365 Day Fat Burner Review: A Fat Burner For Every Day Of The Year?

A fat burner for every day of the year? Yep... at least that's the idea behind the 365 day fat burner. Here's the concept: you get a whole big bunch of amazing fat burning ingredients at an unheard of price, and you don't need to buy anything again for an entire year (or every 6 months, if you double the one-per-day dosage—which is the recommendation of the retailer!).

The retail web site discusses how much you'll save by choosing the 365 day fat burner over typical "expensive" weight loss products you would normally buy from month to month. Then, as if to demonstrate this amazing value, they display the impressive list of ingredients included in the 365 day fat burner.

What they do not do, of course, is show you exactly how much of each ingredient you're getting.

And herein lies the problem. Take one ingredient, glucomannan, for instance. Studies have shown that 1 gram of glucommann, taken prior to meals, can help with weight loss (see full review for accompanying clinical references).

How much does the 365 day fat burner contain? No one knows for sure.

But we can be darned certain it contains nowhere near the amount shown to be helpful in studies.

How can we be sure of that?

Pure logistics.

A gram (1,000 mg) of glucomannan may not sound like much, but you'd need to take two large capsules of the stuff to obtain that dosage.

An effective daily dosage would require 6 large capsules. You'd need slightly more than 2,100 large capsules to supply a years dose of an effective dose of glucomannan alone.

And the 365-day fat burner contains 13 ingredients in 365 capsules! If a few of the more promising ingredients were present in doses strong enough to do anything, these capsules would be way, way, WAY too large for you to ever be able to swallow them.

Additionally, there's the simple issue of cost: including an effective dose of several of the ingredients (green and oolong teas, guggul, etc) would be expensive— so expensive that we can rule out their inclusion in all but the tiniest amounts.

I would be surprised if the 365-day fat burner contained anything but caffeine in a useful dose. Caffeine, after all, is an ingredient consumers can "feel", and it's cheap, cheap, cheap.

To make matters worse, there is absolutely no company information provided on the product web site. Who is selling this stuff? How can you obtain remuneration for a product you are not happy with? Who can you complain to in case of an incorrect billing issue?

Frankly, there's only one reason for any company to isolate themselves from you, the customer. And that's to prevent you from obtaining recourse for any unsatisfactory issue. Stand up companies are happy to identify themselves. Those who do not... well, I'll let you make your own judgment call on that one.

The bottom line is simple; without knowing what dosage the various ingredients are included in, it's impossible to determine what sort of value this product actually offers. But logistics and simple issues of cost indicate it's probably not much.

Quality products with potent formulations cost money, there's no way around it.

In the end, you get what you pay for!

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Labrada's Xhilar8 Thermotropic Fat Burner Review

I've been a fan of Labrada weight loss products since the original ephedra-based Charge came on the market some years back (it was my all time favorite ephedra product!). So I was excited to check out Labrada's newest weight loss offering, "Xhilar8".

Xhilar8 is described as a "thermotropic" fat burner, which is basically a combination of a "thermogenic" (i.e., a fat burner) and a "nootrophic" (i.e., a product that enhances mental focus and acuity, mood and clarity). According to Labrada, this formula...

"... helps combat stress and promote a feeling of well being, while releasing fat to be burned immediately for energy."

What's in it? Well, a single, daily, 3-capsule dosage contains...

Iodine (125 mcg, from kelp): Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to make the various thyroid hormones necessary for optimal performance. Low or sluggish thyroid performance can lead to low energy levels or overweight.

Of course, iodine supplementation is only helpful if you actually have low levels of thyroid hormone. If you are not iodine deficient, kelp may possibly induce hyperthyroidism. According to the Natural Database, "prolonged, high intake of dietary iodine is associated with goiter and increased risk of thyroid cancer.

... plus a proprietary 2072 mg blend of the following...

L-Tyrosine: an amino acid precursor of several important neurotransmitters -- l-dopa, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine -- which are important contributors to mood, cognitive performance, as well as combating stress.

There is plenty of clinical evidence showing l-tyrosine plays such a role, although most studies I have reviewed used much higher doses than is included in this formula (see Aviat Space Environ Med 1995;66:313-9 Brain Res Bull. 1994;33(3):319-23, Brain Res Bull. 1999 Jan 15;48(2):203-9, Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1999 Nov;64(3):495-500).

L-Taurine: An amino acid that plays a number of important physiological roles, including neurotransmission and / or neuromodulation. High dose experiments with rats and mice have shown that taurine can influence mood/behavior by acting as an "anxiolytic"—meaning that it reduces anxiety.

Clinical trials in humans for controlling manic symptoms in subjects with bipolar disorder are currently being conducted, but there is little data available yet. At this point, it's not known if taurine has nootropic activity in humans at the doses commonly seen in energy drinks or other stimulant supplements (1–3 g).

Rhodiola Rosea: An adaptogenic herb used in Russian folk medicine. Positive effects on physical/emotional have been documented in several animal studies and small human clinical trials. Effective dosage is somewhere between 340 - 680 mg/day. Although we can't determine exactly how much rhodiola is in Xhilar8, it is certainly possible it contains a potent dose. 200 mg Caffeine (anhydrous): On its own, caffeine is a decent thermogenic with demonstrated benefits for weight loss (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97), although some data indicates it offers greater benefits to lean individuals that those who are overweight (see Am J Physiol. 1995 Oct;269(4 Pt 1):E671-8).

The combination of caffeine and green tea present in this formula is a good one, and encourages even greater weight loss (see Obes Res. 2005 Jul;13(7):1195-204).

Thiamine disulfide diisobutyrate: Thiamine, also known as Vitamin B1, plays an important role in energy metabolism, and is thought to play a role in appetite suppression. This novel, potent version of thiamine is being touted as a potent enhancer of physical and mental energy—especially when combined with caffeine (as it is in this formula). Green tea: One of the few "bright lights" for weight loss, green tea has several demonstrated effects beneficial for weight loss. Unfortunately, we can't be sure how much green tea is included in this formula, or for what percentage of vital catechins it is standardized. I would venture to guess it is not an optimal dosage, simply because it is listed behind both caffeine and thiamine on the label (ingredients are listed in order of dosage, from highest to lowest). That said, it remains possible this formula contains enough green tea to provide benefits... especially since it is combined with caffeine. Kola nut powder: Animal studies have shown kola nut has fat burning properties, but for humans, the main benefit kola nut offers is as a diuretic and a source of caffeine (kola nut can contain between 2-4% caffeine). Guarana seed: Included in fat burners for its caffeine content. Probably only a minimal amount included in this formula, providing no major benefits. Cayenne pepper: Although the label doesn't indicate it, cayenne is probably included here because of its capsaicin content -- it's the chemical that gives chile peppers their "heat." The theory is that capsaicin "revs" up your metabolism by creating heat, thus burning off extra calories. However, this study (Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2007 Jan;292(1):R77-85. Epub 2006 Jul 13) says it best... "Capsaicin has been shown to be effective, yet when it is used clinically it requires a strong compliance to a certain dosage, that has not been shown to be feasible yet."

In other words, in order for capsaicin to have an effect on your metabolism, it has to be taken in doses much too high to make it practical.

Glutamic acid: An amino acid and an abundant excitatory neurotransmitter. It also plays a role in celular metabolism. Difficult to assess what value it adds to this formula when the dose is not revelaed. Likely here only as "label dressing."

As you can see, some of the critical ingredients—like tyrosine and taurine—are very definitely under-dosed. Other critical ingredients—like green tea and the novel form of thiamine—may be under-dosed, but it's really impossible to know for sure with this proprietary formula.

The remainder of the formula—kola, guarana, cayenne and glutamic acid—probably don't add much other than a little extra hit of caffeine to this formula at the dose they are included in.

Bottom line on Xhilar8?

Labrada claims this is a product that enhances mental clarity and focus and combines that with powerful fat burning.

