Plexus Slim Reviews

What Is Plexus Slim?

Plexus Slim is a dietary supplement drink mix that allegedly supports gut health and weight loss through a blend of prebiotics and fat-burning ingredients.

While probiotics are the friendly bacteria in your gut that are vital to digestive and overall health, prebiotics are a form of fiber that act as a food source to promote their actions. According to the company, the prebiotic included in Plexus Slim is clinically-studied and responsible for many of the alleged benefits of their supplement.

By mixing Plexus Slim powder into 12–20 ounces of water 30–60 minutes before a meal, once or twice daily, the company claims that you can expect:

• Weight Loss
• Probiotic growth
• A faster metabolism
• Better glucose metabolism

In this article, we’ll help you determine if there is any merit to these claims by reviewing the available research for Plexus Slim’s blend of ingredients.

Plexus Slim Ingredients: Do They Work?

Slim’s supplement facts label:

• Calories 5
• Total Carbohydrate 2 g
• Chromium 200 mcg
• Xylooligosaccharide 1,000 mg
• Plexus Slim Blend 531 mg – Green coffee bean extract (contains 50% chlorogenic acid less than 2% natural caffeine), Garcinia cambogia fruit extract, alpha lipoic acid, mulberry fruit extract

While XOS is alleged to handle most of the heavy lifting in this blend, we’ll briefly touch on some of the available research for Plexus Slim’s supporting ingredients.

Chromium

Chromium is naturally available in beef, fruits, broccoli, red wine, and whole wheat products. This mineral is necessary in small amounts; the RDA for men and women is 35 and 25mcg/day, respectively. You’ll get about 6-8x that amount in each serving of Plexus Slim.

While a review of 15 randomized trials did not find 10-1000mcg of chromium to benefit glucose or insulin regulation in neither diabetics nor nondiabetics, a similar dosing range offered in the form of brewer’s yeast may benefit fasting blood glucose.

Chromium supplementation in those overweight or obese is associated minor, though unlikely relevant, reductions in body weight, according to this review of 20 randomized trials.

Available support for chromium’s carbohydrate energy metabolism effects is mixed. Mild benefits may be seen in overweight, obese, or diabetic individuals. Chromium’s weight loss benefits are likely mild at best.

Plexus Slim Blend

Green coffee bean extract (GCBE) contains caffeine and is thought to help reduce appetite.

The combination of GCBE, olive oil, and caffeine reduced triglycerides in mice. A review of 3 randomized trials with GCBE doses ranging from 180-200mg daily for 4-12 weeks concluded that significant weight loss was achieved when compared to placebo.

More recently, obese women treated with 500mg of GCBE and daily exercise for 8-weeks significantly reduced their metabolic syndrome severity scores.

Garcinia cambogia extract is made from the rind of the fruit and the proposed weight loss benefits have been extensively studied.

While 2,800mg of garcinia combined with chromium significantly reduced body weight and BMI in obese individuals, 1500 mg of garcinia daily for 12-weeks did not produce significant weight loss when compared to placebo.

ALA is thought to be a powerful antioxidant and may also aid in weight loss. A review of 11 randomized trials with ALA dosing ranging from 300 to 1800mg/day.

Mulberry fruit is related to the fig. They’ve been studied less extensively when compared to the other ingredients. Rich in anthocyanins, an antioxidant found in plants, mulberry fruit extract was effective at reducing body weight in obese mice.

Plexus Slim blend offers research-tested ingredients that may offer some benefit in reducing weight. However, these studies often tested the ingredients in conjunction with other ingredients or structured exercise programs.

Thus, their effects are less likely when used alone, especially given that Plexus Slim offers much lower dosing compared to the available research.

Xylooligosaccharide

Plexus advertises that Slim’s prebiotic formula has been clinically shown to increase Lactobacillus levels by 365 times, Bifidobacterium by 290 times, and Akkermansia microbes by 250 times.

They also indicate that, in an “independent, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, human clinical study, [participants] who used one pack of Slim twice a day lost an average of 5.45 pounds in 8 weeks, while the placebo group lost an average of 3.12 pounds.

