Best Interventions for Metabolic Health, Ranked by Evidence

Every intervention Outliyr has scored for metabolic health, ranked by its BioHarmony score for this use case rather than its overall rating. The number beside each name is how well that one thing works for metabolic health; the tier beside it is what it is worth once safety, cost and effort are counted across everything else.

83 of 137 evaluated interventions score 3.0+ out of 10 for metabolic health · 25 comparisons

Ranked for Metabolic Health

Category
  1. Semaglutide

    9.0–9.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.0–6.5/10 overall Worth trying Metabolic & Incretin Peptide

    Moiz 2024 found about 12.1 percentage points greater weight loss than placebo in non-diabetic obesity trials. The metabolic case is broad: weight, glucose, blood pressure, inflammation, liver fat, kidney risk, and cardiovascular…

  2. Tirzepatide

    8.5–9.0 /10 for metabolic health 6.0–6.5/10 overall Worth trying Metabolic & Incretin Peptide

    Tirzepatide also lowered waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, and fasting glucose across multiple phase-3 studies, indicating broad metabolic benefit Liu 2024. Systematic reviews confirm that tirzepatide produces greater weight loss than placebo…

  3. Metformin

    8.5–9.0 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Metabolic & Glycemic Drug

    Metformin reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes by about 31% in high-risk adults, according to the Diabetes Prevention Program trial Knowler 2002. The UK Prospective Diabetes Study showed lower mortality and…

  4. Retatrutide

    8.5–9.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Neutral Metabolic & Incretin Peptide

    Jastreboff 2023 is the cleanest verified anchor for this report. The existing rationale points to this narrower claim: Triple agonism targets appetite, glucose control, weight, waist circumference, and cardiometabolic markers. this verified…

  5. Zone 2 Cardio

    8.0–8.5 /10 for metabolic health 8.0–8.5/10 overall Strong recommend Cardiovascular

    Vabishchevich 2026 supports direction more than certainty. The existing rationale points to this narrower claim: Structured exercise reliably improves glycemic control. this verified source analyzed 47 RCTs in type 2 diabetes and…

  6. Taurine

    8.0–8.5 /10 for metabolic health 8.0–8.5/10 overall Strong recommend Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Tzang 2024 reports 25 RCTs and 1024 participants; lower SBP, DBP, fasting blood glucose, and triglycerides; no significant adverse-effect excess. Guan 2020 points in the same direction, but route, dose, baseline status,…

  7. Berberine

    8.0–8.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Botanical Extract (non-adaptogenic)

    Berberine's strongest overall domain is dysregulated metabolism. Liu 2025 found improvements in triglycerides, fasting glucose, waist circumference, LDL-C, total cholesterol, BMI, and 2-hour glucose in metabolic syndrome, while Shi 2025 emphasized broad…

  8. Time-Restricted Eating

    7.0–7.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Fasting Protocol

    The evidence points to a plausible use case without proving a universal response. Dai W et al. 2024 is the best anchor here because it reports 19 randomized trials, 568 participants and…

  9. Magnesium

    7.0–7.5 /10 for metabolic health 8.5–9.0/10 overall Strong recommend Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Asbaghi 2022 anchors the most relevant signal. Magnesium fits metabolic health when low intake, stress load, mineral loss, or a form-specific target makes deficiency correction plausible. The score stays bounded because effects…

  10. Molecular Hydrogen

    7.0–7.5 /10 for metabolic health 7.5–8.0/10 overall Strong recommend Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    LeBaron 2020 reports 60 participants over 24 weeks; reported improved lipids, glucose, HbA1c, inflammatory markers, and redox markers. Jamialahmadi 2024 points in the same direction, but route, dose, baseline status, and outcome…

  11. Spirulina

    7.0–7.5 /10 for metabolic health 7.5–8.0/10 overall Strong recommend Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Spirulina improves several risk factors at once. Huang 2018 pooled 12 trials and reported fasting glucose down 5.01 mg/dL, triglycerides down 39.2 mg/dL, and diastolic pressure down 7.17 mmHg. The lipid and…

  12. Lactoferrin

    7.0–7.5 /10 for metabolic health 7.0–7.5/10 overall Strong recommend Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Metabolic-health score mainly reflects iron metabolism and low-hemoglobin states, not weight loss. Christofi 2024 found oral bovine lactoferrin favored hemoglobin versus conventional iron preparations in low-Hb populations, while El-Hawy 2021 found lactoferrin…