I would argue that the mental clarity element of this formula "trumps" the fat burning element; the majority of ingredients present at useful doses have this as a focus.

It's really only the caffeine and the green tea that provide the "fat burning" element of this formula, and it's impossible to asses the potency of the green tea here, and therefore its value to the formula.

That said, I did have the opportunity to experiment with the Xhilar8 product. Given that my comments are anecdotal, I really enjoyed it; it gave me a nice smooth boost without any jitters. I found myself relaxed and focused and I did not experience a "crash." I took it with breakfast with a glass of water as recommended and found my mornings to be focused and free of distraction.

In other words, I really liked this product. I'm not convinced fat burning is its "forte", but it's awesome for focus and concentration. If this is what you are looking for in a product, I certainly would not hesitate to recommend giving it a try.

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Biogenix Therm Acai Review: An Antioxidant Fat Burner?

I must admit I was feeling a bit tired and worn out when I took my first look at Therm Acai. That's why I had to rub my eyes, shake my head, and re-read the product advertising to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Sure enough, I wasn't...

"Therm Acai is an effective and powerful antioxidant fat burner! The quality ingredients used for internal fat loss are what make this product effective. The Acai present in Therm Acai will help your body lose the excess fat buildup."

Wow. This isn't just nonsense, it's outrageous nonsense. Acai-based weight loss solutions have been circulating around on the Internet for some time now (usually sold through "negative option billing programs") and have even attracted the attention of the law. Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal had this to say about the common Acai scams...

“There are no magical berries from the Brazilian rainforest that cure obesity — only painfully real credit card charges and empty weight loss promises. Aggressive acai berry pitches on the Internet entice countless consumers into free trials promising weight loss, energy and detoxification. These claims are based on folklore, traditional remedies and outright fabrications–unproven by real scientific evidence."

Yep, he's right. While acai is a decent antioxidant with certain beneficial characteristics (see the acai review for full details) there is absolutely ZERO evidence it has any weight loss properties, nor that it is significantly more valuable than cheaper and less exotic antioxidant fruits (blueberries, pomegranates, concord grapes, etc.).

Well, maybe the other ingredients in Therm Acai will redeem it (you think?) What else is in it?...

Green Tea Extract (200 mg) Green tea is one of the few weight loss supplements that shows great promise and has some decent clinical evidence validating its effects. However, its effectiveness is largely dependent upon its potency, dosage, and whether it is standardized for the appropriate catechins. It's impossible therefore, to assess the true value green tea adds to this formula. Garcinia Cambogia (100 mg): Standardized for 50% hydroxycitric acid, an ingredient many thought would prove as effective a diet and weight loss aid to humans, as it appeared to be to animals. Not so. An early study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA. 1998 Nov 11;280(18):1596-600) indicated that hydroxycitric acid has no positive weight loss effects, concluding... "Garcinia cambogia failed to produce significant weight loss and fat mass loss beyond that observed with placebo."

Caffeine (50 mg): Not surprising to find this here—caffeine has a well established record as a mild thermogenic, and does deliver mild weight loss results (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97).

It also cheaply and effectively addresses the most common complaint of dieters; lack of energy. This is a relatively low dose however, as most fat burner supplements contain 2-4 times this amount. Unless you are someone who does not drink coffee or caffeinated beverages on a regualr basis, it's unlikely you will feel much of a boost from this product.

Apple cider vinegar: An age old weight loss "scam" there is no evidence apple cider vinegar helps with weight loss, although it appears to delay gastric emptying and improve insulin function in diabetics. Kelp: Seaweed or kelp is found in many fat burners because of its iodine content. Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to make the various thyroid hormones necessary for optimal performance. Low or sluggish thyroid performance can lead to low energy levels or overweight.

Of course, iodine supplementation is only helpful if you actually have low levels of thyroid hormone. If you are not iodine deficient, kelp may possibly induce hyperthyroidism. According to the Natural Database, "prolonged, high intake of dietary iodine is associated with goiter and increased risk of thyroid cancer.

Grapefruit: Because of the ambiguous nature of the way this ingredient is labeled, it's difficult to assess its role here. Is the grapefruit powder standardized for narinigin? After all, naringin is often included in products to enhance the bioavailability of ingested nutrients/nutraceuticals, although specific benefits have not been demonstrated.

It also has cholesterol-lowering effects, and can affect drug metabolism. Grapefruit seed extract, on the other hand, has anti-microbial properties; nothing wrong with that, of course, but not a valid reason for its inclusion in this product.

And there you have it, Therm Acai in a nutshell. Despite the less than postive review, Therm Acai is pretty cheaply priced; $9.99 for 60 capsules at BodyBuilding.com. It's too bad that we don't know a little more about the green tea in this formula—if standardized for the appropriate amount of EGCG, Therm Acai would be a decent low cost green tea / caffeine fat burner (studies show the combination of caffeine with green tea is helpful for weight loss).

Since we don't know, it's impossible to make the call.

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Review: Gaspari Nutrition's Spirodex Fat Burner

According to the product advertising, Gaspari Nutrition's Spirodex is...

"Guaranteed to provide you with an intense feeling of mood enhancement, mental clarity and energy."

Although Gaspari also claims Spirodex will help "suppress appetite", they really don't make much in the way of claims regarding the weight loss abilities of the product—which, quite frankly, is pretty refreshing. As you no doubt are aware, most manufacturers can't prove their products have the "fat blasting" powers they claim.

Unfortunately, that doesn't prevent them from making those claims.

So this is a refreshing change, and an encouraging one; Gaspari has a reputation for making class-leading products (although they are not above engaging in scummy behavior) and it's nice to see they aren't lowering themselves to the level of their competitors by "ratcheting up" the outrageousness of their advertising..

That said, Spirodex doesn't "look" like your typical "off the shelf" fat burner. The small, compact bottle looks like it would be more at home occupying a shelf behind the counter at your local pharmacy—in other words, it looks like a prescription medication.

Which, of course, it is not.

So with all that said, what's in Gaspari's new offering?

Oxytropis falcata extract: Misspelled in the Gaspari advertising as "Oxytropis falcate" (also known as "locoweed"), this is a toxic Chinese plant of the bean / pea / legume family that has been used in ancient Chinese medicine for centuries as an anti-inflammatory—there is some evidence to support its usage.

It's also a rich source of numerous flavanoids including kaempferol, quercetin and chrysin.

According to Gaspari, this element of the formula is standardized for "biogenic amines" (in "cognition supplements" like this one, this often refers to neurotransmitters), although they do not reveal which one(s) or to what potency they are standardized.

That turns out to be a problem, because discovering which "biogenic amines" O. falcata might be standardized for is difficult, as the English studies I located discussed its flavanoid content solely, while other studies discussing its constituents were published in Chinese. However, our intrepid scientific and technical advisor Elissa dug up this translated dissertation abstract which indicates O. falcata is a source of several substituted phenylethylamines.

Once again, it's impossible to confirm exactly which—if any—phenylethylamine (PEA) derivatives are included here (phenylethylamine is the amphetamine-related chemical commonly found in chocolate. It is rapidly metabolized by the enzyme monamine oxidase (MAO), which makes oral supplementation pointless unless it's accompanied by an MAOI (monamine oxidase inhibitor) or two).

Nonetheless, PEA is an ingredient Gaspari likes to "play" with; both their CytoLean (now discontinued) and CytoLean V2 fat burners contain it and a series of MAOIs. This isn't necessarily a good thing. As Elissa noted in a correspondence with me about Spirodex...

"The family of phenylethylamine-derivatives contains some pretty scary members. And there appears to be very little information available on either the pharmacology or toxicity of these derivatives. I feel it's irresponsible for Gaspari to be playing "guessing games" with its customers over the ingredients in this product."

We're looking into O. falcata in greater detail to see if we can't reveal a little more about its constituents and how it may impact this formula. Stay tuned!