The company does not provide references for this study and we did not confirm it during our literature review.

Plexus does cite one study examining the effects of XOS on the gut bacteria of healthy and diabetic subjects; those treated with 2g/day for 8-weeks had reduced harmful gut bacteria.

In another randomized trial, those that received 1.2g of XOS daily for 6-weeks had higher levels of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium when compared to placebo.

Those receiving 1.4 or 2.8g of XOS over 8-weeks had increased Bifidobacterium but not Lactobacillus; the effects were greater at higher doses of XOS.

Though the specific studies Plexus failed to cite were not located, XOS’s ability to boost friendly gut bacteria has been investigated. Currently, results are mixed. Its ability to increase Bifidobacterium may be more likely, particularly at doses nearly 3x than what Plexus Slim contains.

Is Plexus Slim Safe?

The company states that Plexus Slim isn't recommended for use by children under 18, and that you should consult with your physician beforehand if you’re pregnant or nursing.

Prebiotic supplementation can cause side effects like mild, temporary digestive upset, bloating, and gassiness as your bacteria levels re-balance. While this same level of clinical support doesn’t exist for prebiotics, it makes sense that you might experience similar side effects as beneficial bacteria flourish.

Chromium at 1000mcg was safe, though diarrhea, headaches, and rash have been reported. XOS and the ingredients found in the Plexus Slim Blend were safe when tested at much higher doses than what is offered in this supplement.

Though Plexus Slim doesn’t contain high levels of caffeine, you might experience related side effects like nervousness, upset stomach, and increased heart rate if you regularly consume other caffeine-containing products in addition to this supplement.

The risk for harm may be minimal, but it’s still a good idea to speak with your doctor before using Plexus Slim or similar products.

The Cost

Plexus Slim is available directly from the website.

The products come in raspberry, lemon, and watermelon flavors. A one-time purchase will run you $89.95 for 30 packets. If you subscribe, you’ll pay $84.95 for your monthly auto-shipments. Shipping is calculated at checkout.

A 60-day guarantee backs your purchase. If you’re unsatisfied with your results, call (480) 998-3490 or request a refund form online.

Plexus Slim is also available at Amazon. You won’t save with this option, however, as they price 30 packets at $105.95. Opting to purchase through Amazon also means that you’ll have 3-days to return rather than 60.

What Are the Alternatives to Plexus Slim?

Many dietary supplements claim to offer weight loss benefits through a blend of prebiotics and metabolism-boosting ingredients.

At HighYa, we previously reviewed RenewLife’s supplement line. While their products contain a similar blend of probiotics, they include additional ingredients for targeted purposes.

For example, their Healthy Weight Probiotic is intended to boost metabolism, support weight loss, and promote digestive health with the addition of coffee bean extract and xylooligosaccharides.

For $34, you’ll get roughly half the xylooligosaccharides, 10 different probiotic strains, and coffee bean extract. Though the benefits of this prebiotic were demonstrated at much higher doses, this product offers other proven ingredients at about ⅓ of the Plexus Slim Price.

You can also find 60 chewable tablets (2-month supply) of life Extension’s Florassist supplement for $13-$25. When taken as directed, you’ll get 1,000mg xylooligosaccharides for a fraction of the price of Plexus Slim.

Even if you double the dose of Florassist and add a fat-burning supplement, you are likely to save when compared to Plexus Slim Pricing.

The Bottom Line

There is some support that Plexus Slim’s blend of ingredients can support healthy digestion and aid weight loss. However, most of the available research demonstrated the efficacy of XOS at much higher doses.

Given the amount included within Plexus Slim, this supplement may not be worth the price.

Despite a low risk for harm, as well as the ability to find more cost-effective supplements that offer XOS, you should still speak with your doctor before trying a new supplement. Your symptoms may be caused by an underlying condition that requires medical attention.

Using a dietary supplement like Plexus Slim may not appropriately address the source of your symptoms, allowing them to persist or even worsen.