  13. Sprinting (Sprint Interval Training)

    7.0–7.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.0–6.5/10 overall Worth trying Cardiovascular

    Babraj 2009 improved insulin sensitivity by 23 percent in young men after two weeks of all-out sprints, with insulin area-under-curve down 37 percent. Metcalfe 2012 raised insulin sensitivity 28 percent in men…

  14. Tesamorelin

    7.0–7.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.0–6.5/10 overall Worth trying Growth Hormone Secretagogue

    Tesamorelin reduces VAT and triglyceride-related risk markers, but glucose effects are mixed. Stanley 2012 found VAT responders had better lipid and glucose patterns than nonresponders, while FDA labeling still warns about glucose…

  15. Polyphenols (Dietary)

    6.5–7.0 /10 for metabolic health 7.5–8.0/10 overall Strong recommend Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    The glycemic, lipid, blood-pressure, and endothelial benefits cluster into a coherent cardiometabolic improvement rather than one isolated marker. The Crowe-White 2022 flavan-3-ol dietary guideline, built on 157 RCTs and 15 cohorts, concluded…

  16. Norwegian 4×4

    6.5–7.0 /10 for metabolic health 8.0–8.5/10 overall Strong recommend Cardiovascular

    The Norwegian 4x4 approach relies on four minutes of near-maximal effort repeated four times, which aligns with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) mechanisms that boost cardiorespiratory fitness. Meta-analyses such as Poon 2024 and…

  17. Glycine

    6.5–7.0 /10 for metabolic health 7.5–8.0/10 overall Strong recommend Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Soh 2024 anchors the most relevant signal. Glycine fits metabolic health because glycine participates in sleep signaling, glutathione, collagen, methylation, and nervous-system balance, depending on the endpoint. The score stays bounded because…

  18. Rucking (Weighted Walking)

    6.5–7.0 /10 for metabolic health 7.0–7.5/10 overall Strong recommend Cardiovascular

    Sustained moderate-intensity aerobic volume reliably improves glucose handling, lipids, and insulin sensitivity, and loaded walking delivers more of that stimulus per minute than walking alone. The supporting evidence is aerobic and resistance…

  19. Ketogenic Diet

    6.5–7.0 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Diet & Nutrition Protocol

    The evidence points to a plausible use case without proving a universal response. Eshaghhosseiny Z et al. 2024 is the best anchor here because it reports 10 clinical studies and 408 women…

  20. NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide)

    6.5–7.0 /10 for metabolic health 6.0–6.5/10 overall Worth trying Exogenous Metabolite

    Yoshino 2021 anchors the most relevant signal. NMN fits metabolic health when raising NAD+ is likely to matter for older, metabolically stressed, or performance-tracking users. The score stays bounded because NAD+ rises…

  21. Methylene Blue

    6.5–7.0 /10 for metabolic health 6.0–6.5/10 overall Worth trying Mitochondrial & Redox Drug

    Ramsay 2007 supports the strongest part of the claim. The existing rationale points to this narrower claim: Mitochondrial ATP restoration supports the metabolic-health rationale, but direct insulin, glucose, or body-composition trials are…

  22. SLU-PP-332

    6.5–7.0 /10 for metabolic health 4.5–5.0/10 overall Neutral Research Compound

    ERR agonism by SLU-PP-332 shifts metabolism toward fatty-acid oxidation, improving energy expenditure and reducing hepatic fat in diet-induced obese and ob/ob mice. No human trials have measured glucose, lipid, weight, or liver…

  23. Infrared Sauna

    6.0–6.5 /10 for metabolic health 7.0–7.5/10 overall Strong recommend Sauna & Heat Therapy

    Hamaya 2025 gives the most relevant evidence anchor. The existing rationale points to this narrower claim: Passive heating may improve some metabolic markers in specific populations, but this verified source found mostly…

  24. Blood-Flow Restriction Training

    6.0–6.5 /10 for metabolic health 8.0–8.5/10 overall Strong recommend Resistance & Strength

    Huang et al. 2025 gives the strongest anchor. Metabolic stress and muscle gain support metabolic health indirectly, with strongest relevance in deconditioned or older users who need low-load training. The score stays…

  25. Red Light Therapy

    6.0–6.5 /10 for metabolic health 7.5–8.0/10 overall Strong recommend Light Therapy

