Man Scorch Fat Burner Review & Information

Posted By Paul on Sep 18, 2012 | 0 comments

Advertising claims that Scorch is the most potent fat burner ever. That doesn’t really mean anything — these days, just about every fat burner makes the same claim. But Scorch is a little different… and probably a little better than “run of the mill” products. I like the fact that some real thought went into the formula, something I can’t say for many of the products I review here.

What’s in it?

First off, you’ll find a triad of good ingredients. These include green tea (reviewed here), oolong tea (reviewed here), and caffeine. Both teas are good additions to this product (each imparting fat burning properties of its own). There is also some data indicating that the combination of green tea and caffeine is an especially effective one for fat loss (Obes Res. 2005 Jul; 13(7): 1195-204).

That’s good. Now here’s where it gets interesting…

Scorch also contains raspberry ketones. Raspberry ketones are similar in structure to capsaicin and synephrine — two compounds thought to enhance weight loss via the stimulation of norepinephrine (although real evidence to validate this theory is in short supply). One study performed on rodents (you can view the specifics of the study here) did show that raspberry ketones prevented fat synthesis as well as the rise of blood triglycerides and overall, helped prevent obesity.

Of course, the obvious problem is that this is an animal study, and not a human study. At this point, while raspberry ketones certainly look interesting, we need plenty of double-blind, placebo-controlled human studies before anyone can say anything about their fat burning effect with any real authority.

Scorch also contains…

PEA: Phenethylamine (aka PEA) is the “feel good” amphetamine-like chemical that is found naturally in chocolate. Although there’s no clinical evidence that PEA offers benefits for weight loss, supplement retailers have been using it more frequently in their formulas as a “mood elevator.”

Since PEA is naturally metabolized by an enzyme known as “monamine oxidase” (which ensures only the tiniest amounts of PEA actually enter the bloodstream) the better formulas combine PEA with natural monamine oxidase inhibitors (commonly referred to as MAOIs).

Isobutyryl Thiamine Disulfide: also known as “sulbutiamine.” It’s a derivative of thiamine (vitamin B1) that crosses the blood-brain barrier more easily. It’s marketed to treat fatigue and improve focus/memory.

Evodiamine: derived from a Chinese fruit that some claim burns fat by increasing the body’s production of heat, as well as reducing the body’s ability to store fat.

The claims are supposedly “scientifically” proven. The problem is (surprise, surprise) that they haven’t been scientifically proven in humans. There have been some promising “in vitro” studies and some done on rodents, but the jury is still out on whether this product has positive weight loss effect for humans (see this PubMed extract for more details).

Synephrine: I mentioned this briefly earlier. A chemical cousin to ephedra, many in the weight loss industry hoped synephrine would be a replacement for it, due to the ban in many countries. Check this extract about Citrus Aurantium (synephrine) from this PubMed abstract…

“An extensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, BIOSIS, and the Cochrane Collaboration Database identified only 1 eligible randomized placebo controlled trial, which followed 20 patients for 6 weeks, demonstrated no statistically significant benefit for weight loss, and provided limited information about the safety of the herb.”

I was however, able to find one small study indicating that synephrine may impart some fat burning benefits (click here for study details), but it’s hardly the rip-roaring success it has been touted to be, and more studies are needed.

Scorch also contains Bioperine and ginger root — two ingredients that aid in digestion and assimilation, and may also impart some metabolic-boosting effects.

Bottom line?

Scorch contains a nice combination of ingredients. The green and wulong teas in combination with the caffeine is a good one, and some of the other ingredients do show some promise. I like the fact that some thought went into the formula. Regardless, it’s not a miracle cure, so don’t expect much in the way of results should you not make the appropriate changes to your diet and lifestyle.