Thylakoids, the light-capturing membranes of green leaves, are sold as a powdered spinach supplement to curb hunger. The most consistent finding is a short-lived drop in hunger and snack cravings after a dose taken with a meal. Evidence for lasting weight loss is mixed, and much of it comes from the developers. Safety has not been studied beyond a few months; theoretical concerns involve blood thinners and kidney-stone risk. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Body weight and waist circumference | Waist below 80 cm (women) or 94 cm (men); weight trend toward personal goal | Primary outcome of appetite control |
| Body composition | No established target; stable lean mass, falling fat mass vs own baseline | Confirms loss is fat, not muscle |
| Fasting glucose | 75–90 mg/dL | Tracks glucose effects |
| Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR | Insulin 2–6 µIU/mL; HOMA-IR below 1.0 | Tracks insulin sensitivity |
| HbA1c | 4.8–5.3% | Longer-term glucose control |
| LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B | LDL below 100 mg/dL; apolipoprotein B below 80 mg/dL | Tracks the reported lipid effect |
| INR (warfarin users only) | Individual target, usually 2.0–3.0 | Detects vitamin K interference |
| 24-hour urinary oxalate (elevated stone risk only) | Below 25 mg/day | Detects added oxalate load |
| eGFR (elevated stone risk or kidney disease only) | Above 90 mL/min/1.73 m² | Kidney function context for oxalate |
| 25-hydroxy vitamin D | 40–60 ng/mL | Screens for reduced fat-soluble vitamin uptake |
Cadence: Baseline before starting; weight and appetite ratings weekly for the first 4 weeks, then monthly; fasting glucose, insulin, HbA1c and lipids at 12 weeks, then every 6–12 months; INR 1–2 weeks after starting or stopping (warfarin users); urinary oxalate at 4–8 weeks (stone risk); vitamin D recheck at 12 weeks.