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Hum Nutrition is a health and wellness brand that specializes in nutritional supplements aimed at addressing various health and beauty concerns.
And Flatter Me is one of the various formulas in their product line, which they claim ‘supports a flatter stomach’, and ‘relieves indigestion and bloating through a combination of 18 full-spectrum digestive enzymes and herbs.
But are these claims backed by sound clinical evidence, or is it simply a marketing ploy designed to convince consumers? Does this product have any questionable additives that you should avoid? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Flatter Me?
In this article, I’ll be answering all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Flatter Me based on existing clinical trials to give our take on whether the brand is worth the investment.
Main Takeaways
- Hum Nutrition uses proprietary blends in Flatter Me, which makes it challenging for consumers to know the exact quantity of each component. While this method is not inherently negative and could be used to safeguard trade secrets, clearer disclosure could enhance consumer trust and facilitate a better understanding of efficacy.
- Flatter Me aims to promote digestion and alleviate bloating via an assortment of digestive enzymes. While some individuals with specific medical conditions could potentially benefit, the advantages of multi-enzyme supplements for the general population are not fully supported by current scientific research.
- Flatter Me also includes ginger, fennel, and peppermint. While these herbs have been linked to certain digestive benefits in some studies, the effectiveness may depend on dosage and individual physiological responses.
- Despite my findings, the reviews from real customers seem to be more positive than negative. I’ve shared, in this article, reviews on Youtube, and also reviews from a third-party website (not Hum Nutrition’s website) to give you a more balanced view of customer’s experiences.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Flatter Me are shown above, and as you can see, they’re behind two proprietary blends.
I personally don’t like this approach, but let me explain.
Proprietary blends
This term refers to the practice where supplement manufacturers list multiple ingredients under a single total quantity, instead of specifying the exact amounts of each ingredient.
This is not-so-good for a few reasons:
1 – Consumers cannot know the precise amount of each ingredient in a proprietary blend. This makes it hard to gauge the potential effectiveness of the supplement, and it’s even harder to compare products.
2 – Companies can also take advantage of proprietary blends to obscure the fact that beneficial ingredients are included in negligible amounts, while fillers or cheaper ingredients make up the bulk of the blend.
3 – Some ingredients might interact with medications or have potential side effects at certain doses. Without knowing the exact amounts, it’s hard for consumers and health professionals to assess potential risks.
4 – For people tracking their intake of certain nutrients or compounds, proprietary blends make it impossible to accurately count what’s being consumed.
Despite these concerns, proprietary blends aren’t inherently bad, especially if a company wishes to protect trade secrets. However, transparency is always preferred.
According to Hum Nutrition, the enzyme blend contains various digestive enzymes capable of breaking down protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and lactose (for those that consume dairy products).
The core claim is that you can improve your digestion and experience less bloating by consuming these enzymes.
In fact, Hum Nutrition has this information on its product’s page:
This is basically the results of a study they’ve supposedly conducted, however, I could not find the link to the study, nor could I find it in any online database.
And I also could not find any evidence to support the notion that a multi-enzyme supplement provides these benefits, and I’ve looked through different studies on PubMed, which is one of the largest free clinical trial databases.
Reputable sources like Johns Hopkins Medicine and Harvard Medical School stated that there’s no need for a healthy individual to take digestive enzyme supplements as they’re often used in situations where there’s little evidence that they do any good.
Moreover, these supplements are typically recommended for people suffering from certain disorders, such as cystic fibrosis or pancreatic insufficiency, conditions in which your body is limited in its ability to produce enzymes.
There seems to be value in taking certain enzymes, like lactase for those who are lactose intolerant and alpha-galactosidase supplementation for GOS-sensitive individuals with IBS.
In conclusion, if you’re planning to acquire this supplement because it has a whole variety of digestive enzymes, I don’t see how it could help you, apart from very specific instances where your body is unable to produce certain enzymes.
Now, what about the herb blend with ginger, fennel, and peppermint?
This is the information Hum Nutrition has on their website:
This clinical study looked at how ginger can help with stomach and gut problems, and researchers found that ginger has substances that can both tighten and relax muscles in our digestive system.
This means ginger can improve the movement of food through our intestines, and could potentially be helpful in treating conditions like diarrhea, dysentery, and colic, which are related to overly active intestinal movement.
And this is not the only study that notes ginger’s ability to speed up gastric transit of foods— if you’re curious, there are several studies like this one, this one, and this one that speaks on ginger’s gastrointestinal benefits.
Still, it’s crucial to highlight that ginger’s capability to enhance intestinal motility is typically observed at a dosage of 1 gram, which far surpasses the quantity present in Flatter Me.
