Muscle Tech's HydroxyCUT From Your Shopping List
Written: Apr 10 '02 (Updated Mar 04 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Possibly if used as directed for no more than 12 weeks you will lose weight/fat.
Cons: Can really, really be harmful and fatal.
The Bottom Line: This is an avoid product even if used according to directions, in my opinion. There is just too much risk involved.
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| jo.com's Full Review: Hydroxycut (0610012) |
I am reviewing Hydroxycut, a product that I have warned people to stay away from since I first started writing here. In spite of that about 6 months ago, finding myself with extra weight and having a gym friend on it with no adverse affects, I bought a bottle. The owner of the first health food store I went into told me his wife takes it in spite of a hole in her heart and she is fine. I asked my doctor about it since I am on medication that is contraindicated and he said it wouldn’t send me to the hospital, just follow the directions on the bottle and perhaps not to take the full amount. I bought a bottle of 280 capsules for about $45. Looking around the sites, I see the prices fluctuate a great deal.
What is Hydroxycut?
~Hydroxycut is made by MuscleTech and is one of the most advertised fat burners on the market. You can’t open Muscle & Fitness or Oxygen without seeing multiple ads. If you watch TV, you have seen Chyna (The Wrestler) advertising Stacker 2. There are other commercials advertising that product. They are basically the same.....give or take more or less of the ingredients.
~Hydroxycut is a fat burner for everyone but me. Hydroxycut's ingredients for most peope are those that when combined make an effective “stack” for increasing the burning of fat in the body (similar to the use of the ephedrine/caffeine/aspirin stack) and helping to suppress the appetite. These products, before they had all these names were just called “The Stack” because of these 3 ingredients: ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin. Along with Stacker 2 you’ll find Xenadrine RFA-1 and many other similar fat burners on the market.
Is it Safe?
~Obviously there is some concern. You cannot buy this product if you are under 18 but that isn’t stopping the kids from buying it. Football coaches have been known to suggest these products for their athletes and, of course, there were eliminations for the use of these products at the Olympics. They are not allowed. Hydroxycut is basically speed, which is an illegal drug if purchased on the street.
~The warning on the bottle tells us not to use it if you are pregnant or nursing, or if you have been treated for or have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, heart, liver, thyroid or psychiatric disease, diabetes, anemia, or nervousness.
Please ignore this if you would rather not see what you may consider filler but I feel is important:
At drugstore.com we see even more warnings: Consult a physician (medical doctor) before using if you have been treated for or diagnosed with, or have a family history of, or have any indication of, any medical condition including but not limited to: cardiac arrhythmias, kidney, or psychiatric disease, psychosis, bipolar disorder, stroke, angina, recurrent headaches, pheochromacytoma, diabetes, asthma, bleeding disorder, anemia, glaucoma, anxiety, depression, seizure disorder, peptic ulcers, Parkinson's disease, difficulty urinating, prostate enlargement or if you are using a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) or any other dietary supplement, prescription drug or over-the-counter drug containing ephedrine, caffeine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine (ingredients found in certain decongestants, allergy, asthma, cough/cold and weight control products). The maximum recommended serving of ephedrine for a healthy adult is 100 mg in a 24 hour period for not more than 12 weeks. Stop use for 2 weeks after 12 weeks of continuous use. Consult a physician before starting any diet or exercise program. Discontinue use and call a physician immediately, if you experience: rapid and/or irregular heart beat, dizziness, headache, shortness of breath, sleeplessness, tremors, nausea, nervousness, tingling sensations, chest pain, noticeable changes in behavior, loss of consciousness or other similar symptoms. Exceeding the recommended serving and/or improper use of this product will not improve results and may cause serious adverse health effects including heart attack and stroke. Improper use of this product includes but is not limited to: use of the product other than as recommended, use of the product for more than 12 weeks, use of this product in combination with aspirin, any anti-coagulant (blood thinner), or any other ephedrine group alkaloid, or caffeine, or other ingredients that have a known stimulant effect. Products that have a stimulant effect may include prescription drugs or over-the-counter supplements and herbal or botanical products. Stop taking 2 weeks before surgery. Do not use with alcohol. Do not use if you have a history of drug use. Product not to be used by aspirin (salicin) sensitive individuals. Do not use during strenuous activity on high temperature conditions. Use only as directed. Do not use if imprinted seal under cap in broken. Store in a cool dry place (59 - 77 F). The sale of this product to persons 17 years of age or younger in Texas is prohibited.
end
Keep out of reach of children.
