Across 3 studies, 2 reported beneficial small effects of chia seed supplementation on reducing body weight, while 1 found no significant difference. The meta-analysis of 14 RCTs (n=835) showed small beneficial effects. Effects were typically observed at 8 weeks. The most studied dose was 30 g/day, but only one study specified this.
Studied populations: adults with overweight or cardiometabolic risk factors
Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. Most evidence comes from a single meta-analysis; individual RCT results are limited. No form data available.
Generated Jun 12, 2026
Doses used in studies
g/day: 30 (median 30, IQR 30–30)— 1 study
Time to effect
Median: 8 weeks · IQR 8 weeks–8 weeks · Range 8 weeks–8 weeks— Reported in 1 of 3 studies
Safety in these studies
Overall tolerabilityReported
The inconclusive nature of the scientific community's understanding of its safety warrants further research and appropriate testing.
After 8 weeks, the mean reduction in weight exhibited by the three groups was not statistically different (2.0, 2.7 and 2.8 kg, respectively, for the control, fish oil and chia seed groups).
Hundreds of articles detailing such benefits as decreased blood glucose, decreased waist circumference and weight in overweight adults, and improvements in pruritic skin and endurance in distance runners have been recorded.