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ColonBroom GLP-1 is marketed as a weight loss supplement that supposedly supports appetite control and blood sugar balance. From the name alone, you’d expect it to work by influencing GLP-1, a hormone that plays a role in hunger and glucose regulation. Naturally, that raises an important question: does ColonBroom GLP-1 actually work, or is the GLP-1 connection just clever branding? To find out, we need to look closely at the ingredients and the science behind them.
Ingredients of ColonBroom GLP-1
Zinc
One of the ingredients in the current ColonBroom GLP-1 formula is zinc. Zinc has been researched for its role in metabolic health, but most of that research focuses on women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), not the general population.
In one small study, women with PCOS who were already taking metformin saw some symptom improvements when zinc was added. However, zinc did not lead to weight loss. In fact, a separate study in adults with obesity found that zinc supplementation had no effect on body weight, body mass index, or calorie intake. In simple terms, zinc doesn’t appear to support weight loss for most people.
Berberis powder
ColonBroom GLP-1 also includes berberis powder, which the company claims provides “naturally occurring berberine.” Berberine is a plant compound found in herbs like barberry, goldenseal, and Oregon grape. It’s considered the main active compound responsible for many of these plants’ metabolic effects.
Because berberine is the key compound, higher-quality supplements don’t use the whole plant. Instead, they isolate and concentrate berberine itself. When taken in purified form at doses between 1,000 and 3,000 milligrams per day, berberine has been shown to lower blood sugar in people with conditions like type 2 diabetes. In those cases, it may lead to modest weight loss—usually around 3 to 5 pounds over several months—and only in people with blood sugar issues.
ColonBroom GLP-1 doesn’t use purified berberine. It uses raw berberis powder, which typically contains just 1% to 10% berberine. With a daily dose of only 200 milligrams of the raw herb, that translates to roughly 2 to 20 milligrams of actual berberine. That amount is nowhere near the doses used in clinical studies and is far too low to have a meaningful effect.
Polygonum root extract
Another ingredient in ColonBroom GLP-1 is Polygonum cuspidatum, commonly known as Japanese knotweed. This plant is a natural source of resveratrol, a compound also found in grapes, berries, and peanuts. Resveratrol is often promoted for its antioxidant benefits and is sometimes added to weight loss supplements, but its real-world impact on fat loss is minimal.
Reviews of clinical trials show that people taking about 500 milligrams of resveratrol daily for three months or longer lost, on average, just over one pound. While that technically qualifies as weight loss, it’s so small that most people would never notice it outside of a controlled study.
There’s another problem here. Those modest results came from taking 500 milligrams of purified resveratrol. ColonBroom GLP-1 doesn’t disclose how much resveratrol its Polygonum root extract actually contains. It simply states that the extract is “standardized to resveratrol” without listing a percentage. Reputable supplement brands usually specify this, such as 20% or 50% resveratrol, so consumers know what they’re getting. Without that information, there’s no way to estimate the true dose. Realistically, 200 milligrams of this extract could contain only a few milligrams of resveratrol—far below effective levels.
Quercetin dihydrate
The formula also includes quercetin dihydrate. Quercetin is a flavonoid naturally found in foods like onions, apples, berries, tea, and red wine. It’s often praised for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, when it comes to weight loss, the evidence just doesn’t support its use.
Clinical studies show that taking quercetin daily for around 12 weeks, even when combined with other nutrients, does not reduce body weight or body fat compared to a placebo.
Is ColonBroom GLP-1 Effective?
So, is ColonBroom GLP-1 effective for weight loss? Realistically, no. The key ingredients—berberis powder and Polygonum root extract—are crude herbal forms that are typically used only as sources for purified compounds like berberine and resveratrol.
While those purified compounds have weak evidence for modest weight loss in people with metabolic problems, the effects require much higher doses and far more concentrated forms than what ColonBroom GLP-1 provides.
On top of that, the product name itself is misleading. Despite the “GLP-1” label, none of the ingredients meaningfully stimulate or mimic the GLP-1 hormone. That wording appears to be a marketing tactic rather than a reflection of how the supplement actually works.
Overall rating
Rating ColonBroom GLP-1 by effectiveness for weight loss, I’m giving it a D. It uses doses of raw crude herb that are too low to do anything anyways.
Rating it by cost, I’m giving it a D. The formula can be replicated with higher-quality ingredients for a fraction of the price.
Rating it for safety, I’m giving it a C. While generally not dangerous, unpurified herbal extracts can contain compounds that may interact with medications.
Overall rating, I’m giving a D. I would not recommend it at all.
Top alternatives to ColonBroom GLP-1
- Berberine (dihydro) – 2 to 4 caps / day
- Berberine (generic) – 2 to 3 caps w/ meals
- Berberine (Thorne) – 1 to 2 caps w/ meals
- Resveratrol – 1 to 2 caps / day
Learn more about
Citations
Asbaghi O, Ghanbari N, Shekari M, Reiner Ž, Amirani E, Hallajzadeh J, Mirsafaei L, Asemi Z. The effect of berberine supplementation on obesity parameters, inflammation and liver function enzymes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2020 Aug;38:43-49. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2020.04.010. Epub 2020 May 6. PMID: 32690176.
de Vargas LDS, Jantsch J, Fontoura JR, Dorneles GP, Peres A, Guedes RP. Effects of Zinc Supplementation on Inflammatory and Cognitive Parameters in Middle-Aged Women with Overweight or Obesity. Nutrients. 2023 Oct 17;15(20):4396. doi: 10.3390/nu15204396. PMID: 37892471; PMCID: PMC10609714.
Guo J, Chen H, Zhang X, Lou W, Zhang P, Qiu Y, Zhang C, Wang Y, Liu WJ. The Effect of Berberine on Metabolic Profiles in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2021 Dec 15;2021:2074610. doi: 10.1155/2021/2074610. PMID: 34956436; PMCID: PMC8696197.
Jamilian M, Foroozanfard F, Bahmani F, Talaee R, Monavari M, Asemi Z. Effects of Zinc Supplementation on Endocrine Outcomes in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2016 Apr;170(2):271-8. doi: 10.1007/s12011-015-0480-7. Epub 2015 Aug 28. PMID: 26315303.
Knab AM, Shanely RA, Jin F, Austin MD, Sha W, Nieman DC. Quercetin with vitamin C and niacin does not affect body mass or composition. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2011 Jun;36(3):331-8. doi: 10.1139/h11-015. Epub 2011 May 16. PMID: 21574787.
Mirhadi, E., Rezaee, M., & Malaekeh-Nikouei, B. (2018). Nano strategies for berberine delivery, a natural alkaloid of Berberis. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 104, 465–473.
Moon JM, Ratliff KM, Hagele AM, Stecker RA, Mumford PW, Kerksick CM. Absorption Kinetics of Berberine and Dihydroberberine and Their Impact on Glycemia: A Randomized, Controlled, Crossover Pilot Trial. Nutrients. 2021 Dec 28;14(1):124. doi: 10.3390/nu14010124. PMID: 35010998; PMCID: PMC8746601.
Mousavi SM, Milajerdi A, Sheikhi A, Kord-Varkaneh H, Feinle-Bisset C, Larijani B, Esmaillzadeh A. Resveratrol supplementation significantly influences obesity measures: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Obes Rev. 2019 Mar;20(3):487-498. doi: 10.1111/obr.12775. Epub 2018 Dec 5. PMID: 30515938.
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