Review: Kim Kardashian / Quick Trim Extreme Burn
The luscious Kim Kardashian has teamed up with Quick Trim to shill a new series of weight loss products; Extreme Burn, Celluslim, Fast Cleanse & Burn & Cleanse.
Just a few weeks ago I reviewed “The Biggest Loser’s” Jillian Michael’s new fat burner offering, the “Extreme Maximum Strength Fat Burner” (coincidentally, both women are backing 4-product supplement lines that are being sold extensively at GNC), and that made me ask…
Have we been hit with an inundation of celebrity weight loss products all of a sudden?
From a marketing perspective, it’s understandable why retailers like celebrities; both Jillian Michael and Kim Kardashian are attractive, successful women; what could be wrong with aspiring to be just like them?
The problem is that neither Miss Kardashian or Jillian Michael got their physiques from a weight loss pill. It’s a pleasant thought—that celebrities can somehow avoid the realities of weight gain/loss (either because they’re rich, “plugged in” or have access to cutting edge products the rest of us can only dream about).
We know Jillian Michaels looks the way she does because she works out hard and eats right. What about the lovely Miss Kardashian?
She either…
- Works out hard and eats properly.
- Is a metabolic anomaly (i.e. she’s one of those people who can eat whatever they want and not gain a pound).
- Spends a portion of her paycheck on regular cosmetic surgery.
I’m not exactly plugged into the celebrity scene (Kim has not been returning my calls… sigh) so I can’t tell you which of the above is true. All I know is this…
There is no avoiding the reality of weight loss. Not for Jillian Michaels. Not for Kim Kardashian. And unfortunately, not for me or YOU.
While a fat burner may give you a bit of extra “zip” to help you through your day and get to the gym, losing weight is all about the usual stuff; eating right, calorie control, and exercise.
The question is, does the Quick Trim Extreme Burn Fat Burner deliver on its promises? (The fine print on the GNC web site claims you can “burn up to 8000 calories more per month” and “burn calories 300 times faster”).
Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients…
1. Chromium picolinate: One of three ingredients in a vitamin blend (which also contains vitamin C and Niacin) chromium plays an important role in the regulation of insulin function and accordingly, blood glucose levels.
As such, it is a no-brainer ingredient in any weight loss product. Despite this, clinical studies showing chromium’s effect on weight loss are contradictory, although this is probably the best form of chromium to experiment with at this time.
2. QT Capsimax Super Thermo Complex: A 4-ingredient, 255 mg blend of the following…
a. Bioperine: A black pepper extract, used in most formulas to improve the bioavailability of the individual ingredients.
b. Caffeine: A common stimulant with a proven track record of modest weight loss (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97), caffeine is an ingredient common to most weight loss products. One 2-capsule serving contains 200 mg, which is about twice as much what you’d receive from a large coffee. The recommended daily dosage of this product requires that you take 4-caps daily, delivering a whopping 400 mg of caffeine—I have no doubt this product will give you a “lift.” However, if you’re sensitive to caffeine, you’ll definitely want to reduce the dosage.There’s another problem with stuffing 200 mg of caffeine into this complex—did you catch it? That’s right; this complex only contains 255 mg of ingredients. That means there is a mere 55 mg left to be divided amongst the remaining 3 ingredients.
“So what,” you say?
Not really. Here’s the thing—the medicinal plants, food compounds and herbs that are typically found in weight loss products are much like pharmaceutical drugs; they need to be present in a potent enough dosage to have any effect. To illustrate the importance of this point, let’s move on to the next ingredient in Quick Trim’s Extreme Burn fat burner…
c. Capsimax® (capsicum fruit extract): Over the years, much ado has been made over the ability of capsicum (derived from hot red peppers) to elevate the metabolic rate, and thus encourage weight loss.
There are several animal studies (see J Appl Physiol 95: 2408-2415, 2003, Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2001 Dec;65(12):2735-40, J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2001 Aug;47(4):295-8) that bear this theory out, and a couple of human based studies as well (see Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2001 Sep;65(9):2033-6, Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2006 Dec;70(12):2824-35).