    Sun 2025 found PBM improved waistline, weight, and BMI in obesity trials, though comparator heterogeneity limits confidence. This is an emerging use case rather than a core one. Red Light Therapy may…

  26. Astaxanthin

    6.0–6.5 /10 for metabolic health 7.5–8.0/10 overall Strong recommend Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Laurindo 2025 reports 8 randomized controlled studies; 312 randomized participants by included-study table; triglycerides and HDL-C improved; LDL-C and total cholesterol were not significant; certainty low to very low. Odeberg 2003 points…

  27. Whole-Body Vibration

    6.0–6.5 /10 for metabolic health 7.0–7.5/10 overall Strong recommend Vibration & Mechanical Stimulation

    Pooled diabetes data show modest but inconsistent glycemic improvements Fabregat-Fernandez 2024. Whole-Body Vibration has been examined in people with type 2 diabetes, where some trials report lower fasting glucose and better insulin…

  28. Omega-3

    6.0–6.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    The evidence points to a plausible use case without proving a universal response. Norouzzadeh et al. 2026 is the best anchor here because it reports 20 randomized trials, 1,208 participants and no…

  29. GlyNAC (Glycine + N-Acetylcysteine)

    6.0–6.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Amino Acid

    Kumar 2023 reported a 64 percent fall in HOMA-IR plus reduced waist circumference, and the diabetes pilot Sekhar 2022 lowered insulin resistance and free fatty acids in 14 days. The metabolic story…

  30. Senolytics

    6.0–6.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Botanical Extract (non-adaptogenic)

    Baker et al. 2016 supports selective use. Senescent preadipocyte and adipose-inflammation mechanisms are plausible from preclinical D+Q work, but F+Q human metabolic endpoints are not proven. The score stays bounded because Senolytics…

  31. Chlorella

    6.0–6.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    The same Fallah 2018 meta-analysis reported a small fasting-glucose reduction of 4.23 mg/dL (P=0.041) alongside the lipid and blood-pressure shifts, suggesting a broad, gentle metabolic effect rather than a targeted one. The…

  32. MOTS-c

    6.0–6.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Mitochondrial & Longevity Peptide

    Lee 2015 showed MOTS-c improved insulin sensitivity and diet-induced obesity measures in mice, while Zhou 2024 found circulating MOTS-c differs by metabolic state in humans. No exogenous human trial exists. That makes…

  33. Orforglipron (Foundayo)

    6.0–6.5 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Worth trying Weight-Management Drug (non-peptide)

    Metabolic health improves broadly, not just on the scale. Across the Phase 3 program orforglipron significantly improved blood pressure, lipids, and waist circumference versus placebo, per Wharton 2025, and it lowered the…

  34. TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy)

    6.0–6.5 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Neutral Hormone Therapy

    Jones 2011 reports Corrected v0.x PMID; supports modest metabolic and sexual-function benefits in hypogonadal men with T2D or metabolic syndrome. The score stays conditional because TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) still needs better…

  35. CagriSema (Cagrilintide + Semaglutide)

    5.5–6.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.0–5.5/10 overall Neutral Metabolic & Incretin Peptide

    Metabolic health gains are strong because CagriSema attacks weight and glucose together. In REDEFINE 2, people with type 2 diabetes saw large improvements and 74% reached an HbA1c at or below 6.5%,…

  36. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

    5.5–6.0 /10 for metabolic health 7.5–8.0/10 overall Strong recommend Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    The supporting evidence overlaps with its glycemic and lipid data: Ashor 2017 reported modest HbA1c, fasting glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol improvements that scaled with baseline HbA1c, meaning the people who benefit…

  37. TUDCA (Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid)

    5.5–6.0 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Exogenous Metabolite

    Kars 2010 gives a small but direct human insulin-sensitivity signal. In obese adults, four weeks of TUDCA improved hepatic insulin sensitivity by 30 percent and skeletal-muscle insulin sensitivity by 28 percent Kars…

  38. Exogenous Ketones

    5.5–6.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Worth trying Exogenous Metabolite

    Exogenous ketones produce genuine acute metabolic effects. Myette-Cote 2018 found a ketone ester before an oral glucose load lowered glucose area-under-curve about 17 percent in 20 healthy adults. Stubbs 2018 showed a…

  39. Quinton Marine Plasma (Seawater Minerals)

    5.5–6.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Worth trying Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Ham 2024 randomized 75 adults to 350 mg magnesium per day from deep-seawater extract for 12 weeks and saw HOMA-IR fall (p=0.0102), fasting insulin fall (p=0.0238), and C-peptide fall (p=0.0220), while HbA1c…

