Ingredient profile
Cayenne, Korean Ginseng and Banaba in Slim Metrix: The Three Smallest Shares
Cayenne, Korean ginseng and banaba sit sixth, seventh and eighth in the 276 mg Slim Metrix blend, so each capsule holds at most 46 mg, about 39 mg and about 35 mg. Capsaicin's warming effect is small, ginseng's blood sugar data are mixed, and banaba studies are small and short. None was tested for weight in this formula.
Written by the Slim Metrix editorial teamUpdated
The last three
Why are cayenne, ginseng and banaba in Slim Metrix?
They round out the blend. Cayenne is the hot pepper behind the sales page's "thermogenic" framing, and Korean ginseng and banaba are two herbs often sold for blood sugar.
All three share one 276 mg blend with five other ingredients. FDA rules list blend ingredients from heaviest to lightest (FDA, Labeling guide ch. IV). These three come last, so they are the smallest shares. The label prints no single amount for any of them.
| Label name | Cayenne (Capsicum annuum) Fruit 40,000 H.U.; Ginseng Korean (Panax ginseng) Aerial Extract 8% Ginsenosides; Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa) Leaf Extract 2% Corosolic Acid |
|---|---|
| What it is | Hot pepper fruit; Korean ginseng leaves and stems; banaba leaf |
| Type | Three small herbal shares |
| Position on the label | 6, 7 and 8 of 8 in the blend |
| Amount per serving | Not printed (at most 46 mg, about 39 mg and about 35 mg) |
| What research shows | Capsaicin's thermogenic effect is small; ginseng's blood sugar data inconclusive; banaba studies small and short |
| Strength of evidence | Small or inconclusive |
| Why it is in the formula (brand view) | The "thermogenic" pepper plus two blood sugar herbs |
| Main caution | Cayenne can upset the stomach; ginseng can disturb sleep and affect clotting; both may matter with blood pressure or diabetes medicines. |
Label math
How much cayenne, ginseng and banaba is in one capsule?
The label does not say. Their place in the list sets a ceiling for each one.
An ingredient in place six of a 276 mg blend can weigh at most 276 divided by 6, or 46 mg. Places seven and eight allow about 39 mg and about 35 mg. That is our math, not a lab test. Real amounts are probably lower.
| Ingredient | Place | Most per capsule | Amount in research |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cayenne fruit, 40,000 H.U. | 6 of 8 | 46 mg of pepper; H.U. is a heat rating, not a capsaicin amount | 4 mg capsaicinoids a day for 12 weeks; no weight change |
| Korean ginseng aerial extract, 8% ginsenosides | 7 of 8 | About 39 mg; about 3 mg ginsenosides | Not published |
| Banaba leaf extract, 2% corosolic acid | 8 of 8 | About 35 mg; about 0.69 mg corosolic acid | 10 mg corosolic acid in several small studies |
Cayenne
Does the cayenne in Slim Metrix make it thermogenic?
Not in any way a study has shown. Memorial Sloan Kettering says the thermogenic and appetite effects of capsaicin, cayenne's main active compound, are small and vary from person to person (MSKCC, Cayenne).
"Thermogenic" means producing body heat. Capsaicin may raise energy use slightly by warming the body. In NIH's summary, capsaicinoids cut food intake by about 74 calories per meal in studies, yet a 12-week trial of 4 mg a day did not change body weight (NIH ODS, Weight-loss supplements).
A trial pairing capsicum extract with resistance training found no change in appetite or body composition. Cayenne can also irritate the stomach, affect blood pressure medicines and is best avoided in pregnancy (MSKCC, Cayenne). More in our guide to the word thermogenic.
Korean ginseng
What does Korean ginseng do in a weight supplement?
Its job in this formula is unclear, because research has not linked it to weight. NCCIH's page on Asian ginseng, the species called Panax ginseng or Korean ginseng, does not discuss weight at all (NCCIH, Asian ginseng).
Blood sugar studies in diabetes are inconclusive and conflicting, though ginseng might lower blood sugar. A 2023 review found a possible small benefit for general fatigue, the closest link to the sales page's "steady all-day energy" line. The label's aerial extract comes from the parts above ground, and one capsule holds at most about 3 mg of its ginsenosides.
