The science behind TAKE.
Every ingredient in The Essentials was chosen for a reason. Not because it is trendy. Not because it is cheap. Here is what is inside, why it was selected, and, just as important, how strong the evidence actually is. For the full reference list of peer-reviewed studies behind each product, see The Research Behind TAKE.
A 2025 joint advisory from four professional societies (Mozaffarian et al., Obesity) reported caloric reductions of 16 to 39 percent across the GLP-1 drug class, and noted how little clinical study there has been of how these medications affect micronutrient intake, protein intake, or diet quality. That gap is the clinical foundation for every TAKE product.
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. Research specific to supplementation during GLP-1 treatment is still young across the board; where the evidence is thin, we say so.
Two trials, and the gap between them and daily nutrition.
The STEP 1 trial (Wilding et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2021) established that semaglutide at 2.4mg weekly produces average weight loss of 14.9% of body weight over 68 weeks. The SURMOUNT-1 trial (Jastreboff et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2022) showed tirzepatide at 15mg weekly produces average weight loss of 22.5%, the largest result published for a weight loss medication at the time. The 2025 advisory cited above reported that this weight loss comes alongside lean mass loss, reduced micronutrient intake, and digestive change that have received very little clinical attention. Every TAKE product exists to support the body through those documented changes.*
Protein during treatment.
The strongest current evidence is a 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 randomised controlled trials covering 15,782 participants (Eisa N, Barood O. Lean Mass Changes With Incretin Therapy Versus Lifestyle Intervention. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 2026;28(6):4818-4827). It reports lean mass as a proportion of total weight lost at 25 to 39 percent across incretin therapies: 35.2 percent on semaglutide (95% CI 31.5 to 38.9), 26.8 percent on liraglutide (23.1 to 30.5) and 25.4 percent on tirzepatide (22.8 to 28.0). The same analysis measured lifestyle intervention without medication at 26.2 percent (24.1 to 28.3) and found no significant difference in proportional lean mass loss between incretin therapy and lifestyle intervention. Lifestyle intervention combined with resistance training was lowest, at 17.5 percent (14.2 to 20.8). The SURMOUNT-1 DXA substudy (Look et al., Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2025, 255 participants enrolled and 160 included in the efficacy analysis) points the same way at trial level, reporting 74 percent of body weight reduction as fat mass and 26 percent as lean mass on tirzepatide, against 75 percent and 25 percent on placebo.
Three things follow. The medication changes the number, so semaglutide and tirzepatide are not interchangeable here. The comparison group matters more: proportional lean mass loss on medication is not meaningfully different from proportional lean mass loss achieved through lifestyle change alone, so the accurate framing is that substantial weight loss costs lean tissue, not that these medications destroy muscle. And the lowest proportion, 17.5 percent, was reported in lifestyle interventions that included resistance training. That is a between-group comparison rather than a direct test of resistance training, so it reinforces why resistance movement belongs in the framework rather than establishing it as the deciding variable. One precision point applies throughout this page: fat-free mass measured by DXA includes water, glycogen and connective tissue, so 35 percent fat-free mass is not 35 percent skeletal muscle. 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.
Most evidence-based guidelines recommend 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day during active weight loss, and a 2026 review of lean mass preservation during GLP-1 treatment recommends 1.2 to 1.5 grams per kilogram. For a 75kg person that is roughly 90 to 110 grams of protein daily. With appetite reduced by medication, reaching that target from food alone can be difficult. A serving of TAKE Nourish provides 20g of plant protein toward it in Vanilla and 21g in Chocolate.
Rationale Tendra® Fava Bean Protein Isolate
Fava bean protein offers a broad 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.
Rationale YESTEIN™ Fermented Nutritional Yeast Protein
Fermentation partially breaks proteins down into smaller peptides before you consume them, and YESTEIN uses a controlled fermentation process built on that principle. The reasoning is that partially broken-down protein asks less of a digestive system that is 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 degrades a large share of unprotected probiotic cultures before they reach the intestine, which is the reason gastroprotective delivery has been studied at all.
