Hydroxycut Hardcore X Review: The Strongest Hydroxycut Yet?

Hydroxycut Hardcore X is Muscle Tech's newest addition to the Hydroxycut stable of products (which includes both Hydroxycut Max and Hydroxycut Hardcore, as well as the ephedra-free version of the original version). Hydroxycut is, of course, one of the most popular and best recognized brands in the weight loss supplement industry, so it's not surprising there's a LOT of interest in this product.

Maybe I'm getting a little desensitized to usually outrageous Muscle Tech advertising spiel, but the sales copy I reviewed at BodyBuilding.com seemed decidedly muted to me. Despite referring to an un-named Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics study and touting the amazing capabilities of a certain un-named ingredient, it all seemed like pretty standard stuff. Pretty tame, really.

But like I say, maybe I've become a bit desensitized.

That said, what's the scoop with this newest fat burner offering from Muscle Tech? To answer that, let's take a closer look at the ingredients.

A single, 3-capsule serving of Hydroxycut Hardcore X contains a 1134 mg blend of the following 4 matrixes...

1) Adenoclene™: Contains...

• Caffeine: Muscle Tech continues the recent trend of stuffing their products to gills with caffeine, ensuring their customers jitter their way merrily through the day. A single serving contains 300 mg (the only ingredient for which the exact dosage is revealed) which means individuals sensitive to stimulants will definitely want to reduce the dosage significantly. This product is not for pregnant women either, as caffeine consumption in excess of 600 mg per day may result in low fetal birth rates.
  
  From a practical perspective, caffeine is a well-known thermogenic with established, albeit relatively mild, weight loss benefits (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97).
  
  Many people also the "boost" caffeine provides—visitors report being able to work out more intensely, and occasionally that this product helps them to get to the gym in the first place.
  
  
• Aminoacetic Acid: More commonly referred as the amino acid glycine. There is limited evidence that suggests supplemental glycine may improve sleep quality, help stimulate growth hormone release, and treat degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis.
  
  
• L-Methioninen: More commonly known as methionine, this ingredient aids in fat metabolism and acts an antioxidant.
  
  
• Choline Bitartrate: 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.
  
  Despite claims of being hardcore, this methionine and choline combination is about as "old school" as it gets, having been included in fat burners years. Although the ingredients themselves are healthful, I have never heard of anyone who has obtained dramatic results from this age-old combination.

2) Norepidrene™: Contains...

• MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides): Part of the liquid-cap delivery system "unique" to Hydroxycut Hardcore X. There is some evidence MCT oil may be helpful for weight loss, although at vastly larger dosages than included here. Beyond the delivery system, there's no value here.
  
  
• Oleic Acid: the main fatty acid in olive oil and avocados, recent animal studies indicate that oleic acid curbs hunger by triggering the production of the hormone oleoylethanolamide, which helps regulate body weight and appetite. Whether those results are applicable to humans still needs to be established in further studies. Additionally, its impossible to tell whether this product contacts a dose strong to elicit an effect (should the the benefits be applicable).
  
  
• Proline: A non-essential amino acid that aids the body in metabolizing proteins and plays a critical role in the development of connective tissue like collagen and cartilage.
  
  
• Betaine: A naturally-occurring nutrient/metabolite with therapeutic applications; it can be used to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, for instance.

3) Lipidrol™: Contains...

• L-Tyrosine: An amino acid, precursor to several important neurotransmitters and the thyroid hormone thyroxine, studies indicate tyrosine is a important contributor to mood and cognitive performance. It is frequently added to weight loss and pre-workout supplements to enhance alertness and (possibly) metabolism, although it is often under dosed—as it is here (most studies show benefits in the multi-gram dose level).
  
  
• L-Leucine: Leucine is an essential amino acid and one of the “branched chain amino acids” (BCAAs). In addition to being a component of body proteins, leucine serves an important function as an initiator of muscle protein synthesis. Leucine and the other BCAAs (valine and isoleucine) are often taken in supplemental form by bodybuilders, to offset catabolism during workouts and promote post-workout recovery. Since leucine and other BCAAs have only demonstrated results at the multi-gram dosage, level we have to assume this ingredient serves as "label dressing" only.
  
  
• Trans-Ferulic Acid: A potent in-vitro antioxidant with potential therapeutic applications against diseases such as cancer and diabetes, but human clinical trials
  are lacking.
  
  
• L-Carnosine: From our glossary...
  
  "Also known as L-alanyl-L-histidine.  A naturally-occurring dipeptide in muscle tissue.  Carnosine has antioxidant activity and can inhibit the formation of harmful advanced glycation end products.  Carnosine also helps to buffer hydrogen ions produced during exercise, and thus delay fatigue."
  
  Of course, carnosine too, has only been proved effective in multi-gram doses. That pretty rules out it having much of an effect in this formula.
  
  
• L-Arginine Pyroglutamate: Arginine is an amino acid, commonly included in pre-workout formulas for its "pump" characteristics. It has no weight loss benefits and certainly no benefits when present at what has to be a extremely low dosage.
  
  
• Myristic Acid: A common saturated fatty acid which can be derived from palm kernel oil, coconut oil, or nutmeg.

4) Capsicore: A proprietary capsicum (cayenne) formula. Cayenne and capsaicin are common ingredients in weight loss supplements like this one. In truth, capsaicin has modest thermogenic effects and may provide a small boost in fat oxidation. If there's a problem it's that capsicum needs to be consumed in a dosage much higher than that provided here.

So there you have it; Hydroxycut Hardcore X.

How does it measure up?

Due to its high caffeine content, fans of current hydroxycut products will probably be happy with this one, if for nothing more than the "boost" it provides. Other than that, there isn't a ton of value here, especially when you consider that after caffeine, there's a mere 834 mg to divided up among the remaining dozen-plus ingredients.

With this product, Muscle Tech continues the trend of including a bizarre blend of under-dosed ingredients in order to "pad" the product label (Amino acids? Really?). I really have to scratch my head when I see stuff like arginine and leucine included—ingredients which provide absolutely no discernable benefit to the consumer or to the product formula.

It would be a much better idea, in my opinion, to reduce the number of ingredients and focus on including ones with proven benefits, at dosages shown to be beneficial.

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