~My friend at the gym ended up in the hospital with liver problems – needless to say he won’t be taking any stack product again! So is it safe? Many say that as long as you do not take more than the recommended dosage it is safe and if you have checked with your doctor and are taking it with his or her knowledge, then you probably will be just fine.
~It is the "probably" that worries me because we really don’t know whether it is safe or not. Hyroxycut has not been around long enough for us to see long-term studies. We do know that weight loss pills have been around for years, but they did not have the combination of these 3 ingredients that make it so potentially harmful.
What is in this stuff?
~Hydroxagen™ (2000 mg): Hydroxagen ™ supplies a powerful compound several studies have demonstrated may decrease the activity of the enzyme which is responsible for the conversion of excess carbohydrates into fat. This makes it extremely effective for low fat diets and binge eaters. Hydroxagen™ may also act to curb hunger and cravings for food.
~Ma Huang Extract (334 mg): Ma Huang, the herbal form of ephedrine, has been shown in clinical studies to increase the body's metabolism and spare muscle tone while dieting, as well as having a potent appetite-reducing effect. When combined with caffeine, ephedrine dramatically increases fat loss.
~Please note that many try to get away with Ma Huang saying that it is herbal and thus safer than ephedrine. It isn’t, in my opinion, or in the opinion of most. In fact if you read that paragraph which comes from (As do all these ingredients) http://www.vitaminblvd.com/hydroxycut2.html you will see that although it is talking about Hydroxycut, they then use the word ephedrine.
~Guarana Extract (910 mg): Guarana, the herbal form of caffeine, has been shown to stimulate fat stores so fat can be burned as energy. Caffeine has also been known to increase mental alertness and much like ephedrine, may also have appetite-suppressing properties. It is also worthy to mention that caffeine accelerates the effectiveness of ephedrine, thus making it a more potent fat burner.
~Please note that you are now combining caffeine with ephedrine. I think even the most naïve can see the potential danger in this.
~From http://www.coffeescience.org/studies.html you can read about studies that show that caffeine users may develop Parkinson's Disease at a lower rate than those who don't drink coffee. Remember you are not just taking caffeine. Hydroxycut is not coffee in a bottle. You will also read that studies show that a moderate amount of caffeine does not pose a risk to heart health. Please note the word moderate.
~Look at the 910-mg of Guarana Extract. The caffeine content for a 5-ounce cup of coffee is about 80 to 115 milligrams. With Hydroxycut you are drinking 10 cups of coffee and that isn’t including the other “fat burners.”
~Salicin Complex (100 mg): Salicin acts to potentially prolong the fat-loss effects of Ma Huang and guarana extract.
L-Carnitine (100 mg): L-carnitine is an amino acid that has been reported to carry fats to the interior of cells where the fats can be burned as energy. Due to the increased fat mobilization caused by the Hydroxycut formula, the addition of L-carnitine is an absolute necessity to optimize fat burning.
Chromium Picolinate (300 mcg): Studies using dosages of chromium as that contained in Hydroxycut have demonstrated significant fat reduction and increases in muscle tone.
Personally I have no problem with these last two ingredients and take them separately in pill form. In fact I take 500 mcg of chromium.
~From drugstore.com:
Hydroxycut® Proprietary Blend Ingredients:
Hydroxagen® (Garcinia cambogia)(fruit & rind)(standardized for 1000mg hydroxycitric acid)
HydroxyTea™: Guarana Extract (seed), Green Leaf Tea Extract, (standardized for 95% polyphenols [70% catechins (45% epigallocatechin gallate - 90mg EGCG)]), (standardized for 200mg caffeine)
Ma-Huang Extract (stem & leaf) (standardized for 20mg ephedra alkaloids)
Willow Bark Extract (purple & white) (standardized for 15mg salicin)
L-Carnitine Tartrate
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
How to take it:
~Before I really started researching the websites I found
2 websites that gave different directions on how to take this product and I will share that with you and then tell you about how I took it. The site listed above tells us to
“take 3 caps with a glass of water 2 times daily approximately one hour before meals.”
