Natural Weight Loss Supplements for a Midlife Metabolism Boost

Written by: Jennifer Chesak, MSJ
Medically reviewed by: Nesochi Okeke-Igbokwe, MD, MS

In simple terms, metabolism is your body’s combination of chemical reactions for turning food into energy to power all its processes. Midlife can usher in changes that slow metabolism, often leading to weight changes. But just as you can press the gas pedal on your car to make it go faster, you can also help speed up your metabolism with lifestyle changes and some supplements.

Midlife comes with some great benefits. As you get older, you have the advantage of experience on your side, which can help you navigate life’s challenges, for example. But along with that experience and wisdom, midlife sometimes ushers in bodily changes that can be frustrating.

You might gain weight more easily and have more difficulty losing it. Perhaps the diet and exercise strategies you used throughout your 20s and 30s are no longer producing the same effects. What gives?

Several factors play a role, including hormonal changes. But you aren’t at the mercy of your metabolism. It’s something you can exert some control over. And boosting your metabolism can give you an edge for managing weight.

That said, we want to be clear that managing weight for health isn’t about looking a certain way, getting to a particular weight, or engaging in restrictive diets. Instead, we encourage you to approach metabolic health as a key component of overall wellness. Supporting a healthy metabolism is more about leveraging sustainable lifestyle changes and other tools, such as supplements, that can give you more energy, rev your metabolic engine, help you build muscle, and more.

In this article, we explore natural weight loss supplements and other tools that boost your metabolism in midlife.

Midlife metabolism boost: Why losing weight feels harder now

First, you may be wondering what metabolism is anyway. Each second, more than a billion chemical reactions occur within your body. Taken all together, these reactions make up your metabolism.

Metabolism is the combination of the chemical processes that help convert food into energy and use that energy. For example, you need energy to do everything from breathing, digesting, and sleeping to holding a yoga pose, racing your kids at the park, or cruising the hills on your bicycle.

Metabolism has different components to it. But the most important component is your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is how many calories your body requires (and burns) just to keep you alive and functioning while at rest. BMR accounts for about 60% to 70% of your total daily expenditure.

Aging can slow your BMR for several reasons. For people assigned female at birth, midlife ushers in the menopause transition, also called perimenopause. Prior to reaching menopause, when you’ve had an absence of a period for a full year, you enter perimenopause, which can last several years or even a decade or more. During this time, your reproductive hormones shift, eventually declining.

“With declining estrogen and testosterone levels, the body tends to lose lean muscle mass while gaining fat mass, especially around the abdomen,” explains Lana Butner, ND, LAc, a board-certified naturopathic doctor, licensed acupuncturist, and member of the Veracity Doctor Team. “Because muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue, this loss of lean mass contributes to a lower BMR.”

Lifestyle factors also play a role, especially if you’re experiencing increased stress or disrupted sleep. These issues can lead to increases in your appetite and cravings. What you eat in response to cravings can cause glucose (blood sugar) swings that leave you feeling fatigued and maybe even unmotivated to exercise.

To address these issues, you can lean on lifestyle changes and supplements to help boost your metabolism. But the goal shouldn’t be about reaching a number on the scale, which doesn’t tell you anything about your body composition, a measure of your body’s fat, muscle, and bone.

Instead, focus on increasing and preserving muscle mass while keeping your blood sugar more stable. Frequent blood sugar spikes cause frequent surges of the hormone insulin. Consistently high insulin levels contribute to fat gain, while keeping blood sugar more stable aids with fat loss. Taking steps to maintain muscle mass and stabilize blood sugar can foster improvements in body composition that you can feel and see.

What works: Weight loss supplements with some evidence and modest effects

Now let’s look at the best weight loss supplements and ingredients that have evidence supporting their use. Keep in mind that supplements for weight loss aren’t a magic-bullet midlife metabolism booster. Instead, they offer modest benefits and help support your healthy lifestyle habits through perimenopause and beyond.

Metabolaid

Metabolaid is a combination of lemon verbena and hibiscus flower extract. It contains high levels of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that may aid with weight management. These polyphenols activate an enzyme called adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPk). AMPk acts as an energy sensor. When activated, the enzyme mediates the switch from energy storing (anabolic) pathways to energy burning (catabolic) pathways.