  40. Mazdutide (IBI362)

    5.5–6.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Neutral Metabolic & Incretin Peptide

    Metabolic markers move broadly in the right direction. Across trials, triglycerides fell by roughly 27 to 37 percent, blood pressure dropped modestly, and serum uric acid declined substantially, per Ji 2023. The…

  41. Eloralintide (LY3841136)

    5.5–6.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.0–5.5/10 overall Neutral Metabolic & Incretin Peptide

    Weight reduction of this size reliably drags metabolic markers with it, and the sponsor reported improvements in waist circumference, blood pressure, lipids, glycemic markers and inflammatory markers alongside the primary endpoint (Eli…

  42. Survodutide (BI 456906)

    5.5–6.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.0–5.5/10 overall Neutral Metabolic & Incretin Peptide

    Survodutide moves several metabolic levers at once. A 16-week head-to-head against semaglutide in type 2 diabetes showed comparable blood-sugar lowering plus more weight loss, per Bluher 2024. A post-hoc analysis found blood…

  43. Sulforaphane

    5.0–5.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Botanical Extract (non-adaptogenic)

    Metabolic health is one of the better-supported sulforaphane indications. Axelsson 2017 reported broccoli sprout extract improved fasting glucose and HbA1c in 97 type 2 diabetes patients, with effects concentrated in the obese…

  44. Ca-AKG (Calcium Alpha-Ketoglutarate)

    5.0–5.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Filip 2007 anchors the strongest signal. The existing rationale points to this narrower claim: No direct human metabolic-health RCT. AKG's central metabolism role is relevant but does not yet translate into glucose,…

  45. Glutathione (GSH)

    5.0–5.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.0–6.5/10 overall Worth trying Amino Acid

    Honda 2017 saw triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids fall alongside ALT in fatty-liver patients, which is metabolically relevant. The GlyNAC trials from the Sekhar group reported improvements in insulin resistance and mitochondrial…

  46. Electrolytes

    5.0–5.5 /10 for metabolic health 8.5–9.0/10 overall Top-tier Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Cheuvront 2014 supports the strongest part of the claim. The existing rationale points to this narrower claim: Magnesium is a cofactor in hundreds of enzymatic reactions and hydration status supports metabolic regulation.…

  47. Vitamin D3 + K2

    5.0–5.5 /10 for metabolic health 7.5–8.0/10 overall Strong recommend Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Pittas 2019 anchors the most relevant signal. Vitamin D3 + K2 fits metabolic health when deficiency, bone risk, immune seasonality, or fat-soluble nutrient gaps are present. The score stays bounded because benefits…

  48. Traditional Sauna (Finnish Dry-Heat)

    5.0–5.5 /10 for metabolic health 7.5–8.0/10 overall Strong recommend Sauna & Heat Therapy

    The cardiovascular and mortality cohort data implies a broad metabolic benefit, since the men who saunaed most also had lower blood pressure and inflammation, and heat stress activates several pathways that overlap…

  49. Full-Body EMS

    5.0–5.5 /10 for metabolic health 7.0–7.5/10 overall Strong recommend Resistance & Strength

    The signal is conditional. Guretzki 2024 found a small favorable metabolic-syndrome score effect, but individual lipids, insulin markers, and inflammatory biomarkers are not reliably moved. The likely pathway is muscle mass and…

  50. NR (Nicotinamide Riboside)

    5.0–5.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.0–6.5/10 overall Worth trying Exogenous Metabolite

    Martens 2018 gives the most relevant evidence anchor. The existing rationale points to this narrower claim: NAD+ increase supports metabolic pathways, but this verified source found no insulin-sensitivity improvement in obese men…

  51. Cagrilintide (AM833)

    5.0–5.5 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Worth trying Metabolic & Incretin Peptide

    Metabolic health scores moderately because amylin signaling improves several markers at once without forcing insulin secretion. Slowed gastric emptying and suppressed post-meal glucagon flatten glucose excursions, and the large weight loss in…

  52. Curcumin

    5.0–5.5 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Worth trying Botanical Extract (non-adaptogenic)

    The metabolic story is mixed. A 2018 meta-analysis in Current Pharmaceutical Design found curcumin lowered fasting glucose, HOMA-IR, HbA1c, and triglycerides in metabolic syndrome, but showed no significant effect on LDL or…

