Our EpiBurn Review Conclusion: Yawn. Contains a couple of promising ingredients but impossible to assess if they are dosed effectively and supporting science is only preliminary. Fine for a bit of an energy kick, but I’d be surprised if it delivered much more than that. Reviews and testimonials are mixed. Nothing really special here.
Here’s the “Quick and Dirty” Low Down on the USP Lab’s EpiBurn Pro review (click each point for more details):
- Introduction: This is your OxyElite Pro alternative. Or not.
- Ingredient profile: What’s in it? The ingredients analyzed!
- Side Effects & Safety.
- Customer Comments, Feedback & Testimonials. What are people saying?
- Conclusion – The bottom line on EpiBurn Pro.
[feather_share]
Share this post or join the discussion below!
Introduction: USP Lab’s EpiBurn Pro Review
We’ve had more than a few requests for a review of USP Lab’s EpiBurn Pro as fans of USP Labs’ popular but now discontinued OxyElite Pro look for a suitable alternative. Makes sense to me. The obvious questions to ask are…
… Is EpiBurn Pro worth taking? How does it compare to OxyElite? Is it worth the money?
And so on. It is those questions that this review of EpiBurn will attempt to answer. So let’s start with the obvious…
EpiBurn Pro Ingredients: What’s In It?
Let’s take a closer look at this sucker!
A daily serving (two capsules per day, taken 6 hours apart) contains…
- Caffeine (200 mg): Big surprise here. Caffeine’s the go to standard in almost every over the counter diet pill and weight loss supplement in the world. Not only does it provide you with a bit of “umph”, but caffeine can elevate the metabolism – although its effects from a weight loss perspective are subtle (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97, Am J Physiol. 1995 Oct;269(4 Pt 1):E671-8).
The remaining ingredients are included in a “proprietary” blend.
Proprietary blends are a PITA (*pain in the a**) because although the ingredients are revealed, the exact dosages are not. Here’s why that’s a problem…
Herbs and various other non-pharmaceutical ingredients are a lot like drugs in that they need to be present at a certain dosage in order to actually do something.
In a proprietary formula, it’s impossible to tell if they are or not. This is why such blends are commonly used to hide vastly “under-dosed” ingredients that serve no useful purpose other than to make the formula appear more “impressive.”
USP’s proprietary blend is even more vague than usual, since they don’t even reveal what it is each ingredient is even standardized for… and even though we can guess in most cases, they get two thumbs down for transparency on this.
Proprietary blend (426 mg):
- Withania Somnifera (Root) Extract: More commonly known as astragalus, this herb has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. Astragalus is an interesting herb, and while much of the research that has been performed on it is preliminary, it shows numerous benefits; many related to its immune-boosting effects. Why it’s included here is a bit of a mystery… although it is also a mild diuretic, and increases natiuresis (sodium excretion) and may even prove useful for treating insulin resistance.
- Olea Europaea (Leaf) Extract:: The botanical name for the olive tree (and/or its fruit), olive leaf extract has a number of benefits, none of which are related to weight loss. It is one of 4 herbal ingredients demonstrated beneficial for weight loss in this clinical study, but since EpiBurn does not contain any of the other 3, it’s hard to fathom how this ingredient adds value to this formula.
- Yohimbe (Bark) Extract: The active ingredient of which is called yohimbine, and is sold as a prescription drug for erectile dysfunction. Yohimbe has been included in weight loss supplements for ages, despite there being no evidence to indicate it has any real effect in this regard.
- Coleus Forskohlii (Root) Extract:Clinical data on coleus for weight loss is conflicting. This study (conducted with 250 mg of 10% forskolin extract taken twice a day), shows it does not promote weight loss, while this one, conducted with exacty the same dosage, showed it does. Even if we want to take the most optimistic view of coleus for weight loss possible, it’s still difficult to assess its value in this formula, since it’s very likely to be underdosed.
- Nelumbo Nucifera (Seed) Extract: Also known as “Indian Lotus”, a number of animal and “in vitro” studies suggest both an appetite-suppressing and anti-obesity effect. How this will play out in human trials, who knows?
EpiBurn Pro Side Effects & Safety
Pay attention! I don’t want to see you in the E.R.!
There are several ingredients in EpiBurn that warrant caution and can cause side effects or safety issues for some people…
- Caffeine: EpiBurn does not contain a ton of caffeine (200 mg per single serving), but nevertheless, it is still a concern for those of you with high blood pressure or heart disease.
- Yohimbine: Has been associated with a number of adverse effects, and should be avoided by individuals with hypotension (low blood pressure), diabetes, and heart, liver or kidney disease.
- Astragalus: Astragalus root can increase the effects of certain antiviral medicines, hypoglycemic agents, immune system suppressants and anticoagulant medications (such as Coumadin). There is also the potential for interaction with other drugs or herbal preparations. In addition, Astragalus has not been evaluated for safety during pregnancy/breastfeeding.
[nsu-form]
EpiBurn Pro Customer Comments, Feedback & Testimonials
What are people saying about EpiBurn Pro?
Before I answer that question, a warning…
Personal testimonials are not evidence. They are anecdotal – and that is only if they are genuine. We can’t, of course, authenticate any of the testimonials we read. We don’t know for example, if they were written by real people about real experiences, or whether the negative commments are posted by competitors, or if the positive ones have been paid for.
After all, it’s really easy to buy testimonials on the Internet.
That said, if you look at enough testiomials, a pattern begins to emerge.
On BodyBuilding.com, EpiBurn Pro gets a 7.4 rating out of 10.
On GNC.com, EpiBurn Pro gets a 4 (our of 5) star rating.
On Amazon, things are a little different – almost as many people loved the product as hated it…
Image courtesy of Amazon.com
What’s it all mean?
The testimonials and reviews are actually pretty representative of what this product offers – a kick of energy, perhaps a slight touch of appetite suppression, but that’s about it. For the most part, it’s OK.
But not revolutionary.
USP Lab’s EpiBurn Pro Review Conclusion
Unfortunately, it’s hard to say really nice things about a product when the manufacturers aren’t forthright about the potency and dosage of the included ingredients. As it stands, EpiBurn Pro is a caffeine pill with a handful of additional ingredients which may or may not add value… it’s impossible to say.
Those of you looking for an alternative to the DMAA-fueled “kick” of OxyElite Pro are probably going to be disappointed, ’cause this ain’t it.
At the same time, it will probably been fine if you’re just looking for a little extra energy. However, there are simply much cheaper ways to add a couple of hundred milligrams of caffeine into your day.
I certainly wouldn’t pay the $30-$40 GNC and BB.com want, but I might – just for shitz and giggles – fork out $22 to buy it on Amazon just to check out the proprietary blend for myself.
You’re welcome to do so too, just as long as you realize it’s value is far from conclusive.
Hope that helps. 😉
Oh and before I forget…
If you wouldn’t mind, can you share this post on your favorite social media platform (you can do that just below)? Or leave a comment below? That would really help us out!