Metabolaid is the key ingredient in Metabolism Ignite. “I view Metabolism Ignite as a strong complement to a well-rounded plan that includes a nutrient-dense diet, adequate protein, resistance training, quality sleep, and effective stress management,” Dr. Butner says. “When a solid foundation is already in place, targeted supplements like this can provide an additional edge by supporting the pathways that influence how the body uses and burns energy.”

 Paired with healthy lifestyle habits including nutrition, strength training, and quality sleep, "targeted supplements like Metabolism Ignite can provide an additional edge by supporting the pathways that influence how the body uses and burns energy," says Lana Butner, ND, LAc.

Shop Metabolism Ignite

Protein powders

Protein intake is essential for building and maintaining your muscle mass, but it’s also a good way to harness the thermic effect of food (TEF). TEF is a component of your metabolism. Your body burns energy when you digest, absorb, and process nutrients.

Macronutrients, the nutrients you need in the highest quantities, include carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Of these three, protein has the highest TEF. In other words, protein burns the most calories during digestion—your body burns about 20% to 30% of the calories you consume from protein just to process it. 

Protein powders can come in handy if you struggle to meet your daily protein needs or if your diet leans heavily on incomplete protein sources. Complete proteins contain all nine essential amino acids, while incomplete proteins are missing one or more. Plant-based diets tend to be lower in complete proteins.

Your protein needs depend on your physical activity level. A general guideline is to aim for about 0.65 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, try to consume roughly 98 to 150 grams of protein. Spread your intake throughout the day across meals and snacks.

Choose a protein powder that has a complete amino acid profile and contains minimal ingredients and little to no sugar. Also check that the product has undergone third-party testing for contaminants.

Our Metabolic Power Protein, for example, provides a plant-based blend of all nine essential amino acids, contains zero sugar, and is made in the U.S. in an FDA-reviewed, NSF- and GMP-certified facility.

Soluble fiber

You get fiber from the carbohydrates you consume. But a fiber supplement, especially psyllium husk, a soluble fiber, can up your intake and indirectly boost your metabolism.

Soluble fiber is the type that dissolves in water to form a gel which slows digestion and can help you feel fuller for longer. Soluble fiber has the added benefit of feeding your beneficial gut bacteria, which then helps your body produce more of your GLP-1 hormone. And GLP-1 helps control blood sugar and curb appetite.

But that’s not all. Soluble fiber activates AMPk, switching you from energy storing to energy burning mode. And you burn about 5% to 10% of the calories you consume from fiber just to process it.

Creatine monohydrate

Creatine is a compound formed by three amino acids and stored in your muscles and your brain. Creatine monohydrate is a supplement that can help support muscle growth in conjunction with strength training. By helping to increase muscle mass and therefore your BMR, the supplement can indirectly boost metabolism.

Capsaicin

Capsaicin is the spice-infusing compound in chili peppers. Research shows it can modestly rev your BMR. Of course, you can add chili peppers—or seasonings or condiments that contain them—to your meals. But you can also find this capsaicin in certain supplements.

Coffee, tea, and other caffeinated options

Caffeine is a stimulant that boosts your BMR for a short time. But caffeine can also have some negative effects, such as jitteriness or sleep disruption. So if you like your morning espresso or afternoon matcha latte, both can be healthy options for boosting your metabolism. Just don’t overdo it. Stick to one or two servings per day and avoid caffeine within six hours of bedtime.

Additionally, supplements containing caffeine or coffee and tea extracts may help. But again, be mindful of how much total caffeine you’re ingesting, and when, so you don’t go overboard.

Green tea extract

One caffeine-based ingredient in some supplements is green tea extract, which contains catechins, powerful antioxidants. Specifically, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) modestly speeds your BMR.

Green coffee bean extract

Green coffee bean extract is another ingredient you might find in metabolism-boosting supplements. It contains chlorogenic acid, an antioxidant that activates AMPk, toggling your body from storing energy to burning it. It helps up your natural production of your GLP-1 hormone, reducing your appetite and aiding with blood sugar control. Caffeine-free green coffee bean extract is a key ingredient in Metabolism Ignite.

What to skip: Weight loss supplements with little to no evidence

Now that we’ve explored weight loss pills (and ingredients) that actually work, let’s touch on what to avoid or at least what to look at through a skeptical lens. These include supplements that purport to “cleanse” or “detox” you.