However, this study (Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2007 Jan;292(1):R77-85. Epub 2006 Jul 13) says it best…
“Capsaicin has been shown to be effective, yet when it is used clinically it requires a strong compliance to a certain dosage, that has not been shown to be feasible yet.”
Does the use of a standardized extract like Capsimax make any difference? In this particular case, probably not. Capsimax does show some promise: a recent study demonstrated it could slightly boost lipolysis vs. placebo – but 100mg of Capsimax was used. As noted above, there’s just not enough “room” in the capsule to get this much Capsimax in.
d. N-acetyl-tyrosine: an allegedly more bioavailable form of the amino acid tyrosine. Since the recommended dose of n-acetyl-l-tyrosine ranges from 150mg – 700mg, it goes without saying that it’s merely “label dressing” here.
3. Super C3G Lipolytic Complex: This complex contains 338 mg of a 6-ingredient blend, which consists of acai, raspberry, blackberry, Polygonum cuspidatum root extract (50% resveratrol) and pomegranate.
While berries are certainly good for you, a pinch of blended fruit dust isn’t likely to deliver many health benefits (let alone any fat loss ones). The resveratrol could be an exception, although the label provides no hint of how much is actually present.
4. Raspberry Ketones: Raspberry ketones are similar in structure to capsaicin (from red peppers) 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 (Life Sci. 2005 May 27;77(2):194-204. Epub 2005 Feb 25) did show that raspberry ketones prevented fat synthesis as well as the rise of blood triglycerides and overall, helped prevent obesity.
Of course, the problem is that this is an animal study. So while raspberry ketones do show great promise, their effect has yet to be demonstrated in any credible human studies.
5. Omega-5 Fatty Acids (Myristoleic Acid): This is a bit of a mystery… one omega-5 fatty acid, punicic acid, has some animal data behind it to support claims it can affect fat metabolism; but I’ve seen nothing comparable for myristoleic acid.
6. Extreme Fatloss Catalyst Complex: A 216 mg blend of the following 3 ingredients…
a. Green Tea Leaf Extract (Providing 90 mg EGCG 150 mg Catechins): Finally! A useful ingredient provided at a dosage likely to be helpful. Yes, that’s correct; green tea and one of its critical catechins (EGCG) is one of a few ingredients that show real promise for weight loss. One study shows (Obes Res. 2005 Jul;13(7):1195-204) that when used in combination with caffeine (as it is in this formula) it can be even more helpful. Unfortunately, a daily dose of Quick Trim’s Extreme Burn Fat Burner contains only two-thirds of the amount of EGCG used in the study I just referenced.
b. Banaba Leaf Extract (standardized for 1% corosolic acid): Traditionally, Banaba was used as a natural cure for diabetes in the Philippines.To date, several credible studies validate Banaba’s ability to lower blood glucose levels, therefore providing some benefit to those with non-insulin dependent diabetes, as well as overweight or obese individuals. (Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2006 Aug;73(2):174-7. Epub 2006 Mar 23 , J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Jul;87(1):115-7 , J Nutr. 2001 Sep;131(9):2242-7). There’s also some early preliminary evidence to suggest another chemical component of Banaba (called valoneaic acid dilactone) may be a potent alpha-amylase inhibitor (Yakugaku Zasshi. 2003 Jul;123(7):599-605.)
Amylase is the enzyme required for the proper break-down of carbohydrates into glucose. If Banaba were indeed an effective amylase inhibitor, it would also give it “carb blocking” properties as well.
Another study (J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 1999;45;791-5) shows that banaba suppresses weight gain in genetically diabetic obese mice. However, there is no data validating this effect in non-diabetic animals or humans.
Of course, although we know banaba is standardized for corosolic acid in this formula, there’s no guarantee that it is, or that its even present in a dosage strong enough to elicit some effect.
c. White Willow Bark Extract: A standard ingredient in herbal versions of the old ephedra, caffeine, aspirin stack, white willow is standardized for salicin, a natural anti-inflammatory. It was thought to improve the efficiency of the E/C/A stack, although there is little evidence to support this claim. And there is no evidence it provides any benefit when included in an ephedra-free product.