  53. VK2735 (Viking Therapeutics)

    5.0–5.5 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Worth trying Metabolic & Incretin Peptide

    Metabolic health looks promising on early data but rests on the same short window. In the VENTURE Phase 2 injectable trial, about 78 percent of prediabetic participants returned to normal glucose levels…

  54. Ephedrine

    5.0–5.5 /10 for metabolic health 5.0–5.5/10 overall Neutral Sympathomimetic Stimulant

    Modest fat loss preserves lean mass: Astrup 1992 Metabolism showed 4.5 kg additional fat loss with 2.8 kg less FFM loss vs placebo over 8 weeks in 14 obese women on E+C…

  55. Essential Amino Acids

    4.5–5.0 /10 for metabolic health 7.5–8.0/10 overall Strong recommend Amino Acid

    Vangipurapu 2019 found nine amino acids associated with decreased insulin secretion and elevated glucose over 7.4 years in Finnish men. Observational design prevents causality, but it justifies caution with chronic high-dose use.

  56. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 / Ubiquinol)

    4.5–5.0 /10 for metabolic health 7.0–7.5/10 overall Strong recommend Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    The most defensible metabolic angle is in statin users and people with cardiovascular risk, where CoQ10's cardiac benefits and antioxidant action overlap. As a primary metabolic intervention it is weak; as part…

  57. Saffron

    4.5–5.0 /10 for metabolic health 7.0–7.5/10 overall Strong recommend Botanical Extract (non-adaptogenic)

    Zhang 2025 pooled 25 RCTs and found improvements in several glycolipid and blood-pressure markers, but no significant changes for several insulin, lipid, BMI, or waist endpoints.

  58. Ergothioneine

    4.5–5.0 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Metabolic health is mostly mechanistic; the strongest human data is the cardiovascular and mortality cohort rather than glycemic endpoints. Treat as unproven for blood sugar specifically.

  59. Quercetin

    4.5–5.0 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Botanical Extract (non-adaptogenic)

    The Arabi 2023 umbrella review of cardiometabolic meta-analyses found quercetin lowers SBP and insulin but does not affect DBP, lipids, inflammation, anthropometrics, FBG, or HOMA-IR consistently. Tamtaji 2019 in metabolic syndrome populations…

  60. Fucoidan (Brown Seaweed Polysaccharide)

    4.5–5.0 /10 for metabolic health 6.0–6.5/10 overall Worth trying Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    One small human RCT lowered LDL-C and blood pressure but raised insulin resistance; the net metabolic picture is mixed and underpowered.

  61. Resveratrol

    4.5–5.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Worth trying Botanical Extract (non-adaptogenic)

    Metabolic-health evidence is inconsistent and population-dependent. Timmers 2011 showed calorie-restriction-like metabolic effects in obese humans, but Poulsen 2013 did not replicate meaningful benefit in obese men at high dose. Yoshino 2012 was…

  62. Ozone Therapy

    4.5–5.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.0–5.5/10 overall Neutral Ozone & Oxidative Therapy

    Preserved v0.x score. Metabolic claims are mostly mechanism and anecdote. Diabetic-foot-ulcer work such as Lima E Silva Filho 2024 is wound-care evidence in diabetic patients, not proof of glucose-control or insulin-sensitivity benefit.…

  63. BAM15

    4.5–5.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.0–5.5/10 overall Neutral Research Compound

    BAM15 improved insulin sensitivity across tissues in hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp studies in diet-induced obese mice, the most rigorous mechanistic metabolic readout available in animals (Alexopoulos et al. 2020), with an independent lab confirming…

  64. Tesofensine

    4.5–5.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.0–5.5/10 overall Neutral Weight-Management Drug (non-peptide)

    Metabolic health improves mostly downstream of the weight loss rather than as a direct effect. In a respiration-chamber study the drug raised satiety, lifted nighttime energy expenditure about 4.6 percent, and increased…

  65. Rapamycin

    4.0–4.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Longevity & mTOR Drug

    Mixed evidence: PEARL biomarkers were mostly neutral, while chronic exposure and labeling keep glucose and lipid risk high.

  66. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

    4.0–4.5 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Worth trying Hyperbaric

    Diabetic wound-care evidence is strong, and reviews suggest HBOT can affect glucose handling acutely. McIntosh 2021 documents intra-session glucose changes in patients with diabetes. This does not make hyperbaric oxygen therapy a…

  67. Spermidine

    4.0–4.5 /10 for metabolic health 7.5–8.0/10 overall Strong recommend Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Gai 2025 reviews anti-aging and metabolic endpoints, but the human metabolic evidence is not strong enough to make this a primary use case.

