Lipovox Review: Acne, Wrinkle And Weight Loss Fighter?
I thought I’d seen it all when it came to outrageous, unsubstantiated claims. That’s until I’d checked out Lipovox. It’s one for the books, all right. Apparently, Lipovox can eliminate acne, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and even cause you to lose weight.
Best of all, there’s not a single shred of evidence backing any of these claims. Nope, not one. The evidence, say the retailers, is the mounds of positive feedback from users, especially on eBay.
Never mind that feedback is highly anecdotal, is often manufactured and fraudulent, and generally means nothing. That’s why the “golden standard” for proof is the double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
And guess what?
There is no such study validating Lipovox’s claims.
The closest the retailers get to really quantifying these comments is by saying that Lipovox contains “10 superfoods” revealed by Dr. Perricone on the Oprah Show to help Oprah and her viewers look “10 Years Younger in 10 Days” (also a ridiculous statement, made more for impact than anything else).
Even Dr. Perricone’s work is not without some controversy. According to Harriet Hall, M.D. and Stephen Barrett, M.D. of QuackWatch.com…
“Nicholas Perricone, M.D., has written three similar books: The Wrinkle Cure, The Perricone Prescription; and The Acne Prescription. All contain many claims that are questionable, controversial, fanciful, unsupported by published evidence, or just plain wrong.”
They go on to accuse him of making outlandish, unrealistic promises in order to sell books and products. His claims, they say, are backed by very little scientific research, and any research he has done himself has never been published in medical journals, where it would be subject to scrupulous review.”
Like it or not, this is true. And Dr. Perricone does have a vested interest in retailing high priced cosmetics on his NVPerriconeMD site, as well as selling his various diet books. And none of his theories has ever really been “put to the test” by a panel of experts.
So what are these amazing “superfoods?”
Good question. Lipovox contains the ten superfoods referenced by Dr. Perricone, plus a couple of extras…
Acai, barley, juice, cayenne, wheatgrass, garlic, buckwheat, flaxseed, alfalfa, lactobacillus acidophillus, soy, green tea, salmon, alpha lipoic acid, and dmae.
Unfortunately, just how much of each ingredient is not revealed, so it’s impossible to determine whether there’s enough present to elicit any sort of response.
These 10 foods, which may “help you look and age better,” can also be found on the Oprah web site. Duh. Just about anything rich in antioxidants can qualify for that statement. To confirm this, check out this statement from the Oprah Web site…
“… just about every brightly colored fruit and vegetable fits the category of a superfood, as do nuts, beans, seeds and aromatic and brightly colored herbs and spices.”
It also bothers me that both Oprah and Dr. Perricone’s name are used to add credibility to this product, when neither one of them is actually affiliated with it (in fact, Oprah has recently launched a legal action against the makers of 40 dietary supplements who have used her name without permission).
And the claims of total weight loss, acne removal, and wrinkle elimination are a gross exaggeration of what one can really expect with small amounts of these superfoods — even if you take Dr. Perricone’s arguments at face value.
There’s a problem too with the company that sells Lipovox (and near identical products Leptovox and the Orovo fat burner). They have a terrible customer service record (witness the many billing-related complaints you can find online), an “F” rating with the local Better Business Bureau, and are currently being sued. The plaintiffs allege…
“…SyberVision and Blackstone Nutrition conspire to deceive consumers through Web sites that post bogus “product reviews” that defame competitors and violate trademarks…”
So don’t be surprised if you read all sorts of “rave” reviews on this product, and tons of positive customer feedback. It’s extremely unliklely these are genuine. We’ve also received feedback that the retailers are actively discouraging the posting of negative feedback. This leads to an overwhelmingly positive customer review profile, giving the impression that all customers are thrilled with their purchase. Not so. In fact, if you read the feedback posted by our visitors, you’ll find it tells a much different story.
In the end, what’s bottom line in this Lipovox review?
The claims made are ridiculous, and aren’t justified by anything even remotely resembling evidence. The company that sells the product (and several copy cat formulas) has an established history of underhanded and deceptive business tactics.
Does that mean I think a product containing a unique blend of these 10 super foods is without value?
Absolutely not.