Phew! That’s it. No more ingredients. We’re done. And, now that we are, what’s the bottom line?
The large majority of the ingredients in Quick Trim’s Extreme Burn Fat Burner are present in dosages far too small to be useful and are only there to “spice up” the label (like the Jillian Michaels fat burner, this is a relatively simple product disguised as something more complex with miniscule amounts of impressive sounding ingredients).
That doesn’t mean this product is without benefit; its core value lies in the combination of caffeine and green tea/EGCG (which is a decent no-brainer combination of ingredients), plus chromium and possibly the corosolic acid (which does not need to be present in huge doses to provide benefit) which should help balance blood sugar levels and help with cravings for sweets.
The question then becomes—is this product worth $50 for a month’s supply? To answer that, let’s determine what it would cost to buy potent doses of this formula’s more promising ingredients from a reputable online retailer (we recommend BodyBuilding.com)…
- 2 Bottles (60 capsules each) PrimaForce Lean Green green tea extract: $19.96 ($9.98 each)
- 1 Bottle (100 tabs) AllMax Caffeine (200 mg – 50 days supply): $3.99
- 1 Bottle (90 caps – 3 month’s supply) of NOW Tri-Chromium: $6.06
As you can see, you can buy most of the core ingredients of Quick Trim’s Extreme Burn Fat Burner for almost half price (having Kim Kardashian hawking your product does not come cheap, apparently).
Is it worth nearly $25 for the convenience of having three or four useful ingredients together in one product?
That’s a decision only you can make.
Of course, the Quick Trim retailers would probably argue with me; insisting it is this unique “blend” of ingredients that delivers results far beyond the measure of the individual components.
The problem with this argument is that there is no clinical evidence to validate it (no peer reviewed, published studies have been performed on Quick Trim’s products). This is the reason why the Kardashians are currently in court, dealing with a $5 million lawsuit for making “false, misleading and unsubstantiated” claims for the product.
This just goes to show you the importance of treating advertising claims with a hearty dose of skepticism.
| Summary of Kim Kardashian’s Quick Trim Extreme Burn | |
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October 6, 2009
i’ve been taking this product for 3 weeks and have not seen any results. Maybe because I already use green tea as part of my normal diet, but I don’t even feel more energy at all. I was quite disappointed. At least it motivated me to start a 3 days a week workout routine with my husband. But as far as the pills go…it’s all a scam.
I’m a fan of Kim and Khloe, just not of their product.
November 19, 2009
I used Extreme Burn ONCE this past Tuesday 2 hours before my workout. I didn’t really notice anything, however the next morning, I was so antsy & couldn’t sit still. It was annoying to do any work or even watch tv for that matter!
Then my skin felt tingly – not in a good way. It was as if I had icy hot all over my body – very strange. I discontinued use so I only used it ONE time & these side effects lasted for 2 days.
It was such a bad experience but I guess I had to learn the hard way because I knew before that pills are NOT a good way to go. So I’ll continue to do it the RIGHT way without any “help” of a pill which does more harm than good if at all! Definitely do NOT recommend this!
December 5, 2009
I’ve used the product now and have seen results. I’ve lost weight and gained muscle. I do normally work out but I feel like I’m burning more calories because I’ve lost weight and inches faster. I didn’t have any side affects. Maybe in the beginning a little jittery but I’ve gotten use to it and have no effects (maybe more peeing than usual) but nothing significant.
I feel good about where I’ve gotten so I’ll probably get it off of it after this 2nd bottle and see if I gain back immediately. I really like the way it decreases my appetite. I’m a fan of the product but I did follow the directions to the “t” and exercised about 3 to days a week. I only used the Extreme Burn. I did not use the other products.
February 14, 2010
Started Jillian Michaels’ 14 day Cleanse and Burn on Tuesday. I was 192 pounds. After 48 hrs, I lost 6 pounds, 24 hours after that another 2.6 pounds, but lots of nausea bad abdominal cramps and jitters.