~Physicallyelite.com which is where epinions is promoting it has the same directions as the bottle I bought at VitaminWorld: “As a dietary supplement, take 4 capsules 30-60 minutes before breakfast and take another 4 capsules 30-60 minutes before an afternoon meal. Do not exceed 12 capsules per day. Begin use with half the recommended dose (2 capsules, twice a day) to assess your tolerance.”
~Please note this last sentence because it is crucial that if you follow these directions which were on my bottle you must build up to the maximum dosage of 12 capsules per day. The first week I started with 4 a day, the second with 6 a day; the 3rd week I was up to 8 per day and finally I was up to the maximum amount, which was 12 capsules per day!
~When I went to drugstore.com I discovered the "The new and improved Hydroxycut® contains the same clinically proven fat loss ingredients as the original formula, with the addition of a new proprietary weight loss compound called HydroxyTea™. Hydroxycut has now been specially concentrated, allowing you to get even better fat loss results while taking fewer capsules - and you get more servings per bottle. *
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
More of my experiences and thoughts:
When I first started taking the Hydroxycut, I felt very little. I wasn’t nervous, I slept well, but I may have had a bit more energy. I felt great. The 2nd week I had a noticeable amount of increased energy. In spite of the medication I am on for panic disorder, I never felt nervous like I do when I drink a lot of coffee and I never stayed up all night. Hydroxycut did not keep me awake but caffeine in coffee does. I found that very interesting and cannot explain it. There was a noticeable increase in my libido (seriously) I imagine because my whole system was on speed!
By the 3rd week, I was very disgruntled because I had not lost a pound. Nothing, not one pound and I was eating the same way I always had been, working out and following Hydroxycut’s plan. By the 4th week, I was so nauseous that I couldn’t eat. In spite of not being able to eat, I didn’t lose weight and although I didn't have my body fat tested during this time I can assure you the fat was not melting off.
I felt horrible all the time. I called Hydroxycut whose phone number is on the bottle and was asked how much I was taking and I told her. That was fine - I was not exceeding the recommended dosage – but she told me to stop taking it immediately. The customer service representative never told me to cut down, which was a positive move on her part. She just told me to stop and to return the bottle to the store for a full refund, which I did.
I have been on Weight Watchers since November and have lost 14 pounds, which is a lot for me since I wasn’t overweight to begin with. I would still like to lose fat and admit to staring at the bottles of “speed” in the store and wondering hmmm…if I only took 1/2 (1/2 of the new and improved - it is the same stuff, just fewer capsules a day.) the dose would I be alright, feel alright, not be nauseous and lose fat? I don’t know. I doubt I will go that route again, there is just too much to risk – like my health. I pride myself on eating well, working out and doing everything I can at 50 to lead a healthy, active life. I fear that Hydroxycut and similar products will shorten my life rather than prolonging it and I fear terribly for the children who are taking it on a long-term basis. When I hear that someone has taken it for 3 months and stopped I am not all that concerned. In fact more and more that is what I am hearing. I do think people are reading about the product, doing their homework and getting scared. The pull of losing weight fast, losing amazing amounts of fat quickly is strong. It did neither for me. I don’t recommend it. This is an avoid product.
If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me. Please don’t tell me your success stories. You can review the product yourself. I don’t feel there can be success with a product that combines these ingredients and is speed packaged in a fancy container.
As I said the price varies, there is a good deal at physicallyelite but I hope you don’t take them up on it.
Other reviews that you might find helpful:
Stacker 2
WorldWidePure Protein Bar
Power Gel
Piranha Energy Drinks
Carbo Rush
Xenadrine
Hydroxycut
Spirut-tein shake
Kashi GoLean Bars
Spirut-tein Bars
Power Bar Harvest Dipped
Ensure Bar
Power Bar Pria
Propel Water
PowerBar Protein Plus
Atkins Advantage Bars
Multivitamins
Labrada'sLean Body for Her Bar
Balance Bar Gold
Myoplex Lite
Power Bar
Optimum Soy Protein
EAS Myoplex Shake
Choosing A Sports Nutrition Formula
Atkins Diet
Carbo Rush
Recommended:
No
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