The Best Weight Loss Supplements for Women Over 40

Women entering midlife tend to gain 1 pound per year due to inactivity and loss of lean body mass, according to registered dietitian Maryann Jacobsen (ref 1). The best way for women over 40 to maintain or lose weight is to increase their physical activity and obtain sufficient low-fat protein from food, says Douglas Paddon-Jones, a professor in the department of nutrition and metabolism at The University of Texas Medical Branch. (Ref 1) If you are a woman over 40 having trouble losing weight through diet and exercise, Authority Nutrition says that certain supplements can help by reducing your appetite and fat absorption while increasing your body's fat burning. (Ref 2) Always consult with your doctor before starting any supplement regimen.

Green coffee bean extract can help boost fat burning, according to researchers. (Image: matka_Wariatka/iStock/Getty Images)

Orlistat

According to Drugs.com, (Ref 3) orlistat blocks some of the fat you eat and is used to help you lose weight and keep it off. A 2011 study published in the journal Obesity found that a group given a daily 60-milligram supplement of orlistat experienced a significant reduction in visceral adipose tissue -- which stores fat -- compared to a control group over the course of the 24-week trial. (Ref 3) A review of previous studies published in 2004 in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Ref 5) found that orlistat was "modestly effective in promoting weight loss." Drugs.com warns that you should not take orlistat if you are pregnant, have gallbladder problems, chronic malabsorption syndrome or an underactive thyroid.

Raspberry Ketone

(Ref 6) A 2010 study in the journal Planta Medica found that raspberry keytone increased "fatty acid oxidation" -- or fat burning -- and decreased lipid, or fat, accumulation in a group of mice tested for the trial. (Ref 7). Another study involving mice, published in 2005 in the journal Life Sciences, showed that raspberry ketone reduced weight gain, (Ref 8) and a 2012 Chinese study found that the supplement improved insulin sensitivity and reduced fat in the liver in rats fed a high-fat diet. (Ref 13)

Green Coffee Bean Extract

An extract derived from green coffee beans -- which are simply coffee beans that have not been roasted -- increases fat burning and slows the breakdown of carbohydrates in your gut, according to Authority Nutrition. (Ref 2) A 2012 study in the journal Diabetes Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity found that green coffee bean extract may be effective in helping overweight adults lose weight. (Ref 9) A review of three studies published in 2011 in Gastroenterol Research and Practice found that participants taking the extract lost an average of 5.4 more pounds than those in a control group who were given a placebo. (Ref 10)

Glucomannan

Glucomannan, which comes from the roots of the elephant yam, can help you avoid gaining -- and even assist in losing -- weight by keeping you full for longer. Glucomannan works because it is essentially a fiber supplement that "sits in your gut" and curbs your hunger, according to Authority Nutrition. (Ref 2) A study published in 2005 in the journal Medical Science Monitor showed that glucomannan reduced weight in overweight study subjects, compared to other supplements such as guar gum and alginate, which had no effect on weight loss. (Ref 11) The University of Michigan Medical Center notes that glucomannan helps slow your eating, delays emptying of your stomach, bulks your stools -- keeping you regular -- helps regulate blood sugar, lowers cholesterol levels and promotes weight loss. (Ref 12)