I felt like death every time it was time to take pills. On the 4th day I skipped the pills, had no bowel movements, and gained back 1 pound. I’m sure I could continue and lose lot more but I believe once I stop it’ll all just come back and probably then some.
I don’t usually take any diet aids or stimulants and I’ve been working out 3 to 5 days week prior to this, but hadn’t lost any weight. Also I’m not even following their diet plan as it was too complex. I follow a simple calorie fat and carb controlled diet, and still lost 8.6 pounds in 5 days, good luck if you try it! The question now isn’t will it help you lose weight, it is will you be able to keep the weight off, or will it come back the minute you stop taking this mess?
March 24, 2010
I used the Quicktrim cleanse and burn product for 5 days.. Aside from the fact I saw little to no weight loss the reason I am writing this review is because on about the 3rd day I started experiencing extremely sharp stomach pain after taking my pills for about 3 hours.. I had even commented to my husband that if it got any worse I was considering going to the hospital.. I did not take any more that day and relentless as I am, decided the next morning I would try again With a meal.. Same issue, same pain.. I believe in no pain no gain, which is why I didnt believe any other reviews I read mentioning pain.. or one person claimed she needed a blood transfusion (riiiiight) So I tried it out and found out for myself.. this is NOT the pill for me! I would NOT refer this product to anyone!
May 24, 2010
So far I’ve been taking these pills for 3 days. Instead of two servings twice a day, I’m only taking it once a day. These pills suppress my appetite like no other diet pills have; I literally have no appetite throughout the day. Today I wasn’t able to have breakfast so I thought I would be ravenous when having lunch, but when I had lunch I couldn’t even finish the plate of pad Thai I ordered. This is before I took my serving.
Took a pill between lunch and dinner and ended up skipping dinner because I felt no hunger. I feel a little warmth a few minutes after I use it, but no shakes/jitters. I don’t feel any added energy either. Probably the only way these pills could really help with weightloss is due to the fact that you do not want to eat at all but that isn’t really the healthiest thing in the world for the body. We’ll see what happens in the next few weeks as I continue on them and up my excersise regimen.
June 14, 2010
I used the 14 day burn and cleanse last november and lost about 12 pounds! However I didn’t continue to eat properly and work out so I gained it right back, but I am trying it again and making a blog to keep track of my daily results. If you would like to see how it works out this time check it out at http://www.kayleighqtdiet.tumblr.com
August 27, 2010
I was sure this product would not work, but i wanted to try it anyway. I have lost 30lbs in a year and seem to be stuck at 211 lbs. I am 40 years old and need to lose 60lbs to be at my ideal weight. This is my fifth day on the burn and cleanse. I did not follow the diet to a “T” but when I eat I eat a small portion because that’s all I can!
I exercise moderately and have lost 5 lbs. already.
February 4, 2011
This is my 3rd day on quicktrim extreme burn…so far I have lost some weight! The first day I lost 1.8 lbs, the second day I 0.4 ounces and today I lost 2.4 lbs for a total of 4.6 lbs. To be honest I did read all the ingredients on the label just to make sure it would work…kind of used my knowledge on herbs to make the decission. When I got home I did do a bit of research after purchasing the bottle of qt extreme just to find out some general information on the product, the most effective way to use it and read tons of reviews.
For a few days the thought to take the bottle back popped in my head. I ended up keeping the bottle for over two weeks before trying it. I am fortunate that I did not experience any headaches, cramping or symptoms from takeing qt extreme burn. I cannot say at this point that I have felt jittery as so many other (coughs) products have made me down. I have not crashed yet. My energy levels are high to the point that its not such an effort to work from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. and come home to exercise!
Just a bit of advice…drink plenty of water, eat healthy, exercise and if need be take the pills with food…instead of between breakfast and lunch. I usually take the first one after I eat breakfast and the second one a litte before of after I knock off just so I can feel energized and push myself through my workout. QuickTrim may not be for everyone but its working for me!
