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Burn by Capsiplex claims to “transform your metabolism into a fat incinerating inferno”. Many of these so-called fat-burning supplements use a specific cayenne extract known as Capsimax, which contains capsaicin, the compound responsible for the sensation of spiciness, and often marketed for its fat-burning potential. But does it really burn fat?
Cayenne extracts and weight loss?
The foundation for these claims is built upon a handful of studies conducted on cells and mice.
These studies hinted at the possibility that activating TRPV1 receptors, which are the spice receptors stimulated by cayenne extracts and spicy foods, might trigger minor cellular changes that could assist in combating obesity. These changes included reducing fat production and increasing the activity of brown adipose tissue.
While these cellular changes are intriguing, the problem is that all these studies were conducted on cells in a lab dish or on mice, not on actual humans.
There is no evidence to prove that stimulating TRPV1 receptors in humans can replicate these effects. Even if it were possible, there’s no data to support the idea that orally consuming cayenne extracts can activate TRPV1 receptors in fat cells to produce these results.
In fact, research in humans suggests that taking cayenne extracts is unlikely to have a significant impact on weight. Furthermore, studies indicate that capsaicin is also not likely to significantly contribute to fat loss or increased energy expenditure.
Cayenne extracts are often thought to aid weight loss by suppressing appetite. However, it’s more accurate to describe this as a side effect, as taking cayenne extracts on an empty stomach can lead to nausea and bloating, which some individuals might interpret as a reduced appetite.
Nevertheless, this effect doesn’t seem to have substantial clinical relevance, as previous studies have already shown that taking cayenne extracts as a supplement is unlikely to have a significant influence on body weight or fat in humans.
Ingredients of Capsiplex Burn
Now let’s take a look at the ingredients. Here are the doses per capsule. The recommended dosing is 3 capsules per day.
We’re going to analyze each ingredient to see whether they contain a sufficient dose, whether it contains the active compounds to work, and how effective they might be for weight loss.
B vitamins
B vitamins are important for keeping your energy levels up and maintaining a healthy metabolism. When you don’t have enough of these vitamins, your body struggles to create energy and burn fat efficiently.
But here’s the catch – these benefits primarily help people who are running low on B vitamins. If you already have an adequate B vitamin supply, taking extra B vitamins won’t do much for your weight or metabolism.
In North America, B vitamin deficiencies are pretty uncommon. And even in the unlikely event that you are deficient, the minuscule amounts of B vitamins in Capsiplex Burn won’t be of much help.
So if you were deficient, choosing a high-quality B complex supplement would be a far better option than relying on this product.
Iodine and chromium
Iodine and chromium are important minerals that play a role in a range of metabolic processes. However, much like B vitamins, it’s mainly when you’re lacking these minerals that you run into problems with your metabolism or hormones.
In fact, going overboard with iodine or chromium can actually harm your health. Deficiencies of these minerals are exceptionally uncommon in North America.
Iodine is already present in ordinary table salt and is abundant in various kinds of seafood. Chromium is only needed in tiny quantities.
So, for the average, healthy person, taking supplements for these minerals is seldom necessary. Chromium may have some use in diabetics and those with PCOS, but that’s a topic for another video.
L-tyrosine and L-arginine
L-tyrosine and L-arginine are amino acids that could potentially assist you in exercise by boosting your mental function and enhancing athletic performance, especially if you have cardiovascular problems like angina. You’ll find them in many workout supplements.
However, it’s important to note that they won’t aid in weight loss or make you stronger. What they might do is help you concentrate better during your workouts or enable you to complete your exercise routine if you’re dealing with angina.
Unfortunately, the effective doses for both of these amino acids are quite substantial, often measured in grams, and the amount provided in Capsiplex Burn is too small to be of much use anyway.
Astragalus and Panax notoginseng
Astragalus and Panax Notoginseng are traditional herbs known for their potential to boost energy and possibly help control blood sugar in diabetes.
However, there’s no solid evidence to suggest they can aid in weight or fat loss. Even if they could, the amounts included in Capsiplex Burn are too minuscule to have any meaningful impact.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a popular ingredient in supplements designed to boost your workout performance. It’s the primary component in Capsiplex Burn and is realistically the only ingredient that would give it any “fat-burning” effect if it did at all.
Essentially, it’s meant to enhance your exercise capacity and intensity. In other words, if it doesn’t help you exercise more effectively, it probably won’t contribute much to weight loss on its own.
The amount of caffeine in Capsiplex Burn is roughly the same as you’d get from drinking about 2 cups of coffee.
Green tea and green coffee
Green tea contains a useful compound called EGCG, and green coffee contains another beneficial compound called chlorogenic acid.
While these compounds have been studied for their potential health benefits and support in weight loss, the truth is that their effects on fat metabolism are relatively modest.
interestingly, both extracts also contain varying amounts of caffeine, and studies indicate that it’s this caffeine content that may contribute more to the weight loss benefits than the other compounds.
Nevertheless, Capsiplex Burn provides only tiny quantities of these extracts, making their inclusion mostly cosmetic.
Capsiplex Burn Side Effects and Warnings
When it comes to safety, Capsiplex Burn contains a decent amount of caffeine, which could lead to feelings of restlessness or jitters. If you’re sensitive to caffeine or have heart issues, it’s important to consult your doctor to ensure it’s safe for you to use. Pregnant women should also avoid using this product.
Additionally, the cayenne might cause gas or bloating, especially on an empty stomach, and if you’re prone to heartburn, it could worsen your symptoms.
