What is it?
Hydroxycut is a weight loss brand that’s available in different forms, with common ingredients such as green coffee bean. They often use this ingredient to show that within 60 days, people lost 10.95 pounds versus a placebo.
The intended benefits of this brand are increased fat loss, energy, and enhanced metabolism. For their caffeine brands, they advise to start with just 1 capsule a day, then eventually building up to 2 capsules twice a day. Their Hydroxycut blend is a proprietary formula featuring fruit, green coffee, and saffron. In this review you’ll learn about the surprising company history, what customers have to say about it, and whether or not it’s a good weight loss supplement. The top 10 diet pills are featured in this comprehensive list.
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Hydroxycut Ingredients and Side Effects
Robusta Coffee Extract (45% (Chlorogenic Acid)
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Papaya
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Blackberry
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Saffron Extract
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Caffeine Anhydrous
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Maqui
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Amla Extract
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Microcrystalline Cellulose
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Dicalcium Phosphate Dihydrate
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Pre-gelatinized Starch
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Stearic Acid
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Titanium Dioxide
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Polyethylene Glycol
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Talc
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Croscarmellose Sodium
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Magnesium Stearate
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Silicon Dioxide
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Robusta Coffee Extract (45% Chlorogenic Acid): Unroasted Robusta coffee, which is a species of coffee bean known for its higher bitterness and acidity.
It’s intended to help improve metabolism and control blood sugar. It can potentially cause side effects that include:
- Insomnia, nausea, and agitation.
- Anxiety, rapid heart rate, and difficulty concentrating.
- Restlessness, ringing in the ears, and headaches.
A study is provided by the manufacturers to show how effective this ingredient is versus a placebo.
The study was funded by a company who sells this extract, so there’s a potential for bias. In this study they took 50 volunteers and made them follow a low calorie diet.
Other unbiased studies have shown this ingredient to be ineffective for weight loss. Examine.com adds:
“seems weakly to moderately effective (on fat loss)”
It’s possible the only reason for fat loss is due to the caffeine.
Saffron Extract: Plant extract that’s used in cooking, as well as a way to improve mood and reduce sickness. Though there isn’t sufficient studies about its use. Web MD adds:
“There isn’t enough information to know how saffron might work”
“Taking large amounts of saffron by mough is POSSIBLY UNSAFE”
Possible side effects include:
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes.
- Poisoning.
- Vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and numbness.
- Death.
When taken at large amounts there have been cases of people dying from this.
Caffeine Anhydrous: Dehydrated form of caffeine that stimulates the central nervous system, it increaseses energy and metabolism.
A full serving of Hydroxycut Pro Clinical, their flagship brand, has 400 mg per daily serving. This is the maximum allowed limit for caffeine, and due to this, the company mentions:
“Do not take within 5 hours of bedtime”
“Consume 8 to 10 glasses of water per day”
This is to avoid both insomnia and dehydration. They also advise to not take any other stimulants, since it would likely raise the risk for serious side effects. Though on its own, it can potentially cause:
- Anxiety, agitation, and pain in the chest.
- Rapid heart rate, tremors, and jitters.
- Cardiovascular damage, insomnia, and restlessness.
- Dehydration, headaches, and mood swings.
Caffeine also has limitations, as Examine.com adds:
“Habitual caffeine use leads to tolerance. This means the effects of caffeine will be diminished… where the only benefit a user experiences is caffeine’s anti-sleep effect”
Therefore, caffeine must be only taken for short periods before it loses its potential weight loss effects.
Certain people are much more sensitive to caffeine, and that’s why it’s advised to slowly introduce this brand, and to not take more than just 1 pill to start with.
Maqui: A berry found in parts of Latin America, it’s used to help with weight loss. However, Web MD adds:
“There isn’t enough information to know if maqui is safe”
The possible side effects are also not known.
Amla Extract: This fruit has been used to lower bad cholesterol, and to provide antioxidant support. Though Examine.com adds:
“there is not enough evidence to recommend Amla for any particular purpose”
There have also been cases of people experiencing liver damage.
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Hydroxycut Quality of Ingredients
Ingredients like amla, maqui, and saffron have not been thoroughly studied and it’s unknown if they would affect weight loss.
Then there’s the added caffeine and green coffee bean which are the key active ingredients. Caffeine can be replaced with coffee or tea for cheaper and green coffee bean hasn’t shown any valuable weight loss effects. Studies have shown it to be either ineffective, or weak in its possible weight loss effects.
For the kinds of ingredients used, the lack of clinical studies for some ingredients, and the unknown side effects of certain additives, this mixture is a poor choice for weight loss. There are far too many unanswered questions to determine what the formula might do.
The Price and Quality of Hydroxycut
Sales are not offered via the manfaucturer, but they do suggest multiple online and in store 3rd party retailers.
Amazon.com sells one 150 capsule bottle for $28.56. At the maximum dosage of 4 capsules a day, this lasts for a total of 37.5 days. This makes the daily cost for supplementation 76 cents.
Though inexpensive, many of the ingredinets in this are either innefective for weight loss, not yet proven, or can be replaced.