Editor’s comments: Quick Trim contains some ingredients which have shown weight loss benefits, but most are extremely under-dosed and are unlikely to have any effect. Click here to read the Quick Trim review for more information.
April 28, 2011
The first 2 months it worked pretty good I lost about 5 pounds and like 1 1/2 inches, but then it stopped working. I take pole aerobics and I watch what I eat and I think that my body got use to it because I’m getting fatter. It nolonger works for me. I guess I should have figured it out when the place i was buying them from through in a free bottle with the one that I just bought. Buy 1 get 1 free should always tell you to RUN!!
July 4, 2011
I live in Trinidad and Tobago. Just bought a bottle of Quick Trim Extreme Burn. I did not do any research on line about the product. I became uncomfortable by the comments. I hope that it works for me because I paid $360.00 tt dollars (which is expensive for us here).
February 2, 2012
These pills suck. I read a lot of good and bad reviews on this yesterday that made me nervous to try it but since I had already boughten it I decided to try them. Today is my second day, yesterday I took the first 2 pills and they burn going down! If I burp or blow my nose I taste them and I feel like the fact that they are sparkly purple and gold is really dangerous. Anyways I took them in the middle of my breakfast and immediately after got a bad headache, drinking a lot of water seemed to help a little. Then I got a burst of crazy energy that lasted a few hours. After my second set of pills I got no energy but I did have pain all threw my pelvis area for a few minutes. I took the pm pills an hour before bed like it says to and I had stomach pains and nausea for about an hour or two after and then I was up ALL night. This morning I took my first set of pills and had no energy burst but now I feel do sick. My head is pounding, soar throat, I have a fever and my stomach is bothering me again. Normally I have a very strong body, I don’t get sick easily and most medicines don’t even effect me so I was not expecting this but honestly, don’t buy thus product! It seems very potent and dangerous and if you don’t take the pills exactly the way it says there are serious health risks! Wish I listened to the bad reviews before taking this! It’s also made me very depressed today and this is not like me at all!
February 4, 2012
I started using the Extreme Burn last Monday and i’ve already lost 5 pounds. No word of a lie! I know people are anxious to start these kinds of things, i know i was and i promise you i’m not feeding you a lie. However, it’s not a magic pill. I’ve been eating way better, cutting my portions and i work out at least 3 times a week! You kind of have to kick start it and help it! But i HAVE noticed a difference. My curves are more tone and my inner legs are shrinking. It’s given me the confidence to keep going. I haven’t noticed any bad side effects and i really like the boost of the energy that you get. I also like to drink a lot of water now that i’m taking these pills. It’s a good way to boost your metabolism/burn even more calories and flush all the bad out of you. I’m impressed with this so far and i think everyone who’s curious about this product, should try it.
Good luck!
March 6, 2012
I’m on day two of the Quick Trim Extreme Burn diet. I had been working out everyday for 4 days before taking the pills. After working out today AND yesterday, My appetite is surpressed, and I have a great amount of energy while I work out. After doing an hour on the elliptical, and over 45 minutes of weight training, I felt the need to go home and run after I left the gym. I have not checked my weight, but I FEEL it working. It frustrates me seeing people complain about this product, ESPECIALLY when they admit themselves they are not following the directions to a T. These pills merely increase the amount of calories you burn by giving your more energy and surpresssing your apetite. If you are already on a healthy diet, with a regular exercise schedule, then there is no reason why this pill should not work for you. Only working out twice a week, and eating crap food while taking this pill, will NOT give you results.
April 15, 2012
I’ve only used them 2 days and no weight loss yet (which is fine since it generally takes awhile), however my concern is when i go to take it, the pill makes my tongue kinda burn/tingle, it’s an odd feeling that i’ve never got from a pill before. For me it does provide energy, the last few days (before taking the pill) i felt weak and drained of energy and burned only about 200-300 calories at the gym. The day I took the pill I was able to burn 550 calories (only since they were closing) and was still energized enough afterwards. In my case, I began taking only one, the first day I took 2 and I was up until 4am. I’m not a huge fan of Khloe or Kim, and personally I don’t think it’s right of them to sponsor the pill mainly because they have never needed to lose weight. I go to the gym 5-6 times weekly or more for two or more hours (or until i reached my calories burned). I eat healthy and have noticed that i don’t need to eat as much to fill me up.
