The science behind TAKE.
Every ingredient chosen for a specific reason. Here is what is inside each Essential, why it was selected, and how strong the evidence actually is.
How we label the evidence
Supplement marketing tends to present every ingredient as equally proven. That is not how evidence works, and we do not write that way. Every ingredient below carries one of three labels.
Direct evidenceHuman clinical studies support this ingredient for the use described.
Supporting evidenceHuman studies exist in related populations or for related outcomes, but not specifically in people on GLP-1 medications.
RationaleThe ingredient was included on mechanistic or nutritional reasoning we find sound, but which has not been tested in clinical trials for this context.
Research specific to supplementation during GLP-1 treatment is still young across the board. Where the evidence is thin, we say so. For the full reference list behind each product, see The Research Behind TAKE.
Protein. The nutrient GLP-1 medications make it hardest to get enough of.
Lean mass is metabolically active tissue. It supports calorie use at rest, blood glucose regulation, and physical function, and once lost it is slow to rebuild. Body composition studies suggest an estimated 25 to 40% of weight lost during GLP-1 treatment may be lean mass rather than fat.
Most evidence-based guidelines recommend 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily during active weight loss, rising to around 1.5 grams where illness or higher needs apply. With appetite reduced by medication, reaching that from food alone can be difficult. A serving of TAKE Nourish provides 20g of plant protein toward it.
A full amino acid profile with good digestibility, which matters when GLP-1 medications slow gastric emptying and the stomach has become more sensitive. Tendra is a proprietary isolate chosen because many people on GLP-1 medications find whey and traditional plant proteins heavy or hard to tolerate. We selected it for protein density in a small volume; head-to-head clinical comparisons in GLP-1 users do not yet exist.
Fermentation partially breaks proteins down into smaller peptides before you consume them. The reasoning is that partially broken-down protein asks less of a digestive system already working more slowly, and the ingredient also provides naturally occurring B vitamins involved in energy metabolism.* Absorption comparisons against conventional protein sources have not been tested in GLP-1 users, and we do not claim they have.
Probiotic delivery. Why most probiotics fail before they start.
Stomach acid destroys a large share of unprotected probiotic cultures before they reach the intestine. Studies of conventional probiotics have reported losses of up to 90% of viable cultures in transit, which is a delivery problem before it is a formulation one.
Conventional probiotics can lose up to 90% of viable cultures before reaching the colon.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, PubMedA patented marine polysaccharide delivery system that encapsulates probiotic strains in a double-layered protection matrix, designed to carry Flora's cultures through the acidic environment of the stomach so more of them arrive in the intestine.* The delivery technology has been studied for survivability; outcomes in GLP-1 users specifically have not.
View Research →Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium Lactis, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Lactobacillus Paracasei, and Prebiotic FOS.* Direct evidence that GLP-1 medications disrupt the gut microbiome is limited, and a systematic review found most human studies reported no change in microbial diversity. The narrower, better-supported point is that eating substantially less usually means eating less fiber, and fiber is what feeds the bacteria your digestive system depends on.
View Research →Sleep. Why it commonly changes during treatment, and how Rest was formulated in response.
Why sleep changes during GLP-1 treatment is not fully established. One proposed mechanism is that eating substantially less reduces tryptophan intake, the amino acid the body uses to make serotonin, which is involved in sleep onset. A second is that rapid weight change affects cortisol rhythm. Both are plausible physiological explanations. Neither has been confirmed in people on GLP-1 medications, and we will not present them as settled.
Caloric restriction may suppress melatonin precursors and affect cortisol rhythm, two mechanisms associated with impaired sleep quality.
Proposed mechanism, not confirmed in GLP-1 usersA direct precursor to serotonin that sits one step downstream of dietary tryptophan, which is the reasoning for including it.* It does not depend on food intake to enter that pathway. This mechanism is plausible and has not been confirmed in GLP-1 users.
View Research →Randomized controlled trials of standardized ashwagandha root extract, conducted in general adult populations, have reported reductions in serum cortisol and improvements in perceived stress with consistent daily use.* In TAKE Rest it sits within a proprietary sleep blend, which means the manufacturer discloses the ingredient but not the individual amount, and we tell you that plainly.
View Research →TAKE Rest delivers 5mg of melatonin per capsule and the label serving is 2 capsules (10mg). Start with 1 capsule (5mg) about three hours before you intend to sleep and move to 2 capsules (10mg) if you need deeper support.* Absorption of oral melatonin varies several-fold between people, which is why the right amount is the lowest one that works for you rather than a fixed number. A meta-analysis of 17 studies (Brzezinski et al., Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2005) reported that exogenous melatonin supports sleep onset and sleep quality.*
View Research →TAKE Rest also contains St. John's Wort, which interacts with hormonal contraception and with SSRIs, SNRIs and other antidepressants. Read the interaction notice on the product page before ordering.
Creatine. The most researched ingredient for lean mass support.
Creatine monohydrate is among the most extensively researched nutritional ingredients in existence, with hundreds of peer-reviewed studies behind its use and safety profile. In general adult populations it is one of the best-supported ingredients for maintaining lean mass, particularly alongside regular physical activity.