  68. NAC (N-Acetylcysteine)

    4.0–4.5 /10 for metabolic health 8.0–8.5/10 overall Strong recommend Amino Acid

    Indirect metabolic support through oxidative-stress reduction and homocysteine lowering, but no large metabolic-outcome RCT base. Not a glucose or weight intervention.

  69. Ashwagandha

    4.0–4.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Adaptogenic Herb

    Metabolic benefit is mostly secondary to stress reduction. Salve 2019 supports modest movement in stress-linked cardiometabolic measures, but there is no dedicated high-confidence metabolic RCT base. Additive glucose lowering with diabetes medications…

  70. Tongkat Ali

    3.5–4.0 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Adaptogenic Herb

    Metabolic claims are indirect through testosterone support in older men. No strong human glucose, insulin, or body-composition trial supports Tongkat Ali as a metabolic-health tool.

  71. Sodium Butyrate

    3.5–4.0 /10 for metabolic health 6.0–6.5/10 overall Worth trying Exogenous Metabolite

    The metabolic picture is weak where it matters. A 2018 crossover trial found oral butyrate improved insulin sensitivity only in lean subjects, with no effect in the metabolic syndrome group most likely…

  72. HRV Biofeedback

    3.5–4.0 /10 for metabolic health 9.0–9.5/10 overall Top-tier Wearable & Tracker

    Indirect via stress reduction, cortisol lowering, improved sleep.

  73. Shilajit

    3.5–4.0 /10 for metabolic health 7.0–7.5/10 overall Strong recommend Adaptogenic Herb

    Mineral content and fulvic-acid transport could support metabolic enzyme function, but human metabolic outcomes are not well-tested. Use this as indirect support, not a glucose or lipid intervention.

  74. Lion’s Mane

    3.5–4.0 /10 for metabolic health 7.0–7.5/10 overall Strong recommend Functional Mushroom

    A preliminary Taiwan pilot suggested HbA1c movement in prediabetes, but the result is not enough for a strong metabolic-health claim. Weight, glucose, and insulin endpoints need larger peer-reviewed trials.

  75. Urolithin A

    3.5–4.0 /10 for metabolic health 6.5–7.0/10 overall Worth trying Exogenous Metabolite

    Downstream mitochondrial signal only. Hodzic Kuerec 2024 found no clear anthropometric or broad metabolic outcome effect in humans.

  76. Pine Pollen

    3.5–4.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Neutral Adaptogenic Herb

    Composition reviews note antidiabetic activity in animal models, but no human metabolic trial exists; the effect is preclinical only.

  77. Cold Plunge

    3.5–4.0 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Neutral Cold Exposure

    Hanssen 2015 Nature Medicine showed 10 days of cold acclimation (14-15 degC, 2-6h/day) raised peripheral insulin sensitivity by approximately 43 percent in n=8 type 2 diabetes patients via skeletal-muscle GLUT4 translocation. Van…

  78. 5-Amino-1MQ

    3.0–3.5 /10 for metabolic health 4.5–5.0/10 overall Neutral Research Compound

    Glucose tolerance normalized in obese mice, but mostly with related NNMT inhibitors such as JBSNF-000088 (Kannt 2018), not 5-Amino-1MQ itself.

  79. Thymosin Alpha-1

    3.0–3.5 /10 for metabolic health 7.0–7.5/10 overall Strong recommend Immune Peptide

    No direct metabolic-health evidence. A TESTS 2025 subgroup signal by diabetes was exploratory and does not establish glucose, insulin, or weight benefits.

  80. SS-31 (Elamipretide)

    3.0–3.5 /10 for metabolic health 6.0–6.5/10 overall Worth trying Mitochondrial & Longevity Peptide

    Mitochondrial function underlies metabolic health, but direct human metabolic endpoint data are limited and no diabetes or insulin-sensitivity RCT drives this report.

