Phentemine, Phen 375 Review: Don’t Be Fooled!

Posted By Paul on Oct 13, 2012 | 3 comments

Only one letter and a couple of numbers differentiates the Phentemine 375 weight loss supplement from the popular prescription drug, Phentermine.

And yes, one of my pet peeves is retailers who name their products as closely as possible to prescription drugs…as if doing so will somehow improve the effectiveness of their otherwise ordinary “over the counter” diet supplements. Consumers may also mistakenly assume they’ve stumbled onto a prescription-free means to obtain a real drug and be eager to purchase, which is no doubt another reason why so many retailers do this.

This issue is compounded when the sales copy is sprinkled—as it is for the Phentemine 375 diet pill—with statements like… “currently no script required.” Or, “now available without a prescription” which is not used here, but is also commonly used.

Of course, since these are ordinary, “over the counter” fat burners containing no prescription ingredients to speak of, they are, and barring some change in supplement laws, will always be “available without a prescription.” However, since the average consumer doesn’t know this, it adds to the perception that these products may rival prescription drugs in effectiveness, and perhaps teeter on a thin legal line between prescription drugs and non-prescription supplements.

It is nothing but marketing nonsense. And it’s unethical.

In fact, when I read this…

“Phentemine 375 is the result of years of research into the world wide best selling Phentermine formulation; long recognized as the most powerful appetite suppressant and fat burner in existence.”

And…

“Released during 2009, Phen375 is a 100% legal weight loss formulation containing some of the most powerful fat burning ingredients ever developed. These not only work to supercharge the metabolism, suppress appetite, and break down fatty tissue, but more importantly actually work to decrease the body’s ability to store fat.”

I nearly choked on my coffee. As you will see in a minute, Phentemine 375 is exactly NONE of these things. Not even remotely. Seriously.

So, what is in Phentemine 375 that makes it so gosh-darned effective?

Well, the good folks selling this product do reveal its ingredients, but not how much of them are included, which makes it difficult to assess any real value they might contribute to the formula.

They are…

1. 1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine: Here’s another dirty trick; when retailers want to impress you with the scientific veracity of their products, they will use uncommon, numerical labeling for otherwise common ingredients.

1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine is nothing special, I’m afraid.

You`ll know it as caffeine – which is just about The Most Common ingredient in over the counter fat burners and weight loss products (sounded more impressive before you knew what it was, right?).

True, caffeine is a well-established thermogenic with benefits for dieters (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97), although its fat burning effects are quite mild. It’s value is largely as a stimulant: users feel more alert and energetic.

2. L-carnitine: derived from two amino acids, l-carnitine’s popularity is derived from its role in “shuttling” fatty acids into cell mitochondria to be oxidized for energy. Here’s what the Phentemine 375 site says about it…

“L-carnitine mimics the human chorionic gonadotropin (Human chorionic gonadotropin – HCG ) which helps transport long-chain fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane to be metabolized. “

L-carnitine mimics HCG? Whoever wrote that must’ve been repeatedly smacked with the stupid stick. Or just smoked a ton of crack. Or something. L-carnitine has absolutely nothing in common with HCG (a glycoprotein), in either its structure or function.

Weight loss supplement manufacturers have been adding l-carnitine to their products for years,  despite the fact that clinical data validating l-carnitine’s positive effect on weight loss is inconsistent and contradictory. For example, this 2005 study found “no significant differences” between dieters taking a hefty 3 grams/day l-carnitine vs. those taking a cellulose placebo. An earlier, 2000 study also concluded:

“Eight weeks of L-C [l-carnitine] ingestion and walking did not significantly alter the TBM [total body mass] or FM [fat mass] of overweight women, thereby casting doubt on the efficacy of L-C supplementation for weight loss.”

L-Carnitine may have therapeutic uses, but as a fat loss supplement, it’s pretty much a dud. Sure, it’s important for fat oxidation, but it’s just not as simple as “more l-carnitine = more fat oxidation.”

3. LongJack Tongkate ALI 50:1: Errr… both “long jack” and “tongkat ali” refer to the same thing: Eurycoma longifolia, an aphrodisiac herb from Southeast Asia. No need for the redundancy.

Does supplementing with “long jack” boost testosterone? Well, there’s a series of rodent studies published in obscure journals that sez it does – at least in male rodents. There’s nothing in the record, however, that supports any T-boosting in women (or female rodents). Nor is there any good data to suggest that it creates a faster metabolism.