Camellia sinensis: Quite simply, Chinese tea. Since many teas are actually harvested from this species (including green, oolong, and black teas) it's impossible to know which tea we're dealing with here. Both oolong and green tea show benefits for weight loss, for example. This element of the formula is not standardized for EGCG, as is the green tea in most weight loss supplements. That likely diminishes the value of the tea in this formula.
Hordenine: A biogenic amine found in a number of plants, hordenine is often included in weight loss supplements, largely because of its ability to stimulate norepinephrine release (there's zero documented proof to confirm this, however!). In this formula, hordenine may play a different role. Because it also acts as a highly selective substrate for MAO-B, it may prevent the quick metabolizing of the phenylethylamine derivatives we're assuming are included in the formula. Once again, it is impossible to know for sure. Geranium maculatum extract: Also known as "Wild Geranium" or "Spotted Geranium." Geranium extracts are pretty popular in both weight loss supplements (see OxyElite Pro) and preworkout formulas (see USP Labs' Jacked) for the incredible boost of energy they provide. While most retailers are labeling their geranium extracts as DMAA or 1-3 dimethylamyamine, Gaspari has labeled theirs as "4-methylhexan-2-amine", which happens to be exactly the same compound. While geranium extracts are potent CNS stimulators, there is zero credible documentation that they facilitate dramatic weight loss.

Incidentally, DMAA has been added to the World Anti Doping Agency 2010 prohibited list, so if you're a competitive athlete, you'll want to avoid this product.

Paullinia cupana (standardized for purine content): This is more commonly known as "guarana". Its purine content, in this case, is likely caffeine. Two thumbs down to Gaspari for needlessly complicating the label and making their product seem more "advanced" than it actually is. Caffeine: No surprise here; caffeine graces the label of most stimulant based weight loss supplements on the planet. Caffeine's benefit as a mild thermogenic is well documented (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97), and some evidence indicates that when combined with green tea (as it may be here) it elicits somewhat greater fat burning effects (see Obes Res. 2005 Jul;13(7):1195-204).

Of course, caffeine also gives most people a much needed "boost" of energy to help them get through their day.

So there you have it; Spirodex in all its "glory."

How's it measure up?

Well, since the only claims Gaspari really makes for Spirodex are that it will provide you with mood enhancement, mental clarity and energy, plus a bit of appetite suppression, it's hard to argue that this product won't deliver on those promises.

The simple combination of DMAA and caffeine will provide you with plenty of energy. For many people, a hearty dose of caffeine is all that's needed for mental clarity and "mood enhancement"... same deal for mild appetite suppression.

It's the Oxytropis falcata extract that's the wild card here.

As addressed earlier, we don't know if and or which phenylethylamine derivative(s) it is standardized for, and that's a problem, as there is very little information available on either the pharmacology or toxicity of these derivatives.

In other words, there's a potential for danger here, and it's irresponsible of Gaspari not to be more forthright with its customers about the true nature of all Spirodex's constituents.

For that reason, this is not a Gaspari offering we can heartily recommend.

We'd love to hear from users though; how did you like the product? How did you feel?...

Have you used Gaspari's Spirodex? Share your
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Healthé Trim Fat Burner Review & Information

If you're old enough, you might remember the movie "Valley Girl," which glorified 1980's teen "air-headedness". While I never I saw it myself, I remember a few girls in high school who adopted the vernacular, and it was the first thing I thought of as the web site for Healthé Trim popped up, and "Monique" began her speil...

Like OH MY GOD, wouldn't you just, like, love to get high school skinny again?

Uh... right, Monique.

First of all, I highly doubt you've ever had a weight problem. And secondly, how many years has it been since you've been in high school... like, uh, maybe three? Like whatever, Monique.

Thankfully, I was able to turn Monique "off", and have a closer look at Healthé Trim in peace and quiet. On the face of things, Healthé Trim seems like a winner. Although it makes the usual outlandish claims—that it will help you lose weight fast, curb your appetite, boost your metabolism while providing a long lasting boost of energy—its effectiveness appears to be backed by both a clinical study and a bona fide medical doctor's recommendation.

Let's take a closer look at the study...

To begin with, this study does not appear to be published in any journal that I could find.

So as far as I can tell it is not a peer-reviewed, published study.

What's the significance of this?

Well, when the people who have the most to gain financially from a positive outcome of a study are the same ones who are conducting it, it pays to be skeptical.

It doesn't necessarily negate the results, but until the study's methodology has been critiqued by credible professionals, it has minimal value indeed.

Secondly, what study parameters are revealed indicate this is a very "loose" study indeed. For example, study participants were asked not to change their daily eating regimen. What this essentially does is put every single person into their own unique study group, since each individual is going to be consuming a different number of calories each day.

Some people will eat more (or less) than others. Subconsciously, some may see the fact that they are taking a supplement as a reason to eat less. Others may see the pill as a license to eat more. And thus, it makes it very, very difficult to attribute any real value to the supplement since there are too many variables present to make a conclusive statement about its effectiveness.

And what about the "doctor" recommendation also so highly touted?

It appears that Dr. Michael Carroll is an Atlanta-based immunologist who wrote a diet book back in 1996 called "Be Fat Free Forever." According to the Healthé Trim web site, a friend introduced him to the product after losing "25 lbs. in 4 weeks" and now he's an avid fan, prescribing it regularly in his weight loss clinic. I'll let Dr. Carroll take it from there...

"... HealtheTrim is made in a pharmaceutical grade facility to ensure purity and quality control.  Each of the ingredients in HealtheTrim had individual research backing up their individual claims concerning their various biological activities.  What impressed me the most was the formulators of HealtheTrim not only chose the most appropriate ingredients to get the results they were looking for, but they created an effective blend or mix taking several years of testing before making the product available to the public. This was the confirmation I needed to begin using it with my patients in my weight management clinics."

Sorry doctor, but I'd like to take issue with you on a few points...

"Each of the ingredients in HealtheTrim had individual research backing up their individual claims concerning their various biological activities."

Really? It seems you and I must be looking at different versions of Healthé Trim then. For instance, where's the peer reviewed, published data that validates hoodia's ability to curb appetite and enhance weight loss? That pyruvate, in the dosage provided in this product, enhances weight loss, decreases appetite and increases energy? Some of the latest data I have seen isn't particularly positive. And that's at a 2,000 mg dosage! And what about chromium? It's hardly a weight loss miracle.

Next, this statement just doesn't pass the smell test...

"...the formulators of HealtheTrim not only chose the most appropriate ingredients to get the results they were looking for, but they created an effective blend or mix taking several years of testing before making the product available to the public."

You're telling me that instead of getting this product to the market immediately and starting to make money, the makers of Healthé Trim spent a couple of years piddling around testing the product—when they are not obligated by law to prove their product works as claimed? Even in-house studies are prohibitively expensive, and no one—short of the big drug companies—could afford to spend years running tests, reformulating, and testing again. And if they were really serious about demonstrating their product worked, they wouldn't have used such loose study parameters in the one so prominently presented on the sales page (as discussed above).

Sorry, but I don't buy it.

Before I even begin dissecting the ingredients, let's address another major problem. There are 16 ingredients in this formula. This might sound impressive, but here's the issue; just like pharmaceutical drugs, the "natural herbal" ingredients in weight loss products must be present in an appropriate dosage to have any effect. The makers of Healthé Trim are not revealing either the amount of total ingredients in the formula, or the amount of each individual ingredient (or even to what extent each ingredient is standardized, if it is at all).

Thus, it's impossible to effectively assess the impact of each ingredient on the formula. However, some basics logistics can tell us a lot. For example, the largest capsule size generally used by retailers and well-tolerated by consumers is "00".

The exact amount of ingredient such a capsule can contain depends on the density of the powdered ingredient, but a good general number is 650 mg.

So the greatest amount of active ingredient we can expect from this product is in the 1300 mg range (from a 2-cap dose).