Evidence specific to creatine during GLP-1 weight loss is still emerging. We include it because the general-population evidence is strong and the need during rapid weight loss is plausible, not because it has been tested in this exact context.
5,000mg per serving is the daily maintenance dose used in the research to keep muscle phosphocreatine stores saturated.* Studied for lean mass maintenance in general adult populations; evidence during reduced intake on GLP-1 medications is still emerging, and TAKE does not claim more than the research shows.
View Research →Sodium (as Sea Salt) 1,000mg, Magnesium (as Magnesium Malate) 60mg, Potassium (as Potassium Chloride) 200mg. Magnesium Malate was chosen for its absorption profile and its role in normal energy metabolism.*
Electrolytes and B vitamins. Why drinking more water is not the whole answer.
Food accounts for approximately 20% of daily fluid and electrolyte intake. Research published in Obesity Reviews in 2026 confirmed that caloric intake drops 16 to 39% during GLP-1 treatment, and the electrolytes that would have arrived with that food tend to fall alongside it, though the effect varies from person to person.
B vitamins are obtained primarily through food, and B12 is among the nutrients most commonly reported as reduced in people whose food intake has fallen for an extended period. TAKE Hydrate delivers the full B-vitamin spectrum including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 and Folate with every serving.*
Sodium 100mg, Potassium 200mg, Magnesium 20mg, Calcium 40mg. Sugar free, sweetened with sucralose, and formulated to replace what reduced food intake leaves behind rather than what heavy exertion depletes.*
Peptide science. What these ingredients are, and what we do not claim.
Hair shedding is commonly reported during periods of rapid weight loss. It is usually described as telogen effluvium, a response to rapid change rather than a DHT process, and it is compounded by the protein and micronutrient gaps that come with eating substantially less.
TAKE Regrowth is a topical cosmetic serum for the scalp environment during that period. It is not a hair loss treatment, and we do not claim it alters the biology of the hair follicle.
These are lab-made cosmetic peptides named after naturally occurring growth factors. In a topical serum they are conditioning ingredients for the scalp environment.* The deeper mechanistic claims often attached to these names in the supplement and beauty industry are not supported by clinical trials of topical use, and we do not make them. They are included alongside rosemary and saw palmetto as part of a scalp-care routine for a period when hair is under stress.
A 2015 clinical trial published in SKINmed Journal (Panahi et al.) studied topical rosemary oil in relation to hair count and scalp coverage over a six-month period, with a favorable tolerability profile.* That trial was conducted in pattern hair loss, not in GLP-1-related shedding, so we treat it as supporting rather than direct evidence for this context.
View Research →Saw palmetto is associated with inhibition of 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme involved in DHT production. GLP-1-related shedding is most often telogen effluvium rather than a DHT process, so saw palmetto is included as broader scalp and hair support rather than a targeted answer to it.* Because it appears in both Regrowth (topical) and Complete (capsule), anyone using the two together is receiving saw palmetto from two sources. It is not suitable during pregnancy, while nursing, or while trying to conceive.
View Research →Digestive regularity. Supporting comfort during slowed gastric transit.
GLP-1 medications slow gastric emptying, which is part of how they reduce appetite. Constipation and bloating are commonly reported during treatment, and reduced fiber intake from eating substantially less compounds it.
A clinically relevant dose of soluble fiber, one of the best-established ingredients in nutrition science for stool consistency and healthy bowel transit.* Because soluble fiber can slow the absorption of medication and nutrients taken alongside it, take TAKE Flow at least two hours apart from any medication, and at a different point in the day from TAKE Complete or TAKE Flora.
View Research →Amylase, Lactase, Lipase and Cellulase from fermented cereals, included to support the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats and fiber when digestive capacity may be reduced.* This blend has not been studied in GLP-1 users specifically.
A 2008 study (Wu et al., European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology) reported that ginger supported gastric emptying compared to placebo.* Ginger is among the most researched botanicals for gastric comfort, though the studies were conducted in general populations rather than in GLP-1 users.
View Research →Micronutrients. What reduced food intake may systematically affect.
Research published in Obesity Reviews in 2026 confirmed that caloric intake drops 16 to 39% during GLP-1 treatment, and that there has been very little clinical study of how these medications affect micronutrient intake, protein intake or diet quality. Every vitamin and mineral obtained through food may fall alongside that intake. TAKE Complete was formulated around that gap.
B12 is among the nutrients most commonly reported as reduced when food intake falls for an extended period, and it is involved in nerve function, energy metabolism and red blood cell formation.* The dose sits well above the daily value deliberately: oral B12 absorption is inefficient and varies between people, so a high oral dose is the standard way to support status when dietary intake is low. B12 has a well-documented safety profile at these levels.
Chromium contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism.* It is included for that role rather than for any effect on weight or appetite, and we make no claim that it influences either.
Included for hair, skin and nail support during a period of rapid change.* One practical note: biotin can interfere with some laboratory blood tests, including certain thyroid and troponin assays. Tell your provider you take it before any bloodwork.
For the full reference list of studies behind each TAKE product, visit The Research Behind TAKE. For definitions of the clinical terms used on this page, see the GLP-1 Glossary.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. TAKE products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The science referenced here describes the mechanisms of individual ingredients as supported by published research. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.