Depending on the amount of ingredients contained, it may indeed deliver some benefit. Honestly, I’d be surprised if it didn’t—this is a pretty impressive blend of “superfoods.” But to advertise Lipovox as a cure-all for acne, wrinkles, and weight loss is ridiculous.
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December 12, 2009
I found this product on the internet & thought I’d give it a try. I did see Oprah’s show about the super foods. I didn’t buy the product to lose weight. What I wanted was to have a healthy body & live longer. The results have been fantastic. I have never felt so good! I only take 2 pills a day (before lunch). I have so much energy – not a caffene buz – but energy! I didn’t really need to lose weight, but still lost about 6 lbs over 3-4 weeks. My cravings for sweets are gone. And when I’m at the gym I’m not watching the clock. I really enjoy being there! I highly recommend this product.
Editor’s comments: Joanne, are you an Orovo sales associate? No offence, but one of our jobs as editors is to question testimonials that seem a “little too good to be true.” This one has our “spider sense” tingling.
December 30, 2009
I just ordered this product last night after apparently not reading the right reviews. After seeing this site I’m really upset to know that I most likely have just wasted money. I’m going to take the bottle and see for my self how it works.
I’ll write again with my results – no offense but I’m hoping you guys are wrong!
January 17, 2010
I bought this product for myself and a friend. I am extremely conscious about what i eat and always eat a well balanced diet, and do moderate exercise. I have had trouble shifting a few kilos I gained while traveling.
After a week I was constipated which never normally happens to me and because of this my weight started to go up. I reduced dose and eventually gave up and stopped taking it. My friend finished her two bottles with no difference in her weight and marginally better skin…
January 21, 2010
I read the reviews with this weight loss product and afterwhich, I would not even give it a try. Not for nothing but the people on here who said they saw weight loss are in their 20’s. These people could lose weight with just about any product if they set their mind to it. Not one person who posted was over 40 and in menopause. Just wait.. you go ahead and try this or any other diet pill and/or fat burner when you hit menopause and then make a post. I can guarantee you will not be saying anything positive about it.
January 21, 2010
This will not work for anyone who is over 40 and in menopause. Nothing works, not even phentermine-d or even phentermine prescription. I could probably list about 35 to 40 different weight loss and fat burner products I have tried over the last 4 years. Not one of them has worked.. even with diet and exercise. This is all designed so that you spend money – period. The weight loss mfgs know what they’re doing. If they actually had a product that worked and people bought it, nobody would keep buying and they’d be out of business.
January 23, 2010
Today is my first day using Lipovox. I weighed myself last night, at least four times, and I weighed 114 lbs. I set my goal to lose 24 lbs and you are not going to believe this! I weighed myself just five minutes ago, and I ONLY weight 108 lbs! In just one day, I can not believe this is really happening to me!
Because this is only my first day, it didn’t do anything to my skin, but I will write more about it, after this week, I hope I can lose 15lbs, in this week!
Editor’s comments: Cathy, to provide the greatest value to our visitors and this web site, please use the product three to four weeks before sharing your comments here. Chances are you may feel differently about it after you’ve used it for a full cycle.
Because many fat burners contain diuretics, it’s not uncommon to experience some weight loss initially. This is water weight you are losing. By following up after a full cycle, you’ll be able to report whether the results you attained initially continued on over the 3-4 week period of use.
February 26, 2010
What is Lipovox suppose to do? I thought it was an appetizer suppressent. I think that I am too old for this product to do me any good. I’m 74 and I want to lose 10 lbs. I exercise everyday and eat about 1200 calories a day. I have not had any results, not even the loss of an ounce. Maybe age factor should be considered for this product to work. Very disappointing. I don’t have acne, so cross that off the list, and I am a very high energy person, so cross that off. Hmmmmmm.
February 26, 2010
Cathy, hunny.. you ONLY weigh 114… it’s not even physically possible for you to lose 24 lbs without being anorexic. Please consider your health above all else. Plus, weighing yourself 4 times in one day sounds a bit obsessive compulsive, especially after having taken a pill for only one day. I don’t mean to sound harsh but Its my heart’s desire to look after and mentor young girls and it just breaks my heart to see one hurting. Please talk with someone.