Unfortunately, that means that the majority of the ingredients will only be present as "label dressing" (i.e., they make the label look impressive, but they do nothing for the effectiveness of the formula).

With that out of the way, let's have a look at the formula...

1) Resveratrol: A powerful antioxidant with possible anti-aging effects. From our review...

"While resveratrol shows a great deal of promise, questions remain about its utility in humans, as oral bioavailability is low and human clinical data is still lacking...pilot studies are just beginning."

2) Chromium picolinate: A trace mineral that plays an important role in proper insulin function, clincal data shows chromium to have minimal, if any effect on weight loss.

3) Green tea leaf extract: There's no doubt green tea is one of the no-brainer ingredients that shows some real promise for dieters. It is, of course, if it's present in a strong enough dose, and standardized for the appropriate catechins. Is it in this case? Your guess is as good as mine.

4) Hoodia gordonii: Despite all the hoopla about hoodia, the P57 molecule, and its amazing appetite suppressing qualities, no published clinical data validates this ingredients effects. Additionally, there are some real problems with supply and demand that suggest most hoodia products are counterfeit. Add the fact that Unilever curtailed its development of a hoodia product in 2008, and you've got to be skeptical. See the full hoodia review for complete details.

5) Caralluma fimbriata: An Indian cactus, there is a small amount of clinical data showing that 1,000 mg of Caralluma taken once a day for 60 days can suppress appetite and reduce weight circumference. It's a bit hard to believe there's a 1,000 mg of ingredient here, considering a 2 capsule dose is likely to only deliver 1300 mg or so, and there's 15 other ingredients in this formula.

6) Coix seed: Also known as Job's tears and used in traditional Chinese medicine for ages there is some early evidence this annual plant may have cancer fighting characteristics. More importantly for our purposes, a coix seed extract has been shown to have the ability to inhibit fatty acid synthase in rats.

Fatty acid synthase is an enzymatic system that is involved in the process of turning carbohydrates into fat. Early animal studies suggest the inhibition of fatty acid synthase can lead to dramatic weight loss.

7) Poria cocos: A fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine, there is some evidence this ingredient may have anti-cancer benefits and may also act as an anti-inflammatory. Nonetheless, very little western research has been performed on Poria cocus.

8) Cassia seed: Probably referring here to Cassia nomame, since it is often included in weight loss products for its "ability" to inhibit the enzyme lipase which is required for the break down and deposit of fat. However, there's very little clinical evidence to validate these claims. Check out this excerpt from this Pubmed abstract on "Nutraceutical resources for diabetes prevention"...

"There does not appear to be a natural lipase inhibitor functionally equivalent to orlistat, although there are poorly documented claims for Cassia nomame extracts." (Med Hypotheses. 2005;64(1):151-8.)

9) Lotus leaf: Um... when you're eating Dim sum, these are used to roll up your "sticky rice." Can't see any other good reason for this to be included here.

10) Water plantain: Also known as Alisma, this ingredient is likely included here for its diuretic action.

11) Cumquat: Kumquats are small fruit bearing trees. The citrus fruit looks similar to an orange, but is much smaller and more oval in shape. This is a perfect ingredient to further illustrate the labeling issues with this product. For instance, the peel of the fruit is a rich source of essential oil, which contains numerous constituents. What element of kumquat is this formula standardized for? Is it a fruit extract? A peel? An oil? Who knows?

12) Methionine: This ingredient aids in fat metabolism and acts as an antioxidant.

13) Mulberry leaf: There is some evidence mulberry leaf may be helpful in the treatment of diabetes.

14) Gymnema sylvestre: a plant native to India, there is some evidence it can inhibit glucose uptake in the small intestine as well as showing potential anti-diabetic effects—at doses much higher than present in this product, of course.

15) Eleutherococus senticoccus: Also known as Siberian ginseng, this herb is known as an adaptogen (similar to ginseng). However, it is an unrelated species—and not similar to either Asian or American ginseng.

16) Pyruvate: A "gateway" compound in a process called the "Krebs" cycle (the "Krebs" cycle is the intercellular process in which glucose (sugar derived from carbohydrates), is converted into energy). There is some evidence it helps with weight loss, but only at an extremely high dose (the aforementioned study used 22-44 grams of pyruvate).

In addition, Healthé Trim contains as undisclosed amount of unidentified "trace" minerals.

After reviewing the mass of ingredients in this formula, I hope the main issues previously discussed "pop out" at you...

For many of the ingredients, there's little or no clinical evidence validating the claimed weight loss effects. Some ingredients, although interesting, seem to be added for impact rather than effect. It's not revealed how much of any of the ingredients is included in the formula, nor what they are standardized for, if they are at all. Because of the logistics of serving size, most ingredients are likely to be under-dosed.

Despite the clinical study and "doctor's recommendation" the onus is on the makers of Healthé Trim to step up to the plate and provide this information to you, the consumer. They haven't done so, and that, in my opinion, is a red flag worthy of some attention.

That said, this product is backed by a guarantee...

"If you are not fully satisfied with any HealthyLife Sciences product, you may return your bottle within 30 days of delivery for a full refund, less shipping costs.  All bottles purchased must be returned.  Refunds will not be given on reorders of the same product.  If multiple bottles are purchased, only unopened bottles will be refunded.  Each customer allowed only one refund."

... which on the face of it, eliminates the risk from your purchase. IF they honor their guarantee and don't make you jump through hoops to receive a refund. That said, I'd love to hear from you. Have you used Healthé Trim? Did you request a refund? Were you refunded promptly and cheerfully? Let us know...

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Review: Bob Harper's Smart Weight Loss Fat Burner

Klick-ka-ching!

Money, no doubt, is the #1 motivating factor for the release of Bob Harper's Smart Weight Loss fat burner. Bob Harper, of course, is a personal trainer made popular by the T.V. show, "The Biggest Loser" (Jillian Michaels, another trainer from the show, also has her own line of supplements; we've reviewed both her fat burner and her "calorie control" products).

On the face of it, you'd think supplementing with weight loss and diet pills run contrary to the message touted by both Michaels and Harper—that good diet and nutrition coupled with a smart exercise plan are the key to long term, sustainable weight loss. Hard to blame them for changing their tune though; very few of us would be able to turn up our noses at the sort of money they're no doubt getting for allowing their names to be associated with the products in question.

Not all our visitors were particularly pleased with Jillian's apparent willingness to "sell out" and endorse a diet pill, and had absolutely no problems saying so.

With that said, what's the deal with Bob Harper's Smart Weight Loss fat burner? Is it any good? Does it work?

Well, first of all let's point out the obvious; Mr Harper might be a great trainer, motivator and life coach, but he's not in the business of formulating supplements. Someone else has done that, and he's leant his name to it, most likely in exchange for a couple of wheel-barrows full of money.

That said, he may have been "sold" on the product because of the "clinically-proven" weight loss ingredients and the positive clinical studies that were performed on the "key" ingredients.

Of course, we know the term "clinically proven" means next to nothing in the supplement industry; just because something produces measurable and statistically significant results in a study doesn't mean it's going to do anything for your weight loss success.

Like Elissa has said; "often, it's like getting a $50 discount on a Cadillac... measurable, but overall it hardly makes a difference.

But what about the clinical studies?

According to the product advertising...

"In study one, a 12-week third-party, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, test subjects using the key ingredients (TrimSmart™: Frauenmantle extract, Wild olive extract, Cormino extract, Horsemint extract) in Bob Harper's Smart Weight Loss Formula lost an average of 20.94 lbs. versus the placebo group, who lost an average of 1.70 lbs. Both groups followed a calorie-reduced diet."

And...

"In study two, an 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study funded by the makers of Bob Harper's Smart Weight Loss Formula, test subjects using the same key ingredients lost an average of 16.50 lbs vs 1.73 lbs. for the placebo group. Both groups followed a calorie-reduced diet."

