Metabolic Health

Nutrients connected to Metabolic Health

A link means the body needs the nutrient for this, or that low intake is linked to it. It does not mean extra supplements help if your intake is already adequate; each link shows how strong the evidence is.

• IodineEstablished role

  Iodine is needed for the thyroid hormones that help keep metabolic rate healthy. There is no evidence extra iodine improves metabolism when intake is adequate.

• BerberinePreliminary or mixed

  Reviews report improved blood sugar, insulin resistance markers and blood fats in trials, with quality limits.

• Irvingia (African mango seed)Preliminary or mixed

  Small trials in overweight adults and in metabolic syndrome reported better waist size, blood fats and glucose; the studies are small and mostly low quality.

• CuminPreliminary or mixed

  A 2025 pooling found changes in blood sugar, triglycerides, HDL and waist size in adults with metabolic disorders; authors ask for larger trials.

• Whole-Wheat BreadPreliminary or mixed

  Prediabetes trial showed better glucose tolerance with whole-wheat bread; other markers did not differ.

• Soda & Diet SodaPreliminary or mixed

  A meta-analysis linked sugar-sweetened drinks with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Observational.

• ChromiumPreliminary or mixed

  Chromium takes part in carbohydrate and fat handling, but trial results on blood sugar markers are mixed and no benefit on blood fats was found in one review.

• Akkermansia, Faecalibacterium and next-generation probioticsPreliminary or mixed

  A 2019 pilot (40 adults, pasteurised A. muciniphila) improved insulin sensitivity and cholesterol versus placebo; a larger 2026 trial (142 adults, strain MucT) missed its main insulin-sensitivity endpoint. Results apply to those strains and groups only.

• FenugreekPreliminary or mixed

  Small trials report modest changes in blood sugar and blood fats in people with diabetes or prediabetes; evidence is limited.

• Bitter MelonPreliminary or mixed

  Studied only in adults with type 2 diabetes (glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol); results are limited and mixed.

• Black seedPreliminary or mixed

  Reviews of small, short trials report small changes in weight, blood pressure and blood sugar in people with metabolic disease. They found no significant effect on insulin resistance or waist size.

• Asian ginsengPreliminary or mixed

  A 2022 review found better fasting glucose, cholesterol and some inflammation markers in prediabetes or diabetes.

• GymnemaPreliminary or mixed

  Small studies report lower glucose and, in people with type 2 diabetes, lower blood fats than at baseline; evidence is preliminary and mixed.

• Yerba matePreliminary or mixed

  A 2025 review found no significant effect on cholesterol, BMI or waist size, only possible effects on glucose markers in prediabetes. A 2023 review reported wider effects with low certainty.

• Mulberry leafPreliminary or mixed

  Reviews report some metabolic marker changes, but results differ by product and plant part and more trials are needed.

• Black pepperPreliminary or mixed

  Pooled trials of curcumin plus piperine report lower cholesterol in metabolic syndrome; the pepper's own part cannot be separated, and nothing was found for pepper on food.

• FenugreekPreliminary or mixed

  Small trials report modest changes in blood sugar and blood fats in people with diabetes or prediabetes; evidence is limited and was for supplements.

• Black seed (nigella)Preliminary or mixed

  Supplement trials in adults with metabolic disease found small improvements in glucose, weight and blood pressure; not shown for cooking amounts.

• Celery seedPreliminary or mixed

  One small trial in metabolic syndrome linked celery seed to lower blood pressure and triglycerides.

• YaconPreliminary or mixed

  Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR fell in a 2025 review of syrup trials; a separate pooled analysis found no significant overall change.

• KimchiPreliminary or mixed

  Small trials of kimchi in people with overweight or prediabetes reported better weight and blood sugar markers; they had no kimchi-free group.

• Dried fenugreek leaf (kasuri methi)Preliminary or mixed

  Small trials report modest changes in blood sugar and blood fats in people with diabetes or prediabetes; evidence is limited and was for supplements. Based on seed studies, not dried leaf.

• PistachiosPreliminary or mixed

  Blood sugar, insulin and HbA1c were slightly lower in pooled trials, mostly in people at higher cardiovascular risk; heterogeneity was very high.

• Yerba MatePreliminary or mixed

  Small tea trials and a 2025 review of 13 trials gave mixed results for metabolic markers; the evidence is not strong.

• Extra Virgin Olive OilPreliminary or mixed

  Lower insulin resistance scores in trials.

• Walnut & Other Nut OilsPreliminary or mixed

  Blood fats and blood sugar markers improved in small walnut oil trials in people with diabetes.

• MCT OilPreliminary or mixed

  Pooled analysis found lower triglycerides and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) with MCT diets in people with overweight; cholesterol results mixed.

• Withania Coagulans (Indian Cheesemaker)Preliminary or mixed

  Human evidence is limited to two small studies on blood sugar; most findings are in rats.

• Cynomorium (Suo Yang)Lab or animal research only

  A review of mostly laboratory studies suggests metabolic effects; its authors call for clinical validation.

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