Lipoxinol Fat Burner Review: Does Lipoxinol Really Work?

Posted By Paul on Sep 17, 2012 | 3 comments

Lipoxinol claims to fight fat via a powerful, triple-action proprietary blend. There’s an appetite controlling element, a fat burning element, and a thyroid-stimulating element. According to the makers of Lipoxinol…

“Lipoxinol™ ultimately provides the MOST effective approach to losing weight ever developed! It is the culmination of years of intense investigation into the sciences of nutrition, thermogenesis and metabolic activation. The end result is a true weight loss product that is UNEQUALED in its ability to maximize metabolic rate, provide appetite suppressing effects, and support thyroid function.”

If you’re a regular visitor to this site, it probably won’t surprise you to learn that the above statement has little basis in fact… it’s all about marketing and getting you to buy the product.

I’m going to take a closer look at the Lipoxinol ingredients in a minute, but first there’s two concerns I’d like to address. They aren’t unique to Lipoxinol… it’s a common phenomenon with many products sold online. First of all…

Although the makers of Lipoxinol do tell us what’s in their product, they don’t tell us exactly how much of each ingredient is in the compilation. This makes it very difficult to assess the efficacy of the product, or whether it is likely to have any effect. This is always the first “red flag” for me. Brand name products always post a complete documentation of the ingredients list — how much of this, how much of that, and so on. The absence of such always makes me suspicious.

Second, as far as I know, Lipoxinol is not available in any stores. Manufactures often sell products online and on TV to isolate themselves from the consumer, and to avoid accountability to them. I have received zillions of e-mails from people who have bought products online (often as a result of a TV or radio ad), and were bilked out of their hard earned cash. I have received no such reports about Lipoxinol, but buying such products online is always a concern.

If you’re concerned about purchasing online, and would like to learn more about the best purchasing strategies, read this article!

OK, with that out of the way, let’s take a look at the Lipoxinol formula…

1. Fiberzide™: this is the appetite suppressing element of the formula. It contains glucomannan and xanthan gum. This combination is also found in Muscle Tech’s Diet Tech (read the review here!). Here’s what I said about this combination it that review…

Glucomannan is a soluble fiber with the ability to absorb up to 200 times its own weight in water. As such, it definitely will help with “feelings of fullness”.

Several clinical studies validate glucomannan’s ability to lower LDL cholesterol and blood lipid levels — as well as blood sugar levels. Wonders abound — there also appears to be some evidence that 1 gram of glucomannan, taken with 8 oz. of water one hour prior to meals, has a significant influence on weight loss (one study showed almost 6 pounds of fat lost in two months — with no changes in eating habits).

Glucomannan’s power might well be magnified in this compilation when combined synergistically with xanthan gum, a thickener and emulsifier used in the food and pharmaceutical industry (xanthan gum is used in everything from ice cream to cosmetics to fire fighting foams — mmmm… tasty!).

Issue of note: Glucomannan may bind with and hinder the absorption of certain nutrients. It’s probably a good idea to use a high quality multi-vitamin when supplementing with glucomannan or glucomannan-based products like this one (I’m wondering if the presence of glucomannan in such large large amounts may actually hinder the effectiveness of the rest of this formula?).

2. Thermazene™: the “fat burning” element of the Lipoxinol formula. It contains…

i. Green tea: is a pretty good ingredient for weight loss. In fact, a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 81, No. 1, 122-129, January 2005), indicated the ingestion of a tea rich in catechins (catechins are a major component of green tea extract) leads to both a lowering of bodyfat AND of cholesterol levels.

Green tea has also been shown to increase metabolic rate — by about 4% in one study (that’s less than a hundred calories per day for an average individual). It’s also a powerful anti-oxidant, a glucose moderator and source of the mild thermogenic, caffeine. You can read more about green tea here!

ii. Caffeine: a mild thermogenic, common to most fat burners, and often derived from herbal sources like guarana and yerba mate.

iii. Forslean: traditionally to treat asthma, overweight, hypothyroidism, and high blood pressure. It has also been shown to help prevent the formation of blood clots by preventing platelet aggregationMay also have a positive effect on increasing cyclic AMP (a cell regulating compound) in the body. Increased levels of cAMP can raise thyroid hormone levels and spur further weight loss.

iv. Vinpocetine: a derivative of an alkaloid derived of a plant from the periwinkle family. In Europe, Japan and Mexico it’s used as a pharmaceutical agent for the treatment of cerebrovascular and cognitive disorders. It may have a slight effect on elevating metabolism, but at this time, that’s mostly speculation.

v. Bioperine: the patented extract of the black pepper and long pepper berries harvested in India. Bioperine’s value is that it has been established to enhance the bioavailibility of certain supplements through increased absorption. In other words, when combined with Bioperine, numerous vitamins, minerals, amino acids and anti oxidants are more efficiently absorbed and utilized in the body.

3. Thyrotrem™: the thyroid-stimulating element of the Lipoxinol formula. It contains…

i. Guggulsterones: the standardized extract of a resin of a tree native to India. This resin has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. A study published in The Journal of Associations of Physicians in India in 1989 showed this substance to have a powerful effect in decreasing blood fats (called triglycerides) AND LDL cholesterol (that’s the “bad” cholesterol), while elevating levels levels of the good cholesterol “HDL.”

Additionally, guggulsterones may stimulate the thyroid gland, resulting in a positive effect upon the body’s main thyroid hormones, T3 and T4.

ii. Sclareolide: A compound isolated from clary sage extract. Theoretically, sclareolide is a cAMP stimulator (as is forskohlin). cAMP is what is called a “second messenger.” In other words, this compound is required to “spark” many intracellular processes. This can give rise to various “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.

iii. Kelp: is rich in iodine. 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, and are not overweight for other more common reasons — like the over consumption of calories and a sedentary lifestyle (incidentally, overconsumption of iodine can actually pose a health risk).

OK, let’s get the bottom line…

As far as fat burners go, the Lipoxinol formula is a pretty good one. Nonetheless, I have two problems with it…

1. Without knowing exactly how much of each ingredient is in the product, it’s hard to judge its effectiveness. For instance, research suggests 1 gram of glucomannan taken prior to meals effectively reduces hunger. So… is there a minimum of 1 gram of glucomannan in this product?
2. Glucomannan may bind with and hinder the absorption of the other elements of this combination, making them virtually useless.

Unfortunately, these two concerns make it difficult for me to recommend this product.

Read customer feedback on Lipoxinol!