Sounds pretty good, right?

On the surface, sure. But if you do a little digging you'll discover a few problems...

First of all, the 4 ingredients referenced in the first study are the exact same ones used in the newest Hydroxycut Pro series supplements and the exact same series of statements used to validate the claims made for those products.

The only difference is the way they are labeled.

On the Hydroxycut label, these 4 ingredients are labeled as "Alchemilla vulgaris extract, Olea europaea extract, Cuminum cyminum extract, and Mentha longifolia extract." If you didn't know better you might assume these are two different formulas but they are not; these are different names for the same compounds.

That in itself is misleading. The only reason why these are labeled differently is so that it's not immediately obvious these are near-identical products.

So the statement I read in the advertising—attributed to Bob himself...

"That's why I helped create this Smart Weight Loss Formula - with clinically proven key weight-loss ingredients, plus a naturally sourced energy boost to get the most out of your busy lifestyle!"

... is complete and utter nonsense. This isn't a unique and powerful formula created by Bob, it's a simple rehash of an already existing product.

In all likelihood, Bob Harper's Smart Weight Loss Formula is produced by Iovate, which is the same company that manufactures all the Hydroxycut products.

So that's problem #1; there's absolutely nothing unique or special about this formula.

What's problem #2?

Well, the results attained by either study can hardly be described as "earth shattering";1.75 lbs/week in the first and just over 2 lbs/week in the second.

This is well within the realms of what you can reasonably expect to achieve on a smart diet and exercise program.

And problem #3?

Neither highly touted study is readily accessible for viewing. One doesn't seem to be available anywhere, but the other does appears in the Open Complimentary Medical Journal, although it did take some time to dig it up. Remember, it's up to the retailer to ensure the studies they reference are available for review.

Why?

Because there's not a lot of difference between an unpublished study that we can't actually view anywhere, and no study at all. It's one thing to say you have clinical studies to prove something works, but if you don't let anyone see them to verify that your methodologies are sound and your results genuine, it doesn't mean much.

Given the unregulated nature of the supplement industry and the willingness of retailers to push the limits, any study that you can't find in the PubMed database must be immediately viewed with skepticism, unless you have some valid reason to believe otherwise.

And, when you actually look closely at the study that is published, you'll quickly understand why it is not something eagerly referenced by the retailers of either the Hydroxycut or Smart Weight Loss products. There are some serious problems with the methodologies and after reviewing the document, it's hard to allot a lot of credence to results.

Let's take a look...

1) The caloric intake of the participants was not restricted or monitored.

The product advertising claims participants were following a calorie restricted diet. Here's where we get into semantics; it's true that participants were asked to restrict their meals to three per day. However, depending on their food choices, this may or not actually qualify as a "calorie restricted diet" as we understand it to mean; consuming fewer calories than one requires.

And, since the calorie value of meals can vary dramatically depending on your food choices, this essentially places each individual into their own unique study group—as no two participants will consume exactly the same amount of calories.

Think about it: if you know participants are still over-consuming calories in a significant amount, yet losing weight, that makes these ingredients significantly more valuable. If participants are under-consuming calories, that undermines the study results, does it not?

Fact is, if you don't know how many calories your audience is consuming, it's impossible to accurately attribute any success or failure to a series of ingredients.

2) The study was not performed on either Bob Harper's Smart Weight Loss fat burner or any of the Hydroxycut Pro series products.

Nope, the study was performed on a product called "Weighlevel."

Big deal, right?

Wrong.

These aren't the same products, and you cannot attribute results obtained in one study to another product. Especially when that product (Bob Harper's Smart Weight Loss) contains a proprietary blend, which means we can't confirm the dosage in the product conforms to the dosage of the ingredients used in the study.

3) The study is published in an obscure journal and 5 of the 6 co-authors have a financial conflict of interest.

If you check the study, you'll see that one co-author, Eli Kassis, is directly affiliated with Sprunk-Jansen (the manufacturer of the WeighLevel product).

And here, the plot thickens; Sprunk-Jansen is a partner of the Antaki Center For Herbal Medicine and has "exclusive rights" to world-wide distribution of the products the Center develops. And—wouldn't you just know it—4 other co-authors are directly affiliated with the Antaki Center for Herbal Medicine.

Whoops.

It's hardly "independent research" when 5 of the 6 study authors have a vested interest in a positive study result.

And to make matters worse, neither Elissa or I have ever heard of "The Open Complementary Medicine Journal". If nothing else, it's certainly not a well known, often referenced journal.

So let's sum the study issues up...

The study hardly qualifies as "independent research" considering the financial conflict of interest exhibited by the majority of study authors. The study was not performed on Bob Harper's Smart Weight Loss fat burner, nor is there any way for us to determine whether or not Mr. Harper's product contains an adequate amount of the 4 core ingredients.The study's methodologies can hardly be described as "rigorous.".

OK, but what about the remaining ingredients? Well, in addition to the highly touted quartet (of Frauenmantle extract, Wild olive extract, Cormino extract, Horsemint extract) there's that...

"... naturally sourced energy boost to get the most out of your busy lifestyle!"

... that Bob brags about. Of course, we like to call it what it really is; caffeine. The same stimulant you get from your coffee, tea, lattes, colas, chocolate and so on. And the same stimulant included in just about every fat burner under the sun. Bob Harper's Smart Weight Loss fat burner contains a whopping dose; 180 mg in a two capsule serving.

At a full day's 6-cap dosage, you'll be getting 540 mg of caffeine, which is slightly less than the equivalent of 6 cups of coffee's worth of caffeine. That definitely means you'll get plenty of "energy" from this product. It also means it's not ideal for anyone with high blood pressure or heart troubles.

Of course, caffeine is a well-established thermogenic and does deliver mild weight loss effects (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97).

If there's a downside to caffeine is that's it's really cheap; you can buy a whole bottle of 200 mg tabs for $5. So its inclusion here does not justify a purchase.

The Smart Weight Loss product also contains a smattering of both goji berry and pomegranate; nether of which can be included in a dose potent enough to elicit any effect. They are here for label decoration only.

So where does that leave us?

Obviously, we're certainly not overwhelmed with the formula, but we're even less impressed by the price of Bob's product; 72 caps will set you back $24.99 at GNC.

Taken at the recommended dosage (days 1-3, 1 cap 3 X daily, days 4 on, 2 caps 3 X daily) this will last less than two weeks. If you really feel you have to experiment with his formula, you can buy a month's worth of the original Weighlevel formula (the product the referenced studies was actually performed on) for just over $21 at MyVitanet.

Stack each serving with a 200 mg caffeine tab (you can buy 100 tabs (enough for a month) for less than $5 at a reputable online retailer like BodyBuilding.com) and you will essentially duplicate this formula for less than half the cost.

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Beverly International Lean Out Fat Burner Review:

Beverly International claims their Lean Out fat burner is the "optimum lipotropic formula in the world," and that it should be in everyone's diet. No surprise there. Retailers don't make money when their products gather dust; ergo, almost every weight loss product in the world boasts the most amazing, revolutionary, ground-breaking formula (and so on and so on and so on) and you must have it in your possession.

That said, what's the story with Beverly International's Lean Out?

First and foremost, this is an "old-school" formula. Lipotropics (ingredients that facilitate the conversion of fats into other useful products) have been used in weight loss supplements for years (to little effect) and the other foundational ingredients of this formula —carnitine and chromium—are no strangers either.

It's rare you see them trumped up to the extreme anymore, simply because the existing clinical data doesn't support such claims, and it's easy to refute them.

With that said, let's take a closer look at the formula. In addition to a couple of B-Vitamins (B12, Biotin) Lean Out contains...

1) Inositol (1000 mg): A well known lipotropic, inositol is involved in nutrient transfer at the cellular level. It also facilitates communication between nerve cells and helps to transport fats throughout the body.