  81. Humanin

    3.0–3.5 /10 for metabolic health 5.5–6.0/10 overall Neutral Mitochondrial & Longevity Peptide

    Metabolic health is humanin's second-strongest mechanistic story, but it sits at a moderate score because the cleanest data came from rodents and a more potent analogue. Continuous central humanin infusion improved whole-body…

  82. SLU-PP-915

    3.0–3.5 /10 for metabolic health 4.5–5.0/10 overall Neutral Research Compound

    Insulin-sensitivity and glucose improvement belong to the 332 dataset (Billon et al. 2024), not to a dedicated 915 trial. Mechanistically shared, but 915-specific metabolic evidence is thin.

  83. C15 (Pentadecanoic Acid)

    3.0–3.5 /10 for metabolic health 3.0–3.5/10 overall Caution Vitamin & Mineral & Nutrient

    Robinson 2024 (Robinson 2024, n=30, 12 weeks, 200 mg/day) raised circulating C15:0 but did not show a reliable full-cohort improvement in fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, body weight, BMI, or hs-CRP. The updated…

What each one costs

Monthly out-of-pocket cost at the most accessible legitimate channel, at the dose the score was given for. 26 of 83 are not priced yet; those cells are left blank rather than guessed.

InterventionMonthly costAt doseHow you get it
Semaglutide $199–$3490.25 mg weeks 1 to 4, 0.5 mg weeks 5 to 8, 1.0 mg weeks 9 to 12, 1.7 mg weeks 13 to 16, 2.4 mg week 17 onwardPrescription
Tirzepatide $299–$4492.5 to 5 to 7.5 to 10 to 12.5 to 15 mgPrescription
Metformin $4–$30500 mg with dinner for 1 week, then 500 mg twice daily for 1 week, then increase by 500 mg/week toward 1000 mg twice daily as toleratedPrescription
Retatrutide $130–$9602 mg, then 4 mg, then 8 mg or 12 mg weekly depending on protocol and tolerabilityResearch use only
Zone 2 Cardio Not priced yetOver the counter
Taurine $3–$101-3 g, 30-60 minutes before sleepOver the counter
Berberine $15–$25500 mg berberine HCl three times daily with mealsOver the counter
Time-Restricted Eating Not priced yet
Magnesium $10–$20200-400 mg glycinate elementalOver the counter
Molecular Hydrogen Not priced yet
Spirulina $10–$251 to 4.5 g/dayOver the counter
Lactoferrin $25–$50250-300 mg apolactoferrinOver the counter
Sprinting (Sprint Interval Training) Not priced yet
Tesamorelin $250–$5002 mg subcutaneous daily in the eveningPrescription
Polyphenols (Dietary) Not priced yet
Norwegian 4×4 Not priced yetOver the counter
Glycine $2–$33 g oral glycineOver the counter
Rucking (Weighted Walking) Not priced yet
Ketogenic Diet $100Standard keto, 40-50 g total carbohydrate/dayOver the counter
NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) $40–$100500 mg/day oralOver the counter
Methylene Blue $13–$400.5-5 mg oralOver the counter
SLU-PP-332 $30–$803-5 mg/day oralResearch use only
Infrared Sauna $36–$7355-60 degrees C, 20-30 minOver the counter
Blood-Flow Restriction Training Not priced yet
Red Light Therapy $17–$4310-20 min at 6-12 inches, full chest/face/back rotationOver the counter
Astaxanthin Not priced yet
Whole-Body Vibration $50–$10030 Hz, roughly 0.3g, 10-20 min standingOver the counter
Omega-3 $20–$401-2 g/day combined EPA+DHAOver the counter
GlyNAC (Glycine + N-Acetylcysteine) $10–$30Glycine and NAC at ~100 mg/kg/day eachOver the counter
Senolytics Not priced yet
Chlorella $10–$505-10 g/dayOver the counter
MOTS-c $100–$2005-10 mg SCResearch use only
Orforglipron (Foundayo) $149–$299Start low, step up to 36 mgPrescription
TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) $50–$300Clinician-selected formulation at the lowest dose likely to restore physiologic testosteronePrescription
CagriSema (Cagrilintide + Semaglutide) $80–$1600.25 mg, then 0.5 mg, then 1.0 mg, then 1.7 mg, then 2.4 mg of eachResearch use only
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) Not priced yet
TUDCA (Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid) $12–$91500-1,750 mgOver the counter
Exogenous Ketones $38–$300Ester 10 to 25 g BHBOver the counter
Quinton Marine Plasma (Seawater Minerals) Not priced yet
Mazdutide (IBI362) $400–$420Step up over several weeks to 6 mgGrey market
Eloralintide (LY3841136) $432–$5409 mg once weeklyResearch use only
Survodutide (BI 456906) $300–$5002.4, 4.8, or 6.0 mgResearch use only
Sulforaphane $25–$60Broccoli sprout extract delivering about 150 micromoles sulforaphane per dayOver the counter
Ca-AKG (Calcium Alpha-Ketoglutarate) $15–$301 g/day generic Ca-AKG oralOver the counter
Glutathione (GSH) $20–$451,000 mg/dayOver the counter
Electrolytes Not priced yet
Vitamin D3 + K2 Not priced yet
Traditional Sauna (Finnish Dry-Heat) $5015 to 20 minutes at 80 to 100 COver the counter
Full-Body EMS Not priced yet
NR (Nicotinamide Riboside) $40–$50250-300 mg/day oralOver the counter
Cagrilintide (AM833) $70–$1700.25 mg, then 0.5 mg, 1.0 mg, 1.7 mg, then 2.4 mgResearch use only
Curcumin $15–$40500 mg curcuminoidsOver the counter
VK2735 (Viking Therapeutics) $100–$4002.5 to 5 mgResearch use only
Ephedrine Not priced yet
Essential Amino Acids Not priced yet
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 / Ubiquinol) $15–$40100-200 mg/dayOver the counter
Saffron Not priced yet
Ergothioneine Not priced yet
Quercetin $20–$50200 mg/dayOver the counter
Fucoidan (Brown Seaweed Polysaccharide) Not priced yet
Resveratrol Not priced yet
Ozone Therapy $520–$2,60020-30 mcg/mL ozone, roughly 1,000-1,500 mcg total per sessionIn clinic
BAM15 Not priced yet
Tesofensine Not priced yet
Rapamycin $15–$503 mgPrescription
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy $3,000–$6,0002.0 ATA for 90 minutes with air breaksIn clinic
Spermidine $40–$901-3 mg/day oral WGEOver the counter
NAC (N-Acetylcysteine) $5–$15600 to 1,200 mg/dayOver the counter
Ashwagandha $15–$30300 mg KSM-66 with breakfast and 300 mg with dinnerOver the counter
Tongkat Ali $20–$40200 mg/day Physta standardized extractOver the counter
Sodium Butyrate Not priced yet
HRV Biofeedback $520 min/session at individual RF (4.5 to 6.5 bpm)Over the counter
Shilajit $25–$50500 mg purified shilajitOver the counter
Lion’s Mane $20–$403 g/day fruiting body extractOver the counter
Urolithin A $50–$100500 mg/dayOver the counter
Pine Pollen $20–$455 to 10 g powder per dayOver the counter
Cold Plunge Not priced yetOver the counter
5-Amino-1MQ $95–$19050 to 100 mg oral, once dailyGrey market
Thymosin Alpha-1 $100–$4001.6 mg subcutaneousPrescription
SS-31 (Elamipretide) $200–$5005-10 mg/day subcutaneousGrey market
Humanin $100–$3001 mg subcutaneous, twice weeklyResearch use only
SLU-PP-915 Not priced yet
C15 (Pentadecanoic Acid) $40–$50200 mg/dayOver the counter