A 2003 conference abstract did suggest that it improved lean mass and strength, but a) the number of (male) subjects was extremely small (14 in all – 7 in the treatment group and 7 in the placebo); and b) the subjects were all engaged in a progressive, strength-training program. Since the full study has never seen the light of day in a peer-reviewed journal, it’s weak support (at best) for claims of muscle building.

4. “Sympathomimetic Amine”: I put this in quotes, because this isn’t a proper name for a supplement ingredient… rather, it’s an attempt to deceive. “Sympathomimetic amines” are a class of compounds that mimic the action of monoamine neurotransmitters (adrenaline/epinephrine, etc.) that are part of the sympathetic nervous system.

Phentermine – the (real) prescription weight loss drug – is a sympathomimetic amine. So are ephedrine, pseudoephredrine (Sudafed) and synephrine (click here for full review). And this is hardly an exhaustive list.

For the record, 1,3 dimethylamylamine is also a sympathomimetic amine. Interestingly enough, this compound was originally listed as an ingredient of Phentemine 375 when I first reviewed it in 2010. Also known as DMAA, it’s a stimulant that was used in a number of popular pre-workout “boosters” and weight loss supplements. While its alleged weight loss properties were never demonstrated, it was undeniably useful as an energizer.

I’m using terms like “was” and “were” because DMAA is now a) banned by a number of sporting organizations and governments; b) subject to FDA action; and c) the raison d’etre for a series of class action lawsuits (as well as one wrongful death suit). As a result, nearly all of the popular supplement manufacturers have dropped it like a hot rock.

So what is the “sympathomimetic amine” in Phentemine 375? Is it still DMAA? Or a weaker, but legal (and common) compound like synephrine?

To be blunt, “Sympathomimetic Amine” really means “we’re concealing information from you.” Makes you wonder why, doesn’t it? What are they trying to hide?

5. Capsaicin: Chili peppers (genus Capiscum) contain naturally occurring substances called capsinoids, and one of these—capsaicin—is the compound of greatest interest to those who put together products like this one. And yes, there is some evidence capsaicin can decrease appetite and increase energy expenditure—when consumed at the appropriate dosage. In this positive study, for example, participants received a 900 mg red pepper supplement (.25% capsaicin) prior to each meal. Other studies also suggest adherence to a maximum possible dose is necessary for maximum effect.

So how much capsaicin is in Phentemine 375? Who knows?

And there you have it; the Phentemine 375 formula in a nutshell. Despite the outrageous claims, it is nothing special. There is certainly nothing here to justify statements like…

“Averaging 3 to 5 pounds per week weight-loss!”

“Turns you into a 24hr fat burning machine!”

(And of course, no proof is offered).

Additionally, this product is hugely expensive—a whopping $69.95 for 30 tabs. According to the diet plan, users are supposed to take 2 caps/day (one before breakfast, and one more before a “large” meal). Thus, one bottle will last only 15 days. It will take two bottles – costing $138.90 – to get through the month.

That’s an outrageous amount of money for a product like this. You could purchase a month’s worth of each ingredient separately, and be money ahead.

Think I’m kidding? Check it out…

• Cayenne Slender from Swanson (Capsimax Capiscum extract + caffeine) – $6.99
• Primaforce Syneburn from Bodybuilding.com (Synephrine – a “sympathomimetic amine”) – $11.98
• Action Labs Longjack from iHerb.com – $11.81
• L-Carnitine from Swanson – $8.79

You can have the lot for under $40.

Now I realize you may be a bit perplexed by this review.

Most other web sites on the Net are waxing lyrical about Phentemine 375 and its amazing fat blasting powers.

Here’s what they are not telling you; they are receiving almost $21 in commission fees for every single referred sale. Uh-huh, they’re making a 30% referral commission.

If you click on a link on their web sites and buy the product, tracking software allocates your sale to the correct referrer, and they receive a handsome payout (that’s another reason why this product is so expensive).

This financial conflict of interest is preventing other so-called review sites from telling you the truth about this product. Their only interest is their bank accounts, not you. Because when you drill down to the science behind the various ingredients and analyze it, there is no way you can make a genuine recommendation for Phentemine 375, at least not at this price. The science simply doesn’t support it. There is absolutely nothing special about this product. I’d sum it up this way…

EXTREMELY over priced. Over-hyped. Under engineered.

I rest my case.