Is Capsiplex Burn Effective?
Capsiplex Burn, like most caffeine supplements, can help with weight loss, but only if it aids in increasing your exercise. You’ll still need to put in the effort to work out more effectively.
Some individuals might experience nausea with Capsiplex Burn, which could reduce their appetite. However, you’ll still need to actively control your portion sizes as this effect alone is unlikely to lead to significant additional weight loss.
Overall review: Capsiplex Burn
Reviewing Capsiplex Burn by effectiveness for weight loss, I’m giving it a C. It’s a caffeine supplement first and foremost, and whether you lose weight depends on whether it can help you exercise more or not.
Reviewing Capsiplex Burn by cost, I’m giving it a C. Capsiplex Burn can be easily replicated at a much cheaper cost by getting the generic ingredients individually.
Reviewing Capsiplex Burn for safety, I’m giving it a C. It has a moderate caffeine and cayenne content, which can cause a number of side effects.
Overall review, I’m giving Capsiplex Burn a D. I would not recommend it at all.
Top alternatives to Capsiplex Burn
If you’re looking to achieve similar effects, but better than those of Capsiplex Burn, I would combine a quality
- Caffeine anhydrous – 1 cap / day
- Capsaicin (cayenne) – 2 to 5 caps / day
- Chromium nicotinate (GTF) – 1 to 5 caps / day
- Chromium picolinate – 1 to 5 caps / day
- L-Arginine (caps) – 2 to 6 caps / day
- L-Arginine (powder) – 1 scoop / day
- L-Tyrosine (caps) – 4 to 16 caps / day
- L-Tyrosine (powder) – 1 to 3 tsp / day
Learn more about
- Is Caffeine Good For Weight Loss?
- Capsaicin For Weight Loss
- Chromium For Weight Loss
- Green Tea For Weight Loss
- Green Coffee Bean For Weight Loss
- 6 Things To Look For On Supplements
- 5 Things to Know Before Buying Weight Loss Supplements
- Other weight loss supplements
Citations
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Grgic J, Grgic I, Pickering C, Schoenfeld BJ, Bishop DJ, Pedisic Z. Wake up and smell the coffee: caffeine supplementation and exercise performance-an umbrella review of 21 published meta-analyses. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(11):681-688. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2018-100278
Icken D, Feller S, Engeli S, et al. Caffeine intake is related to successful weight loss maintenance. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2016;70(4):532-534. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2015.183
Jang HH, Lee J, Lee SH, Lee YM. Effects of Capsicum annuum supplementation on the components of metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):20912. Published 2020 Dec 1. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-77983-2
Kanaley JA. Growth hormone, arginine and exercise. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2008;11(1):50-54. doi:10.1097/MCO.0b013e3282f2b0ad
Kim CW, Kim BT, Park KH, et al. Effects of short-term chromium supplementation on insulin sensitivity and body composition in overweight children: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Nutr Biochem. 2011;22(11):1030-1034. doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2010.10.001
Krishnan V, Baskaran P, Thyagarajan B. Troglitazone activates TRPV1 and causes deacetylation of PPARγ in 3T3-L1 cells. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2019;1865(2):445-453. doi:10.1016/j.bbadis.2018.11.004
Lee A, Lim W, Kim S, Khil H, Cheon E, An S, Hong S, Lee DH, Kang SS, Oh H, Keum N, Hsieh CC. Coffee Intake and Obesity: A Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2019 Jun 5;11(6):1274. doi: 10.3390/nu11061274. PMID: 31195610; PMCID: PMC6628169.
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Southward K, Rutherfurd-Markwick KJ, Ali A. The Effect of Acute Caffeine Ingestion on Endurance Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [published correction appears in Sports Med. 2018 Aug 9;:]. Sports Med. 2018;48(8):1913-1928. doi:10.1007/s40279-018-0939-8
Suri A, Szallasi A. The emerging role of TRPV1 in diabetes and obesity. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2008;29(1):29-36. doi:10.1016/j.tips.2007.10.016
Tabrizi R, Saneei P, Lankarani KB, et al. The effects of caffeine intake on weight loss: a systematic review and dos-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(16):2688-2696. doi:10.1080/10408398.2018.1507996
Tumilty L, Davison G, Beckmann M, Thatcher R. Oral tyrosine supplementation improves exercise capacity in the heat. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2011;111(12):2941-2950. doi:10.1007/s00421-011-1921-4
USDA https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
Zhang LL, Yan Liu D, Ma LQ, et al. Activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 channel prevents adipogenesis and obesity. Circ Res. 2007;100(7):1063-1070. doi:10.1161/01.RES.0000262653.84850.8b
See also
- Doctor Reviews: Youthful BrainYouthful Brain is unlikely to improve cognitive performance in healthy individuals, as research shows limited benefits for their ingredients.
- Doctor Reviews: Lemme CurbLemme Curb is basically just a high-dose chromium supplement, which hasn’t been proven to help with weight loss or cravings in healthy people.
- Doctor Reviews: Nello SupercalmNello Supercalm is a drink mix with ingredients that may help manage stress and anxiety, though it might not work for everyone.
- A Doctor Reviews: Bio Complete 3Bio Complete 3 is essentially a pricey version of a generic standard probiotic, offering some basic benefits for digestive health.
- Doctor Reviews: Lemme GLP-1 Daily CapsulesLemme GLP-1’s lemon extract, Eriomin, may boost GLP-1 levels slightly, but research shows this won’t cause weight loss or appetite suppression.