Supporting evidence MAKTREK® Bi-Pass Technology
MAKTREK is a patented marine polysaccharide delivery system that encapsulates probiotic strains in a double-layered matrix, designed to carry Flora's 40 billion CFU through the acidic environment of the stomach so more of them arrive where they can do their work. The delivery technology has been studied for survivability; outcomes in GLP-1 users specifically have not.
View research →Rationale 40 Billion CFU, Four Named Strains
Flora publishes its strains to the strain code: Lactobacillus acidophilus (La-14), Bifidobacterium lactis (Bl-04), Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp-115) and Lactobacillus paracasei (Lpc-37). This matters more than it looks. Probiotic research is conducted on strains rather than species, so two products listing the same species can contain entirely different cultures with entirely different evidence behind them. Direct evidence that GLP-1 medications disrupt the gut microbiome is limited; 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 →Skin. Why firmness often lags behind the number on the scale, and how Form was formulated in response.
Rapid weight change moves faster than skin can keep up with. As volume drops beneath the surface, especially through the face, neck, and jawline, skin can look and feel looser than it did before, even as the number on the scale is doing exactly what it should.* Form is a daily firming cream built around three ingredients with a defined job, applied once or twice daily to face, neck, jawline, lips, or anywhere skin has lost its usual firmness.
Rationale DMAE
DMAE is included to support the appearance of skin firmness, tone, and elasticity.* It is a topical cosmetic ingredient selected on established mechanistic and formulation reasoning; we are not aware of clinical trials testing it specifically in people experiencing rapid weight-change-related skin laxity, and do not claim there are.
Rationale Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is included to support hydration and a smoother look and feel.* It is one of the most widely used ingredients in topical skincare for that purpose; the evidence behind it is broad and general rather than specific to this audience.
Rationale CoQ10
CoQ10 is an antioxidant included to support the skin's natural resilience.* Included as part of the formula's broader support role rather than as the primary firming agent.
Creatine. The most researched ingredient for lean mass support.
Creatine monohydrate is one of the most extensively researched nutritional ingredients in existence, with hundreds of peer-reviewed studies behind it. The most relevant evidence for this audience is recent and specific. A meta-analysis published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in June 2026 pooled seven randomised, placebo-controlled trials covering 608 postmenopausal women and reported improvements in lean mass (+0.37kg) and leg press strength (+7.5kg) against placebo.*
The condition attached to that result matters as much as the result. The benefit appeared at 5 grams or more daily combined with resistance movement. TAKE Build is 5,000mg, which is the dose the evidence sits on. Bone mineral density was unchanged across those trials, so we make no bone claim. Adverse events were mild and comparable to placebo, and renal indices were unchanged. Evidence specific to creatine during GLP-1 weight loss remains indirect. A May 2026 review in Metabolites placed creatine among adjunctive options supported mainly by indirect evidence, with protein intake and resistance exercise as the foundation. We agree with that ranking, and it is why this page does not tell you creatine holds onto lean mass on its own.
Direct evidence, general populations Creatine Monohydrate, 5,000mg
5,000mg per serving is the dose used in the research cited above. Studied for lean mass maintenance in general adult populations; evidence during reduced intake on GLP-1 medications is still indirect, and TAKE does not claim more than the research shows.
View research →Rationale Electrolyte Complex
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.* Creatine draws water into muscle tissue, so daily hydration and electrolyte intake matter more alongside it.
Electrolytes and B vitamins. Why drinking more water is not the whole answer.
Food accounts for approximately 20% of daily fluid intake, and the large majority of daily sodium, potassium and magnesium arrives with food rather than drink. When caloric intake drops by 16 to 39%, electrolyte intake tends to fall with it, though the effect varies from person to person.