NCCIH lists insomnia as the most common side effect of Asian ginseng. It may also affect blood clotting and interact with medicines, and some studies suggest it may be unsafe in pregnancy (NCCIH, Asian ginseng). Taking the capsule in the morning, as the label suggests, keeps it away from bedtime.
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Does banaba leaf help with blood sugar?
Small, short studies suggest it might, but they are too limited to rely on. A 2012 review of banaba and its marker compound, corosolic acid, describes human studies that mostly ran for weeks and enrolled 10 to 100 people (Miura et al., eCAM 2012).
The smallest study
Ten people took 32 or 48 mg of a 1% extract for 2 weeks: roughly 0.3 to 0.5 mg of corosolic acid.
The usual dose
Several studies of 12 to 100 people used 10 mg of corosolic acid. Glucose fell by about 10 to 30% in the studies the review describes.
The catch
Many products were not standardized, and effects could not be split from other ingredients.
Slim Metrix's banaba is standardized to 2% corosolic acid. At about 35 mg of extract at most, a capsule holds up to about 0.69 mg. That is near the tiny 2-week study and far below the 10 mg used in others. None of it was about body weight.
The review found no adverse effects in its controlled studies. One case report linked corosolic acid to kidney injury in a person with poor kidney function who was also taking diclofenac, a pain reliever (Miura et al., eCAM 2012).
Sales claim
Do ginseng and banaba support "healthy blood sugar already within normal range"?
No study of Slim Metrix tested that claim. The sales page says the capsule "helps maintain healthy blood-sugar already within normal range," and ginseng and banaba are two of the herbs that line seems to lean on (Slim Metrix sales page).
NIDDK defines normal as an A1C below 5.7% and a fasting glucose of 99 mg/dL or lower (NIDDK, Diabetes tests). The banaba studies and ginseng research were about blood sugar control in diabetes, not people already in that normal range.
Ginseng and banaba join berberine, chromium and alpha-lipoic acid as ingredients that may lower glucose. With insulin, a sulfonylurea or a meglitinide, readings below 70 mg/dL count as low for many people (NIDDK, Hypoglycemia). Ask your doctor before you add any of them.
All ingredients
Where do these three fit among the other Slim Metrix ingredients?
They are the lightest three of ten. The heavier ones matter more for dose and safety. Start with the ingredient overview, see every caution on the side effects page, or jump to any profile below.
FAQ
Cayenne, ginseng and banaba questions
Does cayenne pepper help you lose weight?
Not by much, according to the evidence. Capsaicin trimmed about 74 calories per meal in studies, but a 12-week trial of 4 mg a day did not change body weight (NIH ODS, Weight-loss supplements). Memorial Sloan Kettering calls its thermogenic effect small. Slim Metrix lists cayenne sixth of eight, at most 46 mg.
What does 40,000 H.U. mean on a supplement label?
It is a heat rating for the pepper, in heat units. It tells you how hot the cayenne is, not how many milligrams of capsaicin the capsule holds. The Slim Metrix label prints the rating but no capsaicin amount, so the actual capsaicin dose is unknown.
Is Korean ginseng good for weight loss?
No good evidence says so. NCCIH's page on Asian ginseng does not discuss weight, calls blood sugar results inconclusive, and notes a possible small benefit for fatigue (NCCIH, Asian ginseng). In Slim Metrix it is seventh in the blend, at most about 39 mg of extract.
Can ginseng keep you awake at night?
It can. Insomnia is the most common side effect NCCIH lists for Asian ginseng (NCCIH, Asian ginseng). If you notice poorer sleep after starting a ginseng product, take it in the morning or stop it. The Slim Metrix label already says preferably in the morning.
What is banaba leaf used for?
Banaba leaf is mostly sold for blood sugar. A 2012 review of small, short human studies found glucose drops of about 10 to 30%, often with 10 mg of corosolic acid, but called for more research (Miura et al., eCAM 2012). It has not been shown to cause weight loss.
How much corosolic acid is in one Slim Metrix capsule?
At most about 0.69 mg. Banaba is the last of eight ingredients in a 276 mg blend, so it can weigh at most about 35 mg, and the label says the extract is 2% corosolic acid. Several studies used 10 mg a day.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the label, the sales page and linked public health sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by Slimmetrixfit, a licensed U.S. retail desk for Slim Metrix, not by the manufacturer. Orders are processed by BuyGoods on the brand's sales page. Buying through our order links earns us a commission.
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