March 1, 2010
I was 23 when I tried Lipovox. I only ordered it because I was having trouble loosing the weight I had gained. Exercise is all I have ever needed but that year the weight wasn’t coming off fast enough for me. I tried one bottle and some of a second bottle before giving it up. I exercised while using it but I didn’t see any results. There was no extra weight loss or better skin. I wasted my money. There is nothing special about this stuff.
March 6, 2010
I believed the concept of Lipovox because it was highly endorsed by Oprah Winfrey. However, just because a product is endorsed by a celebrity does not mean it’s the product for you.
I’m 64 years old and was gaining weight after menopause. My appetite seemed out of control.
So, I tried Lipovox. After taking it in the AM before eating, everything was fine until the evening, around 7PM. At that time I began having intestinal cramping, intestinal gas and running to the toilet with diarrhea. At one point, with diarrhea coming out of one end, I was vomiting out the contents of my stomach in the nearby bathroom trash can. I was smart and decided to begin Lipovox on a weekend, when I’m in the comfort of my own home and own toilet facilities. After this episode with Lipovox, I know I have to stop taking it because there is no way I can go to work at an outside job with intestinal cramping, gas, diarrhea and vomiting.
I do not believe that anyone in their right mind would continue taking a product if they experienced those side effects, especially when they also have to work outside job.
Editor’s comments: Edith, just for clarification, Oprah did do several shows on “superfoods.” But she did not endorse Lipovox, nor to our knowledge, any pill that claims to offer all the benefits of these superfoods in one convenient package.
May 9, 2010
I bought 3 bottles. I finished them but I got no results. Very disappointed.
May 28, 2010
I got it in Sunday, so this officially makes it my fifth day. I will say that the product is doing better that I have imagined. True, the label was mediocre and would give anyone a scare, but the results are there. Let me first point out that all the reviews I saw had people with different amounts of weight they have lost. It’s obvious that the results differ by metabolism and body top. I haven’t weighed myself, but I think I lost about five pounds. My clothes are getting baggy and the lumps that I have seen before are steadily fading away. Let me also add that I have been exercising and have been using Slim-Fast brands as meals. Either way, the product has been working because this diet has never worked this way before. I have noticed that my skin is looking more clear.
June 12, 2010
I just started this product so im not really here to give an opinion on if it works or not but to let the author of the article know that at the bottom of the website (lipovox.com) it says clearly that Lipoox was in a placebo controlled study…
In a 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled study, subjects taking green tea extract lost, on average, significantly more bodyfat than those taking a placebo (5.07 vs. 1.10 lbs.) (more than 400%). (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1999 Dec;70(6):1040-5)(Am J Clin Nutr; 81:122-129)
So I guess I’m just confused because if you actually researched this product wouldn’t the first thing to do be to look through the actual website?
Editor’s comments: Erica, obviously you didn’t check out the referenced studies (you can view them online here and here).
If you had, you would have seen that Lipovox was NOT in a clinical study. These studies are ones performed on green tea and its essential catechins. If you had read our review, you would be aware that our argument against Lipovox is not that it does not contain some worthwhile ingredients. Our argument is that no clinical studies have been performed on Lipovox, its benefits are extremely exaggerated, and the retailers do not reveal the amount of the various ingredients.
For example, Lipovox contains green tea, which has been shown in numerous studies to be beneficial for weight loss. But how much does it contain exactly? The first study was performed with 90 mg EGCG and 50 mg caffeine 3 times per day. The second study you referenced used 690 mg of tea catechins. Does Lipovox contain that much?
It’s highly unlikely. Last we checked, Lipovox contained 14 ingredients. And here’s the problem; all these ingredients need to be present in optimal doses to elicit any effect. There’s not enough room in 3 small capsules to do that. That means most of these ingredients are under-dosed and serve as “label-dressing.”
Second, if you had reviewed the first study, you’d have seen that on average, the amount the green tea/caffeine elevated the metabolism was 4%. That may sound like a lot, but it’s about 100 calories for so for the average individual. Helpful, but not particularly so – the benefits are exaggerated.
Erica, we highly you recommend you download and read our “Dirty Rotten Tricks” publication (it’s free). In it, you’ll learn about all the dirty tricks supplement retailers pull to get you to purchase – this includes quoting clinical studies out of context, or even fabricating them altogether.
July 13, 2010
I’m 22 and Lipovox really fixed my bloating problem, and I have noticed the weight loss, but that acne clearing BS is absolutely untrue!