Comparisons that judge metabolic health

Head-to-head reports and category rankings that name a winner on this use case.

Category ranking

Best GLP-1 Drugs Ranked by Evidence (2026)

This page ranks by the live body-composition subrating, not the overall BioHarmony score, since body composition is the goal this category is built around. Tirzepatide leads both measures.…

  • Tirzepatide
  • Retatrutide
  • Semaglutide
  • CagriSema
  • +5 more
Read the comparison →

13 more comparisons touch on metabolic health →

Questions about metabolic health

What scores highest for metabolic health?

Semaglutide, at 9.0–9.5 out of 10 for metabolic health. Moiz 2024 found about 12.1 percentage points greater weight loss than placebo in non-diabetic obesity trials.

What is the cheapest thing that works for metabolic health?

Of the top-scoring options, Glycine is the least expensive at about $2 a month, scoring 6.5–7.0 out of 10 for metabolic health.

What should I be careful with for metabolic health?

C15 (Pentadecanoic Acid) scores 3.0–3.5 out of 10 for metabolic health but only 3.0–3.5 overall, landing in the caution tier once safety, side effects, cost and effort are counted.

How many interventions has Outliyr scored for metabolic health?

83 of the 137 interventions evaluated for metabolic health score 3.0 out of 10 or better, which is the cut-off for appearing on this page.