The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of SD Pharmaceuticals.

(As part of my job at FitFluential, I get to learn about and often try products from all kinds of companies in the fitness and health realm. This is one of them!)

Let me preface all this with: I am 37 years old. I have carried and given birth to three kids, and during one of those pregnancies I gained nearly 50 pounds. I work online.

Which is to say: my metabolism is not what it used to be. I’m pretty happy with where I am physically right now— I’m probably in the best shape I’ve been since I was a teen— but my body fat % has been decidedly stubborn. One might say unbudging. It’s frustrating; the muscle is there, but it’s under a layer of fat that hides how hard I bust my butt. I just look bigger.

So when given the opportunity to try some supplements from SD Pharmaceuticals, I decided to give them a whirl. A little extra help burning off the fat? I’m not emotionally attached to that fat, I wouldn’t mind seeing it go.

A few days and a knock at the door later.

Here’s the rundown of what I received, paraphrased from the SD Pharmaceuticals:

Green Coffee Bean: unroasted coffee beans. The roasting of coffee beans reduces chlorogenic acid levels: research suggests that chlorogenic acid from green coffee bean can have modulating effects on glucose metabolism and help inhibit fat accumulation.

Raspberry Ketone: the main aromatic compound found in red raspberries. Research shows raspberry ketone can improve fat loss by supporting a reduction in fat absorption while boosting calorie expenditure and fat breakdown.

Garcinia Cambogia: plant native to Southeast Asia, often used for cooking in India and other parts of Asia and Africa as a spice and souring agent. It contains a phytochemical called hydroxycitric acid (HCA) which can support healthy serotonin levels, help reduce appetite, and can have an impact on enzymes related to fat metabolism.

The serotonin bit is interesting: serotonin is a neurotransmitter affecting mood and sleep patterns. Healthy serotonin levels are associated with decreased food intake, enhanced mood, and reduced weight gain.

Mood, sleep, weight gain: those three are seriously intertwined, yeah? Mess with one and you invite issues with the others.

Dendrobium: one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It’s been used in China for over 1000 years as a tonic and strengthening medicine, and to promote the health of the stomach, kidneys and lungs.

Diindolylmethane: a natural compound formed during the breakdown of plants and the digestion of indole-3-carbinol, from the Brassica genus of plants (brassicas include broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale). It’s taken to support healthy estrogen metabolism and hormonal balance in the body.

I’d heard of most of these before, but was fuzzy on the specifics. You can read about the science behind them on the site; I thought a lot of it was really interesting. If there isn’t any solid research behind an ingredient, then SD Pharmaceuticals’ researchers won’t use it. They only produce formulas which are clinically validated in human research studies.

I started with the Green Coffee Bean, taking one a day for several days, then added the Raspberry Ketones for several days, and so on down the stack, so as to be better able to see how/if each one affected my day. The pills are really easy to take (I’d grown used to some horse pills in my GNC vitamin packs) with no bad taste, although on occasion if I burped there would be a definite hint of raspberry. Not a bad thing, just funny.

Now, I think it’s hard to tell if any supplement is going to work for you in the long term. A lot of things, especially those that involve caffeine, are going to lose their potency for you over time and I’ve only tried these for a few weeks. That said, I have definitely noticed a general improvement in my energy levels and mental fuzziness over the course of the day. I also managed to get through my RivFit WODs with more focus, less need for breaks and colorful language.

I also greeted my monthly special lady time with great surprise, because it snuck up on me without the usual moaning and groaning and cramping. TMI? Coincidence? Placebo effect? Quite possibly on all counts, but I figured it was worth noting.

How’s my body composition doing? No change in weight, my body seems to like it here (I gained some after starting CrossFit, hit my current weight and have been there for over six months now). According to my scale, my body fat % has dropped a tiny bit this month. That’s all I could really hope for: I wouldn’t expect more with a short trial like this, plus those incremental changes are healthier anyway. Weight staying stable, adding muscle and slowly lowering body fat, that’s pretty much ideal.

To frame it another way, I think of these supplements as being like drinking a coffee or caffeinated soda in the morning and afternoon to wake my brain up & help me power through a workout, only I’m burning more calories without drinking the calories first. With the added bonus of components extracted from natural sources, that have been shown to help trigger bodily mechanisms that support fat loss and calorie burn.

They’re not magic pills— there isn’t any such thing— but I do think they can help kickstart a sluggish metabolism or help move past a plateau, by supporting and enhancing the fat burning and calorie expenditure you get from your exercise.

For right now at least, they’re definitely helping me to do the work, move the needle.

And flavor my burps with raspberries 🙂