2) Choline Bitartrate (1000 mg): Choline serves a number of vital functions, including maintaining the structure/function of cell membranes, normalizing homocysteine levels (via a metabolite, betaine), and serving as a precursor for acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter important to learning and memory. It plays a vital role in maintaining proper fat metabolism by the liver.

In one study, it was shown that choline supplementation reversed fatty liver disease—something that can occur when the liver has an inability to process fats properly. Other studies show it has no particular effects on exercise performance.

3) Chromium (200 mcg Chromium Picolinate): Because chromium plays a vital role in insulin function, it's a smart addition to any weight loss supplement. Clinical evidence documenting chromium's role in weight loss is contradictory. Some show a modest effect, some show no effect, and others even call the robustness and methodology of the studies into question.

4) DL-Methionine (1000 mg): This ingredient aids in fat metabolism and acts as an antioxidant.

5) L-Carnitine (600 mg): The advertising for Lean Out makes much out of Carnitine's role in fat burning, due to its ability to faciliate the transport of fatty acids to the mitochondria of the cell (the mitochondria is the cell's "furnace"). The problem with L-carnitine is that while it looks good in theory, clinical evidence validating its effectiveness is contradictory and inconclusive.

Additionally, any positive effect is only realized with a very large, multi-gram dosage. Rather bafflingly, the Lean Out advertising copy notes this—something I found pretty ironic, considering their own product delivers approximately a mere one third to one-sixth of an "effective" dosage in a 4-tablet daily serving. By the retailer's own admission then, this product contains nowhere near an effective dose of carnitine. An odd advertising strategy, to say the least.

6) Betaine HCL (100 mg): A naturally-occurring nutrient/metabolite with therapeutic applications; it can be used to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, for instance.

7) Coenzyme Q10 (10 mg): A potent antioxidant, Coenzyme Q10 has been used experimentally to treat mitochondrial diseases.

So there you have it. Beverly International's Lean Out in a nutshell.

In theory, taking supplemental lipotropics ensures you have plenty of the raw materials on hand to properly metabolize fat and improve your body's efficiency of such.

In practice though, I've never read anything—either clinical or anecdotal—to suggest supplementation provides any more than the subtlest of effects.

And that makes sense, since anyone focused on eating properly is likely to be obtaining more than adequate amounts of all lipotropics directly from the diet.

That doesn't leave Lean Out with much else to offer; a sprinkling of carnitine, some chromium, a few B vitamins, and a few milligrams of betaine and coenzyme Q10. And at $28 for a month's supply, it's a bit difficult to recommend just as a simple experiment.

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Cellucor D4 Thermal Shock Fat Burner Review

Cellucor D4 Thermal Shock Fat Burner ReviewøSEARCH SITEe.g. Zantrex 3, Relacore, etc.

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Cellucor's D4 Thermal Shock fat burner claims to be able to...

Attack deep fat deposits Skyrocket caloric burn Provide explosive energy Suppress appetite Improve mental focus

Since the Cellucor brand has the reputation for selling higher-end, more costly—and allegedly—more effective products, we thought it was high time we took a closer look at one of their offerings, putting the ingredients profile under the microscope.

So, what's in D4 Thermal Shock? Two capsules boast a 1,093 mg blend of the following 10 ingredients...

1) Emblic Myrobalan Extract: Also known as Amla and Indian gooseberry, and incorrectly labeled as "embelic myrobalan extract" on various retailers' web sites, this is one of the ingredients that Cellucor claims to act as a "beta-2 adrenergic agonist" in their formula. This, thanks to one of its active compounds—"phyllemblin."

Unfortunately I was unable to either confirm or deny this claim, despite some fairly serious digging. When conferring with our scientific and technical advisor Elissa about this ingredient, she forwarded me this document, noting...

"This "sort of" confirms this claim, although it's vague about whether any human research has been done. But there are no references in this document, nor are there any relevant abstracts to be found in PubMed. So either this claim is based on unpublished research; research published in very obscure Asian journals; "in-house" stuff prepared by whatever company they sourced the ingredient from; or stuff published prior to - say - 1960 (it's much harder to find older abstracts/papers online)."

For the record, Amla is an Ayurvedic treatment for asthma and cough, so it's not impossible that it contains some sort of beta-adrenergic activity.

However, even if we assume that Cellucor is right about phyllemblin being a potent beta-2 adrenergic agonist, we are still faced with a couple of problems...

How much phyllemblin is actually in the so-called emblic myrobalan extract? Is it orally active? Is the emblic myrobalan extract standardized for phyllemblin? Is it provided in an amount sufficient to produce the desired effects?

The onus is on Cellucor to address every one of these issues, and to date, they have not done so.

2) Caffeine: This ingredient has a well established record as a mild thermogenic, and does deliver mild weight loss results (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97). As such, it's an ingredient common to the majority of fat burners on the market. And of course, caffeine cheaply and effectively addresses the most common complaint of dieters; lack of energy.

However, D4 Thermal Shock contains a TON of caffeine—290 mg per two capsule serving. That's the equivalent to three cups of coffee's worth! As such, this is a product that is going to give you one heck of a boost. If you have a sensitivity to caffeine and/or stimulants you will probably want to start with 1 capsule 2 times per day to assess your tolerance to this product.

3) White willow bark: In the old days, white willow bark was used as the herbal form of salicin, and comprised the third element of the good old ephedra / caffeine / aspirin stack. In ephedra-free fat burners like this one, there is no evidence it offers any benefit, short of the anti-inflammatory effects inherent to salicin.

4) Octopamine HCL: This is the second ingredient touted by Cellucor to act as a beta-2 adrenergic agonist. Just for fun, I'm going to pull the definition for this directly from our glossary...

"A biogenic amine and constituent of Citrus aurantium (bitter orange). Octopamine is promoted as a fat loss agent, although there is only limited animal (and NO human) data to support this.  Any effects on fat loss are likely to be weak, as its oral bioavailability is low.

See David Tolson’s article, “Octopamine Science” for more information.

5) Yohimbine: The standardized extract of the bark of the African Yohimbe tree, there is some data showing yohimbine is a somewhat effective weight loss supplement (see Isr J Med Sci. 1991 Oct;27(10):550-6) likely because of its action as an alpha 2-receptor antagonist. Evidence also validates its "lipid-mobilizing action."

6) Evodiamine: A compound derived from the Chinese fruit Evodia Rutaecarpa. It's claimed to burn fat by increasing the body's production of heat, as well as reducing the body's ability to store fat.

Although a preliminary animal study shows promising results, to date there's no evidence showing evodiamine works in people.

7) Sclareolide: Also known as clary sage extract. Theoretically, sclareolide is a cAMP stimulator (as is forskohlin). cAMP is what is called a "cellular regulator." In other words, this compound is required to "spark" many intercellular processes. An increased concentration of cAMP can have such "total-body" effects as raised thyroid hormone levels and increased fat burning. While there is some evidence that forskohlin exhibits modest weight loss effects, no such evidence exists to validate such a claim for sclareolide.

The final 3 ingredients are included to address the "improve mental focus" claim...

8) Vinpocetine: Once again from our glossary...

"An alkaloid derived from periwinkle that affects cerebral blood flow, memory and learning. Vinpocetine is often added to pre-workout, stimulant blends designed to improve focus, concentration and training drive."

9) Passion Flower Extract: This herb demonstrates a mild sedative effect.

10) N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine: An amino acid which happens to be the precursor of several important neurotransmitters (l-dopa, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine) which are important contributors to mood, cognitive performance, as well as combating stress. And yes, there is evidence that l-tyrosine has a positive effect on mood (see full tyrosine review for accompanying clinical references) and cognitive performance.

Unfortunately, these results were obtained with dosages that vastly exceed what is present in this formula. For example this study (which showed an improvement in cognitive function) was performed with 100 mg/kg tyrosine.

