The Thrive Patch is a transdermal patch, or plaster, that allegedly helps weight loss by releasing active ingredients into the skin. Proponents recommend it as part of an 8-week weight management course.
In this article, we explain what the Thrive Patch is, assess whether it works, and consider its risks and benefits. We also provide other methods and general tips for weight loss.
The Thrive Patch is part of an 8-week weight management and lifestyle experience.
Advocates say that using the Thrive Patch alongside the Thrive lifestyle capsules and shake mix will lead to an overall improvement in weight, health, lifestyle, and fitness.
The Thrive Patch is a plaster that works through Derma Fusion Technology. The patch uses a transdermal drug delivery system that delivers drug molecules through the skin at a controlled rate for systemic circulation.
Essentially, this means that the patch releases the ingredients onto the skin’s surface. The skin then absorbs the ingredients, allowing them to enter a person’s bloodstream.
The Thrive Patch contains the following ingredients:
- ForsLean®: Forslean is a brand name version of forskolin, a plant extract from the Coleus forskohlii roots. There are few recent studies exploring the benefits of forskolin for weight loss in humans. One older study found that it may help in the treatment and management of obesity and overweight in males.
- Green coffee bean extract: This extract contains the stimulant caffeine, which may help with weight loss maintenance.
- Garcinia cambogia: This plant has shown positive effects on weight loss, appetite reduction, and body fat percentage in some studies, but has proved ineffective in others.
- CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10): This nutrient occurs naturally in the body. As a supplement or in the form of a patch, it may aid weight loss by improving fat metabolization.
- White willow bark: People have widely used white willow bark in weight loss and sport performance products. This use is possibly due to its anti-inflammatory effects.
- Cosmoperine®: This component comes from the active ingredient in peppercorns, called piperine. Research in mice suggests that piperine has potential fat-lowering effects.
There is limited research on the Thrive Patch. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that, in combination with the Thrive shake mix and capsules, the Thrive Patch may lead to weight loss.
Although only anecdotal, there is evidence to suggest that the Thrive Patch can help some people lose weight. It may also be useful as a starting point to help people make healthful lifestyle changes.
As well as promoting weight loss, the 8-week weight management experience also claims to improve health, lifestyle, and fitness.
CoQ10, an ingredient in the patch, may help promote muscle recovery after exercise, but more research is necessary to confirm this benefit. The caffeine in the green coffee bean extract may improve alertness and attention, giving a person the sensation of feeling more healthful.
However, it is important to highlight that the Thrive Patch does not list the quantities of the ingredients that it contains. As such, it may not contain enough CoQ10 or caffeine to have the potential beneficial effects that research implies.
A potential risk of the Thrive Patch is that there is not a lot of research exploring it. Therefore, any long-term effects of its use are unknown.
Another risk is that after the 8 weeks, a person may put on any weight that they have lost. When a person goes on a strict diet, this can cause changes in hormones, metabolism, and cognitive functions.
These changes may make it harder for people to keep up the necessary behaviors to maintain weight loss after the diet has ended.
Some anecdotal evidence from people using the Thrive Patch mentions that it may cause anxiety and panic attacks.
This effect is possibly a result of it containing caffeine. A 2015 study looking at high school children’s caffeine intake found an association between caffeine and higher levels of anxiety and depression.
Instead of using the Thrive Patch, a person may consider making small lifestyle changes over time to promote a healthful and sustained weight loss.
A person should not use the Thrive Patch if they:
- are under 18 years of age
- are pregnant
- are breastfeeding
- have underlying medical conditions
- are taking medication
Anyone considering using the Thrive Patch or starting the 8-week program should consult with their doctor first.
If a person is looking for alternative ways to lose weight, there are several safe, proven methods. These include:
- increasing physical activity
- decreasing calorie intake
- eating consistent amounts at similar times each day
- eating breakfast
- following certain diets, such as the Mediterranean diet
These techniques may be easier to incorporate into a consistent healthful lifestyle that allows people to maintain a moderate weight.
Click here to learn more about how to lose weight naturally.
The Thrive Patch claims to act as a weight loss plaster, which people may use alongside other products as part of an 8-week program.
Although it contains a few ingredients that scientific research has shown can help weight loss, there is a lack of research looking at the benefits of the patch itself.
There are some potential risks of using a Thrive Patch. These include weight gain after use and, possibly, anxiety. More research is necessary to examine the potential long-term risks.
It may be worth approaching the Thrive Patch with a bit of skepticism. If someone is looking to lose weight, they may wish to consider increasing their physical activity levels and decreasing their daily calorie intake instead.