The two products are not equivalent and we would rather you knew the numbers than assumed. TAKE Build carries sodium 1,000mg, potassium 200mg and magnesium 60mg per serving. TAKE Hydrate is the lighter load, at sodium 100mg, potassium 200mg, calcium 40mg and magnesium 20mg per 5.4g scoop. Build carries ten times Hydrate's sodium. Hydrate is formulated to make daily fluid intake easier when plain water is unappealing, not to replace a large electrolyte loss. Build uses magnesium malate and Hydrate magnesium citrate.
Supporting evidence B-Vitamin Complex
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 seven B vitamins at 33% of the daily value each, and contains no biotin, so it is not a full B complex and we do not describe it as one.
Rationale Electrolyte Blend
Sodium 100mg, Potassium 200mg, Magnesium 20mg, Calcium 40mg per 5.4g scoop. 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 Root 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.
Rationale sh-Polypeptides (aFGF, bFGF, IGF-1, CCL2, VEGF)
Five lab-made cosmetic peptides, listed here in label order: sh-Polypeptide-11 (acidic fibroblast growth factor, aFGF), sh-Polypeptide-1 (basic fibroblast growth factor, bFGF), sh-Oligopeptide-2 (insulin-like growth factor 1, IGF-1), sh-Oligopeptide-10 (chemokine ligand 2, CCL2) and sh-Polypeptide-9 (vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF). Four are analogues of growth factors. The fifth, CCL2, is a cell signalling protein rather than a growth factor, and we name it accurately rather than counting it as one. Root does not contain EGF or KGF. In a topical cosmetic serum these are conditioning ingredients for the scalp environment; TAKE does not claim they alter the biology of the hair follicle, and the deeper mechanistic claims often attached to these names in the industry are not supported by clinical trials of topical use. They are included alongside rosemary and saw palmetto as part of a scalp-care routine for a period when hair is under stress.*
Supporting evidence Rosemary Extract
A 2015 clinical trial published in SKINmed Journal (Panahi et al.) studied topical rosemary oil in relation to hair count and scalp coverage over six months, with a favorable tolerability profile. Three caveats we would rather state than have you discover. The trial had no placebo arm; it compared rosemary oil against minoxidil 2%, and both groups gained hair count from their own baseline without either outperforming the other, so that improvement cannot be confidently attributed to either agent. It was conducted in pattern hair loss, not in GLP-1-related shedding. And it used rosemary oil, while this formula uses rosemary extract.
View research →Rationale Saw Palmetto Extract
Saw palmetto is studied for its effect on 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme involved in DHT production. GLP-1-related shedding is most often described as telogen effluvium, a response to rapid change rather than a DHT process, so saw palmetto is included as broader scalp and hair support rather than as a targeted answer to it.* Because it appears in both Root (topical) and Complete (capsule), anyone taking the two together is receiving saw palmetto from two sources. Saw palmetto is not suitable during pregnancy, while nursing, or while trying to conceive.
View research →Micronutrients. What reduced food intake may systematically affect.
The 2025 advisory cited at the top of this page reported 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.
Supporting evidence Vitamin B12, 1,125% DV
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.
Rationale Chromium Picolinate, 120mcg (343% DV)
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.
Rationale Biotin, 300mcg (1,000% DV)
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.
Rationale Saw Palmetto
Included, as in Root, as broader scalp and hair support rather than a targeted DHT answer. Anyone taking Complete and Root together receives saw palmetto from two sources. Not suitable during pregnancy, while nursing, or while trying to conceive.
Ready to start?
Find your starting point in under 30 seconds.
Take the quizFor the full reference list of studies behind each TAKE product, visit The Research Behind TAKE. Where this page and that one disagree, the Research page is the one to trust, every citation there has been checked against the primary source. For definitions of clinical terms, see the GLP-1 Glossary, and for the limits of what we claim, What We Do Not Claim.
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.