Muscletech Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite Review

Posted By Paul on Sep 25, 2012 | 2 comments

Really? Another Hydroxycut offering from Muscletech? There are so many Hydroxycut products on the market now, even we have an entire page dedicated to the versions we’ve reviewed over the years. This new version which we will review —”Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite” —isn’t a revolutionary new weight loss product, nor some dramatic departure from recent Hydroxycut formulations. Like BSN’s new Hyper Shred, it’s a relatively simple, non-controversial, phone-in-from-home formula that seems to have been created for no other reason than to simply have a new product on the market.

Well, whatever. It’s not our mandate to comment on supplement company’s marketing strategies. What is our mandate, however, is to discuss just how much merit their new offerings have…

What’s in the New Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite formula?

Well, if there’s one thing to be said for this new formula, it’s that it is relatively simple; there are only 6 ingredients. Generally speaking, we like simple formulas much more than we do convoluted ones; simpler formulas are more likely to contain critical ingredients at the proper dosage, and much less likely to contain “label dressing” (ingredients included at a minimal dosage whose only effect is to make the product’s label appear more impressive).

We like that in this formula at least, the folks at Muscletech have decided to opt for a few select ingredients, at decent doses, rather than a huge convoluted formula. Smart move!

That said, here’s what’s in Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite…

• Caffeine: No Hydroxycut offering is complete without a hearty dose of this ingredient, and this product contains a ton; a two capsule dose contains just shy of three cups of coffee’s worth—270 mg. That’s a LOT of caffeine, and it means this is definitely not a product for anyone who has any high blood pressure or heart issues. And although the folks at Iovate/Muscletech recommend a gradual, ramping up of the dose (from a single pill daily, to 1 pill twice daily, to 2 pills twice daily) many of you may find the two capsule dose is too much. If that’s the case, stick to the single pill dosage, taken twice daily. Caffeine is included here, of course, for its energy boosting and mild metabolism-elevating effects.
• Coleus extract: Recently discussed on the Dr. Oz show, Coleus forskohlii an Indian ayuervedic plant and a member of the mint family which—when standardized correctly and taken at the appropriate dose—was shown to lead to mild weight loss in one clinical study (other studies were not so favorable). A two capsule dose of Hydroxycut contains 250 mg of coleus, which means that if it is properly standardized for 10% forskohlin, then this product does contain an effective dose at the full, 4-caps per day dose. Unfortunately, there’s no way to know if this is the case, since the label does not reveal this information. My guess is that it does contain an appropriate amount, since 10% standardized coleus is pretty common, and Muscletech is pretty good at doing their homework.

• Green coffee extract: From our glossary…”An extract made from unroasted coffee beans, green coffee bean extract is rich in chlorogenic acid, which has anti-hypertensive, vasorelaxing, antioxidant and hypoglycemic effects in humans and/or animals. Green coffee bean extract has also been demonstrated to have fat/weight loss effects in mice, and – according to a manufacturer’s in-house study – may assist with fat loss in humans, as well.”A full day’s dose of this product delivers 400 mg of extract daily; exactly the dosage that corresponds to the positive in-house study. Another more recent study confirms these results, and was largely the reason why green coffee was featured on the Dr. Oz show. Nonetheless, green coffee effects seem to be rather subtle, not dramatic as they have represented to be.
• L-theanine: An amino acid found in tea, preliminary evidence suggests this ingredient may have some weight loss benefits. At the same time, it also acts as a relaxant and has “mood boosting” effects.
• Cocoa Extract (standardized for theobromine): Theobromine is caffeine’s “little brother”; it is similar in chemical structure, present in chocolate and cocoa, and exhibits stimulant effects. However, while it is not unreasonable to assume some metabolism boosting effects because of its effects on the central nervous system, there’s no direct evidence of theobromine’s fat burning potential. All related clinical data has been obtained from caffeine.
• Yohimbe extract: Supplying both yohimbine and rauwolscine (also known as alpha- yohimbine. Rauwolscine is a isomer of yohimbine thought to have fewer side effects). Yohimbine has been used as a cure for impotence, and as a weight loss aid, due to its ability to block the activation of 2-andrenoceptors on fat cells. Despite being used in fat burners for ages, yohimbine doesn’t exactly exhibit earth-shattering effects, regardless of the small amount of positive clinical data. Additionally, yohimbine is associated with a number of adverse effects, and should be avoided by individuals with hypotension (low blood pressure), diabetes, and heart, liver or kidney disease.

And there you have it; the brand new Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite in a “nutshell.”

How does it measure up?

Surprisingly well, compared to some of its competitors. This isn’t because it’s a revolutionary product, or because taking it will help you lose 10 pounds in ten days, or because dozens of scientists in white coats slaved for years developing the formula.

It’s simply because it appears as though the potentially helpful ingredients are all dosed properly. That’s something to be said these days.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t problems with this formula. There are:

• The extremely high dose of caffeine included in a full two-capsule dose may be too much for some people. That’s a problem because you need to take a full dose to get the appropriate dosage of the supporting ingredients.
• The clinical studies themselves didn’t show revolutionary results by any means.
• One clinical study (the one for green coffee extract) is an “in-house” study, which essentially means the same people who have the most to gain financially from a positive study outcome are the same ones conducting the study. This financial conflict of interest means that until independent human studies verify the effects of green coffee, its effects can only really be described as “preliminary.”
• Not all clinical data performed on coleus showed much of an effect, and the one that did had some issues with its methodolgy.

If you can live with this, can tolerate stimulants, and want a product that will have you wired out of your mind, then the new Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite is probably as good a choice as any these days. If you follow the recommended “ramping up” of the dosage, a single bottle will last almost 4 weeks. It’s available online from BodyBuilding.com, one of our recommended online retailers.