Hum Nutrition didn’t link to a study about fennel’s digestive benefits, and I was only able to find a preliminary study where researchers study the effects of dietary fennel powder in broiler chickens. In other words, it’s low-quality evidence.
But it indicates that FSP (fennel seed powder) can boost nutrient metabolism, stimulate digestive enzymes, and promote intestinal growth. Needless to say, a lot more research is necessary (especially in humans) to fully know the effects of FSP on people.
Peppermint, on the other hand, seems to have a lot more going for it, particularly when it comes to dealing with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) analyzed the efficacy of peppermint oil in managing IBS symptoms.
The research revealed that peppermint oil significantly diminished persistent IBS symptoms in comparison to a placebo.
Specifically, the data showed that persistent symptoms were reported by 26% of those using peppermint oil, in contrast to the 65% of those who took a placebo. Moreover, the likelihood of persistent IBS symptoms was less than half for those administered with peppermint oil.
Although the exact optimal dosage of peppermint oil (to achieve this benefit) is not known, these effects have been observed in subjects consuming anywhere between 450-750mg of the oil daily in 2-3 divided doses.
And no, Get Flatter doesn’t have that much.
What Do Real Users Have To Say?
If you’re interested in what some real users have to say, we’re happy to share with you some video reviews on Youtube.
But a quick disclaimer— I don’t know whether or not these individuals are being sponsored by the brand, so do take everything with a grain of salt.
A Youtube creator named Cami’s Life shares her experience with Flatter Me:
Here’s another Youtube creator named Classic Faith sharing her experience:
Let’s also look at some of the verified customer reviews on Amazon (which are generally more credible than the ones on the brand’s website) and see what they have to say:
“I bought this product to help me digest foods that are causing my stomach to bloat after several attempts to rid my body of H-Pylori with antibiotics. Out of the 3 digestive aids I choose this one has worked the best for me. I will caution you by adding if you are on a restrictive diet, and having trouble keeping within the guidelines none of the digestive aids helped me digest food that I am not supposed to eat. I’m not supposed to eat dairy, grains, nuts, or simple carbohydrates. With this in mind, I am eating a very simple Keto diet until my gut, and intestines can get back to normal.” – John. A. Davies
“I’ve noticed a difference in my digestion almost immediately, and I haven’t remembered to take it twice a day even! I’ve gone back and also ordered Gut Instinct because I’m building trust in this brand for sure.” – Amy Lampert
“This did not do what it promised to do. In fact, I feel like it made me feel worse. And it made my burps taste like tar.” – Kindle Customer
“I received a 3-day sample as a freebie from Nordstrom Rack. Thought it was odd receiving a supplement as a sample. Curiosity struck and I looked up the company and product. I had been dealing with an extended IBS flare up and the product contained most of the items I normally take for flare-ups, with the benefit of being in 1 capsule vs multiple pills. The evening of the first day I noticed my abdomen didn’t hurt as bad. By the third day, I ate a meal and didn’t regret it. Immediately ordered 2 bottles that night. 1 for work and 1 for home. I shared them with others during lunch and they also reported being surprised at how they felt in comparison to normal, which led to them making purchases as well.
The product: it’s a clear capsule with a green-brown powder inside. It has the initial scent of fennel when you put it in your mouth but does not have any taste. If you struggle swallowing pills this may not be the best option for you. It’s smaller than a vitamin tablet but about the same length. You won’t have any weird flavors if you burp or have reflux (such as with fish oil).” – MT
“It helped my bloating a little bit. It wasn’t completely gone but I would say I noticed a difference. Unfortunately, I did break out in a rash on both arms and my chest. I checked the ingredients list and I’m not allergic to anything (that I’m aware of). At first, I wasn’t sure what was causing it and then I realized it started the morning after I took the first pill and as soon as I stopped taking them it cleared up in 24 hours. I googled it and found that a side effect of these types of pills and digestive pills is rash.” – Mason Hassane
Conclusion & Is There An Alternative?
Hum Nutrition’s Flatter Me is not a supplement I would recommend.
While there’s indeed a lot of positive feedback from real customers, the evidence I came across does not defend the use of this type of supplement to aid digestion.
Ingredients such as ginger, fennel, and peppermint, have potential digestive benefits but they might not fully materialize with the quantities incorporated in Flatter Me.
If you want an alternative that is more effective, you can look into one that uses the aforementioned ingredients, or you can look into fiber powders, particularly those containing resistant starch fiber.
A medical analysis of different studies in the Advances in Nutrition Journal found that eating resistant starch can help improve gut health, help overweight and obese people lose weight, and make the body better at using insulin.
If you’re interested in a recommendation Supergut is a brand that uses such fiber.
Editor’s note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The content of our articles is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always best to speak with your doctor or a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, or exercise routine, or trying a new supplement.
