Green Tea Extract

If you’re a tea drinker, you’re probably familiar with some of the health benefits of green tea. Green tea is rich in polyphenols, a plant property high in antioxidants, and is known for benefitting blood sugar control, cognitive function, gut health, and weight loss.

Green tea extract is exactly what it sounds like — a concentrated, powdered form of green tea that contains all the same benefits and can be taken in supplement form. While clinical results are mixed, some studies suggest that green tea extract may support weight loss efforts due to the presence of caffeine and catechins (a type of polyphenol) in green tea.

One study looked at 102 obese women and gave them either green tea extract or a placebo [26]. The group that received the extract experienced statistically significant weight loss as well as reductions in BMI and waist circumference. The green tea extract group also saw improvements in their cholesterol levels and decreased ghrelin (the hormone that stimulates hunger). These results suggest that green tea extract may help regulate hunger and support weight loss efforts.

Using Motus for Weight Loss

All of the above supplements are well-researched and clinically shown to support efforts for improved metabolic health, weight reduction, and blood sugar stability. But it can be a burden (and expensive) to take multiple supplements a day. This is why we made Motus: a simple, one-stop shop for all of the effective and research-backed supplements in one easy-to-take daily capsule.

Motus contains taurine, Berbevis®, Siliphos®, nicotinamide, and ALA, combining these powerful supplements into one synergistic compound that can be taken daily in capsule form. Motus has undergone over eight years of testing in both animal and human studies. It is currently being evaluated in a large-scale human clinical trial, with additional human studies in development, including a GLP-1 comparison study aimed at further optimizing its formula and effectiveness. Clinical trials in mouse models have shown Motus to be effective in reducing fat mass by over 25% while preserving lean muscle mass, lowering cholesterol by 28%, enhancing GLP-1 efficacy by 812%, and boosting energy level by 35%.

While Motus is clinically studied for its effects in weight loss, it is still a supplement, meaning it’s most effective when combined with a diet rich in whole foods, a regular exercise regimen that includes cardiovascular and strength training, and sufficient sleep and stress management.

Order Motus today to experience sustainable, natural weight loss without the side effects of GLP-1 medications.

Takeaways

Improving metabolic health and supporting weight loss isn’t about chasing trends or relying on quick fixes, It’s about taking a consistent, evidence-based approach. Supplements like Berbevis®, ALA, taurine, green tea extract, nicotinamide, probiotics, and Siliphos® have all shown promising results in areas like reducing body fat, improving insulin sensitivity, balancing blood sugar, lowering inflammation, and supporting liver and cardiovascular health. These supplements work by addressing underlying metabolic dysfunction, rather than just masking symptoms, which makes them valuable tools for long-term health support.

If you’re considering incorporating supplements into your wellness routine, it’s important to do so intentionally. Look for compounds that have been studied in human clinical trials, and pair them with foundational lifestyle habits, like eating a whole-foods diet, engaging in regular physical activity, getting quality sleep, and managing stress levels. While you can take supplements individually, products like Motus simplify the process by combining several well-researched ingredients into one formula. This makes it easier to stay consistent without the cost or complexity of managing multiple supplements.

References:

Emily Johnson, MS, RD, is a health editor and writer with expertise in research, metabolic health, and glucose management. She has written and edited for several health tech companies, including Tonum, Veri, Oura, Doximity, and InsideTracker. When she is not writing for Tonum, she can be found reading novels, writing her newsletter, traveling, or getting some exercise with her rescue dog, Ponyboy.

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