To put that in perspective a 200 lbs. man would need to take about 9 grams, or 9000 mg of tyrosine to obtain this effect.

If D4 Thermal Shock contained nothing but tyrosine, it would take 4 days worth of capsules (at the full 4 caps/day dose) to deliver an effective dose.

Although the "acetyl" version of tyrosine may (or may not) be somewhat more effective, there's certainly no reason to believe this ingredient serves nothing more than label dressing in this formula.

So there you have it—Cellucor's D4 Themal Shock.

As you can see, there are a few problems with this formula. For one, several of these ingredients appear to be included on the basis of mere speculation.

Others have little or only animal based clinical evidence to validate their effectiveness, and others... well, they're simply ordinary ingredients you can readily find in much cheaper products. You might enjoy the "blast" of energy D4 Thermal Shock Delivers, but you really don't need to spend $45 / bottle for it.

In my opinion, when you're paying nearly $72 for a month's worth of product, you have every right to expect Cellucor to "step up" with more than simple generalities and advertising "spiel". Cellucor needs to provide some evidence that highly touted ingredients like "emblic myrobalan extract" actually work as described.

That said, I'd love to hear from any of you who have used this product. What did you think? How did it work for you? Use the link below to leave your comments, and read existing user reviews...

 

Have you used D4 Thermal Shock? Share your
comments and read D4 Thermal Shock user reviews / testimonials, click here!

 

 

 

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Isatori FlashPoint Sublingual Fat Burner Review

FlashPoint is the newest fat burner offering from Isatori. And while Isatori may not command the same brand familiarity as some of the largest supplement manufacturers (i.e. BSN, Muscle Tech, EAS) it is building a strong reputation for developing solid, well-researched, quality offerings. It's not surprising, therefore, that Isatori's products are some of the few that we actually recommend, based in no small part on their solid formulations and "quibble-free" satisfaction or your money back guarantee.

Obviously then, I was looking forward to checking out FlashPoint, especially because of its unique delivery format. Unlike typical weight loss supplements which are served up in capsule format, this is a "sublingual" fat burner. In other words, instead of swallowing a capsule, you place a Flashpoint tablet under your tongue and let it dissolve.

The ingredients are then absorbed through the sublingual and buccal glands, by-passing the digestive system, and apparently, begin working very quickly (there are, of course, issues with delivering ingredients in this manner, as some may be absorbed incompletely or erratically. However, I'll save that discussion for later in the review).

Flashpoint is advertised to start "working" in 33 seconds. I certainly didn't find it to be that fast when I tried it (I could "feel" the product "kick in" after about 2-3 minutes) but I have a strong tolerance to stimulants and at 240 lbs., am probably a slightly larger person than the typical FlashPoint user.

The taste is pretty good too—a lot better than I expected. The "melt tabs" are slightly fruity and sweet, not too bad at all. Regardless, the sublingual delivery system appears to work well, and is dramatically faster than typical capsules.

So how's the formula measure up?

Good question. A 3-capsule serving of "melt tabs" contains a 280 mg blend of the following ingredients...

1) Caffeine anhydrous: Not surprising to find this here—caffeine has a well established record as a mild thermogenic, and does deliver mild weight loss results (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97). It also cheaply and effectively addresses the most common complaint of dieters; lack of energy.

2) Phenylethylamine (PEA): While not displaying any thermogenic properties, PEA is an "amphetamine-related", mood-elevating chemical naturally present in foods like chocolate and was once thought to be the reason people were "chocoholics."

Unfortunately, PEA is too rapidly metabolized by the enzyme monamine oxidase (MAO) to be of much use. That's why most products focused on squeezing the most from PEA also contain natural monamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI's), and to its credit FlashPoint does include one ingredient which may act as one (I'll get to it in a moment).

PEA has been successfully used as a treatment for depression at the relatively low dose of 10-60 mg, but treatment is accompanied by the drug Selegiline, which acts as a MAO-B inhibitor.

I was also curious to determine whether delivering this ingredient in sublingual form and by-passing the digestive system would make it more effective in elevating mood. For this I turned to our resident in house scientific and technical advisor Elissa, who had this to say about the sublingually-delivered PEA, and the issue of sublingual delivery in general...

"The deal here, is that there are MAO isoforms in both the liver and brain/nervous system. So there's a naive appeal to the notion of a sublingual form, as - presumably - it would by-pass first pass metabolism and breakdown in the liver. It would still get broken down eventually, of course, but perhaps more slowly. BUT...

... this is potentially offset by the fact that sublingual/buccal absorption may not be complete (as the Merck Manal notes: "most drugs cannot be taken this way because they may be absorbed incompletely or erratically."

In short, there are a lot of factors that weigh in on how efficiently something may penetrate through the oral mucosa. Sublingual delivery is often affected by the flow of saliva, as well, so that - depending on how rapidly the carrier dissolves - a certain amount of the drug may end up being swallowed anyway (which sort of defeats the purpose).

See this link for some data on salbutamol, another substituted phenethylamine used as an asthma drug. Likewise, this discussion of sublingual epinephrine (another phenethylamine derivative) noted that it took 40 mg of the sublingual form to produce serum concentrations equivalent to 0.3mg of the IM injected form - an indication that it's a pretty inefficient way to deliver it.

So, I'm skeptical that sublingual administration is really a viable option... but then again, I'd be happy to change my mind... all it would take is some "clinical proof."

Obviously, Elissa is not convinced there's any reason to believe delivering PEA in sublingual form makes it any more effective, nor is it necessarily the best way to deliver any of the ingredients.

3) Hordenine: A biogenic amine found in a number of plants, including barley and several species of cacti. It’s alleged to be beneficial for fat/weight loss, due to its ability to stimulate the release of norepinephrine, although there is no research to confirm this claim.

This ingredient is also included in many formulations that contain the aforementioned phenylethylamine for the reason that it may increase its effectiveness. According to the most credible research I've seen, hordenine isn't a MAOI per se, but a highly selective substrate for MAO-B.

What does this mean in plain English?

It means that the enzyme responsible for the breakdown of phenylethylamine is really, really attracted to hordenine, meaning that if the two compounds are both present at the same time, it will prefer to act upon hordenine, allowing the PEA to slip into the bloodstream intact. That's the theory anyway. How well it works in the real world is a matter of some speculation.

4) Synephrine (citrus aurantium): Synephrine has been a common ingredient in weight loss supplements since ephedra became illegal, mostly because it is a "chemical cousin" to ephedra and was once thought to demonstrate many of the same weight loss benefits.

For instance, an early study stated that...

"Citrus aurantium may be the best thermogenic substitute for ephedra".

And while anecdotal reports suggest it may offer mild appetite-suppressing qualities, follow up studies have not been kind to synephrine. for example, this more recent one states...

"There is little evidence that products containing C. aurantium are an effective aid to weight loss."

For more on the current status of synephrine, see the full synephrine review!

5) Evodiamine: a compound derived from the Chinese fruit Evodia Rutaecarpa. It's claimed to burn fat by increasing the body's production of heat, as well as reducing the body's ability to store fat.

Although a preliminary animal study shows promising results, to date there's no evidence showing evodiamine works in people.

6) Yohimbine HCL: The standardized extract of the bark of the African Yohimbe tree, there is some data showing yohimbine is a somewhat effective weight loss supplement (see Isr J Med Sci. 1991 Oct;27(10):550-6) likely because of its action as an alpha 2-receptor antagonist. Evidence also validates its "lipid-mobilizing action."

So there you have it; the new FlashPoint in a nutshell.

As you now know, there are some possible issues with the sublingual delivery system and some of the ingredients in general.

That said, I like FlashPoint. I found the product to deliver a pretty potent punch—and I never graduated past two melt tabs (a full dose is 3).

I especially like products that deliver a full dose in 3 caps/tabs; this allows the user to tailor the dosage according to his/her needs and tolerances.

