It would appear that "The Most Effective Clinically Proven Diet Pill Ever Created" has bitten the dust (in other words, it’s discontinued).
Before reviewing Thermodrenix, I thought it would be fun to see what UltimateFatBurner.com’s competitors were saying about the product. I performed a search over at Google, and began to read. I can’t say I was surprised to find that every single one of the “review sites” I checked out was trumpeting Thermodrenix’s amazing fat burning powers, its patented ingredients (most sites said 6 patented ingredients, but Thermodrenix only contains 3), its honest approach to marketing, yada, yada, yada.
That ought to tell you something.
Because not one is able to see beyond earning a commission from a referred sale by telling you the real truth about this product.
First of all, the claim “The Most Effective Clinically Proven Diet Pill Ever Created …Guaranteed” is a complete and utter falsehood.
No peer-reviewed studies have been performed on Thermodrenix; just some of the ingredients (several of which are hardly fat burning home runs, as you’ll see in a moment). As our scientific and technical advisor Elissa put it…
Most people would think, “proven ingredients = proven supplement blend” but this there are some unproven assumptions underneath this assessment.
For starters, when it comes to supplements, 1 + 1 does not always equal 2. In other words, if taking compound A results in X surplus pounds of fat lost; and taking compound B results in Y surplus pounds lost, taking A + B does not necessarily result in a loss of X + Y pounds. Ultimately, all the different pathways converge: so pushing the system from multiple directions doesn’t guarantee a superior result.
Likewise, it’s assumed that there is no conflict between the different compounds, and that there’s a linear relationship between short and long term results (i.e., a compound that results in – say – 5 extra pounds lost in a 6 week period, means 10 extra pounds should be lost in 12 weeks, 15 pounds after 18 weeks, and so on).
Secondly, just because the retailers of Thermodrenix don’t use doctored “before and after” shots, fabricated testimonials, and an autoship program doesn’t mean Thermodrenix is any more effective than any product that does. This is simply another marketing strategy.
And for a company that claims to be so forthright and honest, it’s interesting that there are no contact details for Blackstone Health Sciences provided; no company information, no corporate web site, and no street address for where they can be located. All that’s provided is an e-mail address. In my experience, this is never a “good thing.” And it’s hardly the sign of a “forthright and transparent” company.
The company claims it has a “clean slate with the FTC” and zero complaints with the BBB, but since they also indicate they are a new company, this isn’t necessarily an indication of stellar customer service and ethical business practices. It’s more likely they haven’t been around long enough or are too small to attract the attention of regulatory bodies — should they actually be engaging in nefarious practices.
The fact that the Thermodrenix ingredients profile is completely revealed is positive — assuming what’s on the label is actually in the bottle — since we can confirm that the amounts included in the formula correspond to the amount used in the clinical studies performed on the ingredients. And what’s in it?…
1. SuperCitrimax: A single serving of Thermodrenix gives you 1,400 mg of SuperCitrimax, meaning a full day’s serving (2,800 mg) correlates to the amount used in the positive clinical study (see J Med. 2004;35(1-6):33-48). That’s good.
Don’t get too excited though; if you check the study, you’ll see that individuals participating were restricted to 2,000 calories per day. They also walked 30 minutes per day, 5 days out of 7. Total weight lost? An average of 5.4% in bodyweight over the course of 8 weeks.
A two hundred pound man would have lost 10.8 lbs., or 1.35 lbs. per week. That’s well within the realms — actually probably less — than what you can expect to accomplish on your own with a more rigorous training program and a slightly more restrictive diet.
That’s why you don’t see any ridiculous claims (i.e., lose 20 lbs. in 30 days) on the Thermodrenix web site; manufactured ones would be much too easily disproved, and realistic ones aren’t likely to entice the visitor (would you be excited by a product that promised to shed 10 pounds in 2 months, even if it were an accurate assessment of the product’s capabilities?)