June 1, 2012
This is a slightly long review however when I thought about buying these pills I decided to look up some reviews but in all honesty it didn’t help me exactly decide as the variety of the reviews I came across range from death sounding pills to absolutely fantastic. However, I found a deal online of these and want to lose weight and shift a few stubborn pounds for this summer so thought I’d give it a go. It is day 2 for me on the Extreme Burn pills and although this is way to early in to see dramatic weight loss I’m sure I can definitely feel something happening. I went ahead and took the 2 pills just after my breakfast which is recommended as the 2nd choice to do if you don’t want to do it with just water between your main meals such as between your breakfast and lunch then between lunch and dinner. Around an hour later the first time I took them I’m not going to lie I felt a bit shaky and strange for a while but that was all, no horrible nausea, stomach ache or heart palpitations which I read in some reviews that I was very worried about getting. It soon completely went away and later on I took my last set of pills for that day in the afternoon and I was honestly fine. I am an avid soda drinker which as people know contains caffeine, I don’t ever drink coffee or tea (which for this diet plan is a plus) but it tells you on the box that 2 pills = 2 cups of coffee which for me seems quite a lot. For this diet I decided the only type of caffeine I will intake are the pills and have cut everything else out including soda and replacing it with water which I feel will make this plan a lot safer to do. I can also say I have a HUGE love for food and the problem I have is snacking constantly throughout the day on a variety of things although in the past 2 days whilst on these they have honestly COMPLETELY curbed my appetite and cravings and I am eating 3 average sized meals of healthy food with 1 or 2 healthy snacks. I have changed my diet for the better and also have started running and walking for at least 45 minutes a day and I feel that if you follow the guidelines, not exact but closely, these could work for you as they are not miracle pills and do need you to put effort in as well. I am quite excited to see around 2-3 weeks time!
August 17, 2012
irst day of taking them, and have a killer headache 🙁
December 1, 2012
Okay so people are right,
If you don’t use this properly, it’s not going to work. If you are exremely committed, you’ll find that by using the instructions as the basics, it’s becomes easier to adjust it to something that will work for you.
If you treat it like a chore, you’ll gain it all back cause your not learning anything.
Your becomming a slave to it and not learning healthy eating habits. Sitting on you behind all day will do nothing for you. If your already skinny as hell, your probably more likely to get sick because you really don’t need to be taking it anyway. If you have virgin systems (i.e. Non smoker, non drinker, no coffee, all natural) you’ll find that your more likely to get the symptoms. If you have a “virgin system”, it would be better to start off with something more light. The dose of caffine is very high, and you will be very sensitive. All of the cons can happen to anyone though. Everyone is different. Don’t bash the product because YOU didn’t follow it, or YOUR system is different.
I’m someone with a belly, esspecially with fat around the waist line. YOU KNOW this tummy. The fat is stubborn, and it may have even brought you to tears before. I’ve been on it for 3 days
and its incredable how its shrinking so quickly.
STAY HYDRATED, DON’T SKIP MEALS, EXERCISE, AND STAY COMMITTED. xo
April 8, 2013
I lost 17 pounds in a month so excited!
May 9, 2013
Today May 9th 2013 I start taking the Quick trim
extreme.I read some good and not so good reviews.
I hope this pills work for me.I will keep posting
my progress.
March 20, 2014
This product has worked very well for me! I started using it yesterday and already I am seeing results! Specifically a loss of fat from my thighs! I have been drinking a lot of water and eating healthily. I have been running, doing yoga, and being active in general! Since taking this product, my appetite has lowered and I no longer feel cravings of sugar! My energy levels have increased majorly and I am so happy of the results so far. At first, I felt a slight tingling on my tongue when I took the pill, but that went away quickly and I no longer feel that or any other side affects. 🙂