“The body already has a highly efficient detoxification system through the liver, kidneys, skin, and digestive tract,” Dr. Butner says. “These organs work continuously without the need for extreme interventions.”

Not all detox programs are created equal, she adds, and some professionally designed protocols may support healthy liver and gut function. “The problem is that most commercial detoxes are not well formulated and often promote questionable practices like intense fasting, juice-only plans, laxative teas, and unregulated supplements,” she notes.

Although these approaches may cause short-term weight loss, but the loss is usually water and muscle rather than fat, leading to potential risks.

Risks of “detoxes” and “cleanses”:

• Electrolyte imbalances

• Blood sugar swings

• Nutrient deficiencies

• Digestive upset

• Increased stress on the body

“Sustainable detoxification happens through balanced nutrition, hydration, movement, sleep, optimizing gut health, and daily habits that naturally support the organs involved in toxin clearance, rather than through extreme or restrictive cleanses,” Dr. Butner says.

Lifestyle levers that support weight loss more effectively than most pills

We asked Dr. Butner for her top tips for boosting metabolism with lifestyle changes.

• Prioritize strength-training or resistance exercise: This builds and preserves lean muscle mass, which helps maintain a higher BMR even as you age.

• Focus on a balanced, nutrient-dense diet: To promote satiety (fullness), eat plenty of high-quality protein (which supports muscle), fiber, whole foods, and healthy fats. Reduce your intake of processed foods and added sugar.

• Prioritize sleep, stress reduction, and movement: Good sleep hygiene, stress-reduction tools (such as meditation), and regular daily physical activity can support metabolism, hormonal balance, and insulin sensitivity.

• Keep habits sustainable: Make gradual changes over time, which tend to stick, rather than engaging in all-or-nothing fads. “Consistency often trumps intensity when addressing midlife metabolic shifts,” Dr. Butner says.

• Cook at home as often as possible: Restaurant and takeout meals often contain hidden sugars, excessive salt, and inflammatory seed oils, so preparing your own food gives you full control over ingredients and portions.
  

Safety first: Who should talk to a clinician before supplementing

“Any individual considering dietary or herbal supplements should consult a qualified clinician,” says Dr. Butner, “especially if they have existing health conditions or are taking medications.”

Consult a clinician if you:

• Are pregnant or breastfeeding

• Have chronic conditions (such as diabetes, liver or kidney disease, cardiovascular issues)

• Are older adults

• Have a history of disordered eating

“In the context of midlife and hormonal changes,” she adds, “it is wise for women to check in with a clinician before layering in supplements for weight loss or metabolism support. Because supplements are not strictly regulated, there may be risks of nutrient interactions, unintended effects on liver or kidney function, or interference with prescribed medications.”

Key takeaways

• Your metabolism is the combination of bodily processes that turn food into energy to sustain life.

• Metabolism affects weight, body composition, and more, and it can slow in midlife.

• However, you can potentially improve your metabolism with lifestyle changes and certain supplements that help support those changes.
  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best natural supplement for weight loss?

Several supplements can have modest effects on weight management, but supplements work best in combination with lifestyle changes. To start, protein and fiber supplements may give you the biggest benefit.

How can I lose 20 pounds in a month naturally?

Losing 20 pounds in a month naturally would be a significant amount of weight to lose in a short time. Experts do not recommend rapid weight loss because it can be dangerous and slow your metabolism, leading to weight regain. Instead, slow, steady weight reduction, if necessary, allows your body to metabolically adapt.

What is a natural supplement like Ozempic?

Ozempic is a prescription medication that mimics your natural glucose-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormone. You can support your natural GLP-1 production with some natural supplements, including psyllium husk, green tea extract, and green coffee bean extract. Just keep in mind that supplements don’t act as pharmaceutical GLP-1 drugs. Instead, they may support similar metabolic pathways to help regulate appetite, blood sugar, and weight.

What vitamin will burn belly fat?

Are there vitamins for weight loss? Not really. Vitamins do not burn belly fat or fat in general. Instead, ensuring adequate intake of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) by consuming fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and lean meat sources can help support your metabolism and overall health. This can, in turn, help you burn fat.