Forskolin is made from the root of a plant in the mint family. The plant grows in Nepal, India, and Thailand. It has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.

Some research suggests that forskolin may aid in weight loss and muscle building. In one very small study, overweight and obese men took 250 milligrams of a 10% forskolin extract twice a day. After 12 weeks, they lost more body fat and had a greater increase in testosterone levels compared to similar men taking a placebo.