The pills are making me break out like crazy, its funny because I had NO acne and now im looking more and more like I did when I was a teenager. I really think I’ll stop using it after I’m done with the bottle. I’m focusing on my body right now and after that’s done I’ll focus on the face I guess.
July 16, 2010
My wife and I decided to lose some weight for the summer about a month ago. We bought lipovox over the internet after reading reviews from several websites and began the 72 hour detox first. We followed the low carb, low fat intake for the detox, and began taking two pills before meals twice a day.
We also began running and eating better at the same time. After two weeks on the product, we have had zero weight loss. Today is my first day not taking it in two weeks, and I feel much better than I have in a while.
My experience with this product was that it did not do what it claimed, weight loss or skin condition, and that it made me have mild headaches constantly and caused my stomach to cramp. The stomach pain was the last straw and I have decided to try to get my money back.
Dont be fooled by this product. The reviews are more than likely fake on most of the websites, the ingredients are listed but not in quantity, there are no before/ after pictures, and no studies to prove weight loss.
Not to say that you will not experience weight loss with this product, but we did not. We may possibly be out 75 dollars, so I wanted to share this with you all, and hopefully you will not make the same mistakes.
Ultimately, diet and exercise are the most effective ways to lose weight, and there is no such thing as a MIRACLE PILL.
Brad
St louis MO
Editor’s comments: Amen, Brad.
August 19, 2011
I used Lipovox for about 2 months a while ago and did not see a change but i did not exercise daily or eat right so i stopped using it. I decided i will start using it right and so i have been on it for 2 weeks and have not noticed a change in my body or my acne. I have been getting a lot of energy though and have been very jittery and having bad anxiety. I do NOT recommend Lipovox because of the side affects and stomach aches I have received.
October 20, 2011
I started using Lipovox in June. I did not experience any weight loss at all, but there is a noticeable improvement in my acne. And because it’s a pill, not just the acne on my face but blemishes on my chest back and arms as well. Today I received an email about the class action suit being brought against Lipovox, which started me searching and I found this site. Reading all the reviews here, and then adding my own, I guess just proves that different things will work/not work for different bodies. Since nothing I have found is saying the ingredients in Lipovox are actually toxic or harmful, I will likely keep using it just for the acne benefits.
January 21, 2012
I have taken Lipovox for several years. Ive even recommended it to several people as a result of how much I liked it.
I read the first 2 sentences on the lawsuit and I think it is astonishing how people LOOK for a quick dollar to sue for a stupid reason. They claim that this product does not have ingredients to aid in weight loss, aging, acne, etc….
Well…..if those people Would have read about this product Just as I did than they would understand that what this product is, is the foods that our body needs to function healthily. A surfer, as I understand, got with a Dr to put all the foods into a pill form as eating all the food said we need is expensive and a hassle to buy and to find time to eat all of it everyday. So they came up with a pill form.
Lipovox DID in fact clear up my acne. I had some hormonal acne and it really made my skin clear and vibrant. I use high end cleansers and skin care. Mix of Estee Lauder, Elemis and La’Therapie. So I take very good care of my skin but i was obviously off somewhere and Lipovox clearly worked.
Now i also knew if it was clearing up my skin, DUE SOLELY on it containing the foods we need, than I also knew it was healthy for me.
It’s food combined people, not a prescription diet pill.
And we should all know if we eat right, again by taking this supplement, than that helps aid
in taking on the aging process.
So this class action suit is hideous! Just ridiculous!!!
Editor’s comments: Actually, you’re incorrect – there is absolutely NO clinical evidence this product helps with weight loss, anti-aging or anything at all. Your experience with the product is anecdotal, and does not constitute evidence. Additionally, the makers of Lipovox have an “F” rating with the Better Business Bureau and a long history of nefarious business tactics.
Anyone wanting to learn more about the lawsuit can do so here…
http://www.fearnotlaw.com/articles/article36881.html
May 4, 2012
I was taking Lipovox before I had my second child. I did maintain my weight and had clear skin. It also gave me energy. I stopped taking it while I was pregnant and recently noticed my weight and energy level are not the same when I stopped taking Lipovox. I started to take it again and the first week I noticed the change. I love it!