Although my own experience is anecdotal, I could certainly feel the caffeine and the "cold shivery feeling" I got makes me think the yohimbine/evodiamine combo is getting delivered effectively. I may have been a little more focused too, but I can't be sure about that.

Just for fun, I also passed out samples to a few friends and got responses ranging from "it's OK" to "holy crap, where can I get some of this stuff?" I'm looking forward to receiving more feedback, so if you use this product, please don't forget to leave your own feedback and comments.

Should you experiment with FlashPoint?

If you like a product that delivers anywhere from a gentle boost to an intense wallop of extra "energy", and you're a fan of Isatori's other weight loss offerings like MX-LS7, Lean System 7 (LS7) or Curvelle, you'll probably enjoy this product.

Plus, and this is the really cool part—Isatori offers and honors a full, "no quibble" satisfaction or your money back guarantee when you buy their products direct. That means they eliminate the majority of risk from your purchase, should you decide to experiment with it (at most, you're out the cost of shipping should you decide to return the product). It's also one of the reasons I feel comfortable recommending their products—you can always obtain a refund if you're not happy.

To learn more about purchasing FlashPoint direct, click here!

Have you used FlashPoint? Share your
comments and read FlashPoint user reviews / testimonials, click here!

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Ultimate Trim Review: Is Ultimate Trim Really The Ultimate Fat Burner?

Ultimate Trim Review: Is It Really The Ultimate Fat Burner?SEARCH SITEe.g. Zantrex 3, Relacore, etc.

Home/Fat BurnersRecommendationsFunctional FoodsBodyBuildingVitamins/MineralsDiet PillsThe BlogArticlesDietsGlossary Ultimate Trim Review: Is It Really The Ultimate Fat Burner? Share|

Ultimate Trim claims to be the "Ultimate Fat Burner", allowing users to "lose 20 lbs. fast" with its "triple action weight loss formula." I found this last statement to be at odds with a comment made a mere 3 paragraphs later...

"...in order for any weight loss fat burning system to work, the solution must address the four key components of weight loss."

So is this a triple or quadruple action product?

The web site itself is typical of products like this; it features a mix of personal testimonials (all sporting impeccable grammar which is uncommon), quotes from Oprah and Dr. Nicholas Perricone regarding several "key" ingredients of the product, an offer for a free trial and the logos of several recognizable media outlets (CNN, FoxNews, etc.).

Of course, neither Oprah or Dr. Perricone endorse Ultimate Trim, and it hasn't been featured on any of the news channels featured prominently on the site. It's all part of the retailer's effort to add credibility to their product's claims.

In scouring UltimateTrimDirect.com I could find no information about the company providing this breakthrough product; no physical address or contact number is provided. An e-mail address and contact form are your only links with whomever is behind this company. This is never a good sign.

And check out the "About Us" link... there's no information there, just a re-posting of the company's money back guarantee, which customers allege isn't honored anyway.

So is there anything to the Ultimate Trim claims? Is there any reason to spend $70 on this product? Let's have a look at the product formulation...

1) Caralluma Fibriata: The Ultimate Trim sales copy makes much ado over the "fat burning powers" of this "wonder" ingredient. Despite all this, I was only able to find one positive study on Caralluma (see Appetite. 2007 May;48(3):338-44. Epub 2006 Nov 13). It concluded...

"While there was a trend towards a greater decrease in body weight, body mass index, hip circumference, body fat and energy intake between assessment time points in the experimental group, these were not significantly different between experimental and placebo groups. Caralluma extract appears to suppress appetite, and reduce waist circumference when compared to placebo over a 2 month period."

While positive, I would hardly describe the results of this study as a rip-roaring endorsement of Caralluma's amazing fat burning and appetite suppressing powers. Incidentally, it also appears to be the only published, peer-reviewed study on Caralluma's possible benefits for dieters.

Additionally, the clinical study calls for 1 gram (1,000 mg) of Caralluma daily ? and we can't confirm whether or not Ultimate Trim contains that much active ingredient (the daily intake of the proprietary Ultimate Trim blend comprises 1464 mg of ingredients).

Although Caralluma is listed first (ingredients are listed on labels in order of prominence), there are 5 other ingredients included here as well. In essence what that means is that if Caralluma is included in a dose strong enough to replicate the rather underwhelming results shown by the study above, the other 5 ingredients will be present in such a low dosage as to comprise little more than label dressing.

2) Green tea extract (50% EGCG): Green tea and an essential catechin thereof, EGCG, have been shown to be helpful for weight loss (read the full review of green tea here!). As I just indicated however, if Caralluma is included in a dose potent enough to have any effect, it's very unlikely there's enough green tea here to do anything -- especially considering there are still an additional 4 ingredients in the formula.

3) Cocoa extract: Ultimate Trim labels itself the "feel good" fat burner, probably on the basis of this ingredient. Usually this claim is based on the fact that cocoa extracts contain phenylethylamine (PEA), which is a chemical cousin of amphetamine. Unfortunately, PEA is metabolized by the enzyme monamine oxidase, preventing all but the tiniest amounts from entering the bloodstream.

In this formula the cocoa extract is standardized for l-tyrosine, theobromine, caffeine and a few other goodies. While caffeine is a proven thermogenic, and tyrosine has mood-elevating characteristics in multi-gram doses, it's doubtful any of these ingredients are present in high enough amounts to elicit much of an effect.

4) Cayenne: probably standardized for capsaicin, a chemical that gives chile peppers their "heat." The theory is that capsaicin "revs" up your metabolism by creating heat, thus burning off extra calories. However, this study (Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2007 Jan;292(1):R77-85. Epub 2006 Jul 13) says it best...

"Capsaicin has been shown to be effective, yet when it is used clinically it requires a strong compliance to a certain dosage, that has not been shown to be feasible yet."

In other words, in order for capsaicin to have an effect on your metabolism, it has to be taken in doses much too high to make it practical.

5) ATP: Or adenosine triphosphate. It's a nucleotide present in all cells in the human body. Its roles are many and complex; it's involved in everything from cellular metabolism, muscle contraction, cardiac function to the metabolism of glycogen in the liver. Does ATP help with weight loss? If it does, it isn't reflected in any clinical study I could find (I did find it helps mitigate weight loss in small cell lung cancer patients).

Additionally, any "benefits" offered by the tiny amount of ATP included in this formula are likely compromised by the caffeine also present; caffeine and other xanthines are competitive antagonists of adenosine on cell surface receptors (Anesthesiology 2002;97:938-43).

6) Slimaluma?: The patented version of the Caralluma (see ingredient #1) which comprises the majority of this formula. Including a small amount of it here seems silly and redundant.

At the end of the day what you're left with is a single ingredient that has only one credible study validating its effectiveness (Caralluma), and indeterminate amount of one other useful ingredient (green tea). The remainder of the formula adds relatively little value.

Can you lose 20 lbs fast with Ultimate Trim?

Not a chance.

There's absolutely no evidence to indicate this is even remotely possible.

For 50% of the cost of this product, you can buy much better formulated products that come with a real guarantee.

There are several other problems...

As mentioned earlier, consumer complaints allege this company does not honor its money-back guarantee.

Further detective work reveals this product appears to be distributed by Brock Felt and MarqiLife. MarqiLife distributes Nite Trim (which has also received complaints of deceptive billing practices), and BetaFuel (of which I have received complaints of deceptive billing practices).

As of August 2008, MarqiLife and Brock Felt were passing off their illegal ephedra-based product BetaFuel as legal (by failing to inform consumers that the ephedra ban lifted in 2005 was re-instated in 2006).

This company offers free trial incentives. These are not a "good faith" demonstration of the company's confidence in their product, but an attempt to lure you into a recurring billing program which you'll find nearly impossible to cancel from (for a video on the "dangers" of the free trial offer, click here!).

In short this product is overpriced, over hyped, and distributed by a company with a far from stellar record of billing and marketing practices.

 

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