2. Green tea: Here’s where the Thermodrenix formula gets a little incoherent; it seems a little odd to include a decaffeinated version of green tea standardized for EGCG along with a caffeinated version — and I’ve never seen a green tea extract with 50% caffeine.
That aside, green tea does show some great promise as a weight loss aide (see the full green tea review for complete verification), and this product does contain a hearty-enough dose. Caffeine too, is well known for its thermogenic properties (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97), and is a smart addition to any fat burner.
3. Forslean® (Coleus forskohlii): The patented extract of Coleus forskohlii standardized for forskolin, a cAMP stimulator. cAMP is a “second messenger.” In other words, this compound is required to “spark” many intracellular processes. An increased concentration of cAMP can have such “total-body” effects as raised thyroid hormone levels and increased fat burning.
While the effects of forskolin and a corresponding positive effect on weight loss have been established in one study (Journal of Obesity Research August 2005, “Body Composition and Hormonal Adaptations Associated With Forskolin Consumption In Overweight and Obese Men”), the results were not overwhelming.
Another study was less positive (Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2(2):54-62, 2005). It concluded…
“Results suggest that CF (coleus forskohlii) does not appear to promote weight loss but may help mitigate weight gain in overweight females with apparently no clinically significant side effects.”
4. Gymnema sylvestre extract: In the correct dosage, preliminary evidence seems to indicate this ingredient may affect blood glucose levels by reducing its absorption in the intestines. More evidence is needed to properly rate the effectiveness of this ingredient as a potent fat burner. It also may inhibit the ability to “taste” sweet or sour flavors. According to the Thermodrenix web site…
“Gymnema, when combined with Super Citrimax, was extremely effective in helping subjects lose fat, decrease their appetite, and increase fat oxidation.”
Uh, not really. When you review the specifics of the study, you’ll see that it was performed with a combination of SuperCitrimax, 400 mg of Gymnema (there’s only 250 mg in this formula) and niacin-bound chromium (not included in this formula at all) and compared to SuperCitrimax used in isolation. There was not a dramatic difference between results attained by the study participants using the combination of ingredients and those simply using SuperCitrimax.
Thermodrenix should either contain a full 400 mg of gymnema and the niacin-bound chromium (to make it compatible with this study), or it should simply leave out the Gymnema altogether.
5. Bioperine: A common ingredient to many supplements, its role is to enhance the bioavailibility of certain supplements through increased absorption. See the full review for more details.
Alright, now that we’ve been through the ingredient list, what is the bottom line?
Frankly, there’s really not a whole lot wrong with the Thermodrenix formula. SuperCitrimax is a helpful, but not earth shattering ingredient, and it’s present in the correct dosage. Green tea and caffeine — pretty much total “no-brainers” for any fat burner — are also present in potent doses. Gymnema and Forslean don’t add much to this formula, but they don’t detract from it either. It ain’t a revolution in a bottle by any means, but it’s not bad either.
So what are the problems with Thermodrenix?
First and foremost, the price. $70 is an outrageous price for a product like this. For example, here’s what you could buy at a reputable online retailer like BodyBuilding.com for just under $25…
- 1 Bottle (90 capsules) NOW SuperCitrimax: $9.99
- 1 Bottle (60 capsules) Primaforce Lean Green Tea Extract: $9.98
- 1 Bottle (100 tabs) AllMax Caffeine (200 mg): $4.49
This would allow you to experiment with the appropriate doses of the more promising ingredients in Thermodrenix, and still have over $40 left to take a friend out for lunch! At $35-$39, Thermodrenix might be worth experimenting with, if you could confirm the retailer was genuine and that you would have a positive purchasing experience. But at this price, it’s not worth purchasing.
The second problem with Thermodrenix?
Whenever supplement companies nearly fall over backwards in an attempt to convince me how honest they are, I get a bit worried. All it does, in my opinion, is raise doubts in my mind. But I’m a suspicious bugger, and I may be wrong. So here’s where you can weigh in and help…
