Gelatide Ingredients: Five Plant Extracts Plus Raspberry Ketones

Catechins

Drawn from The leaf, as an extract

The catechin source, and a leaf extract that normally carries some caffeine.

Green tea has the deepest record of the six, and it is still modest. A meta-analysis of fifteen trials and 1,243 people found catechins taken WITH caffeine trimmed about 1.4 kg of body weight and about 2 cm of waist, while catechins without caffeine showed no benefit on any measure; the authors called the effect modest at best. An earlier meta-analysis of eleven studies put the average at about 1.3 kg. On appetite, a meta-analysis of eleven randomised trials found no significant change in leptin or ghrelin. Sources: the 2010 meta-analysis of green tea catechins, the 2009 meta-analysis of green tea and weight, the meta-analysis of green tea on leptin and ghrelin.

Caution. Concentrated green tea extract, unlike brewed tea, has been linked to liver injury in a small number of case reports. The United States Pharmacopeia reviewed them and added a caution to its standard for one form of the extract: take it with food, not on an empty stomach, and stop and see a clinician at any sign of liver trouble such as dark urine or yellowing skin. See the United States Pharmacopeia review of green tea extract and the liver, the LiverTox monograph on green tea.

Research dose: varied across the pooled trials; the benefit appeared only alongside caffeine

Caffeine source

Drawn from The seed, as an extract

A caffeine-bearing seed, and the clearest caffeine source in the bottle.

Guarana seed extract carries caffeine: in a 2024 crossover trial, 500 mg of it held 130 mg. In that trial eleven trained adults cycled further in a 15-minute time trial after guarana than after placebo, while 100 mg of plain caffeine did not separate from placebo; the authors could not say whether guarana adds anything beyond its caffeine. A randomised crossover trial in patients on chemotherapy found 50 mg twice a day for 21 days eased fatigue. Neither is an appetite or a digestion finding. Sources: the 2024 guarana cycling trial, the randomised guarana fatigue trial.

Caution. Guarana carries caffeine and green tea leaf normally adds some, so count the drops with your coffee and tea. Caffeine raises blood pressure and can interact with stimulants, certain antibiotics, asthma medicines and heart medicines. See MedlinePlus on caffeine, the critical review of caffeine and blood pressure.

Research dose: 500 mg once before exercise; 50 mg twice a day in the fatigue trial

Seed extract

Drawn from The seed, as an extract

A seed extract studied for weight and waist in three small trials.

African mango is the ingredient on this label whose reputation most outruns its evidence. A 2013 systematic review found three randomised trials, all reporting lower weight and waist, and all with flaws in how their methods were reported; it concluded the effect is unproven and that the extract cannot be recommended for weight loss. A 2020 meta-analysis of herbal medicines reached the same caution: too few trials, of generally poor quality. Sources: the systematic review of African mango trials, the 2020 meta-analysis of herbal medicines for weight.

Caution. The adverse events the review found reported were headache and difficulty sleeping. See the systematic review of African mango trials.

Research dose: three small trials, each with its own extract and dose

Forskolin source

Drawn from The root, as an extract

The root that supplies forskolin, studied for body fat.

The trial everyone cites is from 2005: thirty overweight men, twelve weeks, 250 mg of a 10 percent forskolin extract twice a day. Body fat percentage and fat mass fell against placebo. A separate 2005 trial in 23 women, at the same dose, found no significant change in fat mass and concluded the extract did not appear to promote weight loss. A 2026 twelve-week trial in 60 adults reported about 1.9 kg more weight lost than on placebo; two of its four authors work in the research department of a herbal extract company, and it has since been corrected by an erratum. Sources: the 2005 forskolin trial in overweight men, the 2005 forskolin trial in overweight women, the 2026 twelve-week Coleus forskohlii trial.

Caution. The women's trial and the 2026 trial both reported no clinically significant change in blood pressure, heart rate or liver enzymes over twelve weeks. Twelve weeks is also as far as that safety record reaches. See the 2005 forskolin trial in overweight women, the 2026 twelve-week Coleus forskohlii trial.

Research dose: 250 mg of a 10 percent forskolin extract twice a day

Capsaicinoids

Drawn from The fruit, as an extract

The chilli extract, and the ingredient with a human digestion trial behind it.

Capsicum is the one ingredient on this label with trials pointed at both of the lines this desk leads on. In a small randomised trial in adults with functional dyspepsia, 2.5 g of red pepper powder a day before meals for five weeks cut symptom scores by about 60 percent against under 30 percent on placebo. Pooled energy-intake trials found capsaicinoids before a meal trimmed roughly 74 kcal from it, with about 2 mg as the smallest dose that registered. Sources: the red pepper trial in functional dyspepsia, the meta-analysis of capsaicinoids and energy intake, the 2021 meta-analysis of capsaicinoids and thermogenesis, the capsaicin and capsiate meta-analysis of human studies.

Caution. Capsaicin is the compound that makes chilli hot, so warmth in the mouth or the stomach is its expected side. In the dyspepsia trial the red pepper was taken before meals, and taking the drops with food is the usual way to soften it. See the red pepper trial in functional dyspepsia.

Research dose: 2.5 g of red pepper powder a day in the dyspepsia trial; about 2 mg of capsaicinoids before a meal in the intake meta-analysis

Aroma compound

Drawn from A single aroma compound, the one that scents red raspberries

The aroma compound of red raspberries, sold as a supplement at high doses.

The 2021 review that gathers the literature describes cell and rodent studies, notes the lack of reliable human research, and observes that the compound is nonetheless sold as a supplement at very high doses. Whatever a seller says it does for people is an extrapolation from animals. Sources: the 2021 pharmacological review of raspberry ketone.

Caution. Without reliable human trials there is also no human safety record at supplement doses, which the same review says has to come before it can be considered safe. See the 2021 pharmacological review of raspberry ketone.

Research dose: no reliable human trial of the compound on its own