There’s a high amount of caffeine in this which isn’t a long lasting source for weight loss. It may also provide side effects. Stimulant free options for long lasting weight loss are available if you click here.
Caffeine at 400 mg is roughly 4 cups of coffee. That’s why special considerations must be put in place to help protect against side effects. Still, the key active ingredients in caffeine and green coffee bean extract aren’t enough to suggest both reliable and safe effects. These two ingredients can also be replaced for much cheaper.
Business of Hydroxycut
The owners of this brand are Iovate Health Sciences Inc. They can be reached via the following:
Phone Number: (888) 334-4448
Address: 381 North Service Road West
Oakville, ON, L6M 0H4 Canada
Email: [email protected]
The company has been in trouble with both the FDA and FTC.
The FTC fined them $5.5 million dollars for making false advertising claims about their supplements. This included stating that their brands had positive health benefits, and because of this, they were required to refund customers who bought supplements from them.
The FDA also sent them a warning letter due to:
“liver toxicity associated with the use of multiple versions of the dietary supplement Hydroxycut”
“Agency has concluded that the ingestion of the dietary supplement Hydroxycut presents a severe potentially life-threatening hazard to some users”
This forced the company to schedule a mandatory recall on all Hydroxycut on the market. There were 23 reports of severe health problems due to this supplement, and one person died from it.
After this, in 2024 and 2024 there were still incidents of heart problems and ulcers associated the use of Hydroxycut.
They currently have 6 complaints on their Better Business Bureau website. This is due to issues with service, the products, and a lack of communication from the company.
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Customer Opinions of Hydroxycut
Here are select reviews from online customers:
“I really don’t have any effect using this product”
“Made me feel super sick and dizzy”
“It’s mostly a glorified caffeine pill”
“I had severe nausea, abdominal pain and felt like my stomach was on fire”
Amazon.com currently features 535 complaints. It’s often mentioned from customers that they experienced side effects, as well as a lack of weight loss.
Common side effects experienced by users include nausea, stomach pain, anxiety, rapid heart rate, restlessness, anxiousness, agitation, and some experienced difficulty breathing.
Many also said this is basically just a caffeine pill, and that it had no noticeable weight loss effects.
Conclusion - Does Hydroxycut Work?
The key features to notice about this brand are the company history, and the kinds of ingredients used. Many customers have failed to see any weight loss benefits, and people describe it as a caffeine pill. This is likely because the only ingredeints in this that might have a weight loss effect are caffeine and green coffee extract. There’s not enough in this to suggest it would help benefit people. The company has also had to recall Hydroxycut due to serious health concerns. There’s also a lot of caffeine added to this, with a full serving providing the maximum recommended dosage strength for caffeine.
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There’s only natural ingredients added to this blend, with the ability to suppress appetite, increase metabolism, and improve mood. Many users have left great testimonials showcasing how effective and safe it is. This supplement has no artificial ingredients, preservatives, or stimulants of any kind.
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User Feedback
(Page 29 of 41, 802 total comments)christina
i've been trying to lose 8 lbs for about two months now. i'm 18, 5'4, 120 lbs. i already exercise everyday.. an hour of cardio and 30 minutes of weights, but the weight just isn't coming off. i need something to control my appetite so i can lose the extra lbs.. so would hydroxycut work for me? i dont want to spend the $ if it's not gonna work..
posted May 27th, 2008 9:31 amLindsey
I have lost 50 lbs since October 07 then had a back injury and now am just starting to workout again and needed sometihing to kick start me into my routine I hope HC works for me I already notice a diffrence in energy
posted May 27th, 2008 9:31 amlizzy
After putting on 20 pounds in a years time in my new career as a team driver OTR... I really needed some help curbing my appetite! I started taking H about 4 days ago. One 2x a day has worked great, I crave water, and have no interest in foods like chip, french fries, cheese burgers. Amazing ! Last night i had a chicken breast, vege, and 1/2 a potatoe. I will add some walking next week, but when your fat and depressed... sometimes you need a boost to get started... so glad I found it!
posted May 26th, 2008 1:03 pmAnthony
im trying to get into the marine corps, i currentley weigh 270, but i need to get down to 186. with hydroxycut is it possible to losse the weight in a year or less?
posted May 23rd, 2008 6:13 pmBULL
I've been taking Hydroxycut for a day and a half now and I feel great. I actually woke up hungover this morning and took two pills and was energized and ready to go the entire day. I get full a lot easier and I like eating more healthier foods rather than soda or pizza. I tried to eat that for lunch today actually and i couldnt even finish them. My body was in disguist. THIS PRODUCT REALLY DOES WORK!
posted May 23rd, 2008 8:53 amAnge
I have been on hydroxycut for only 2 days and already lost 3 pounds. I am watching what I eat and did not work out yet at all. I am only taking 2 pills a day now. I love it so far.
posted May 22nd, 2008 11:50 amREADY TO LOSE WEIGHT
I AM SO READY TO BUY THIS PRODUCT!! READING ALL THESE COMMENTS AND FINDING OUT THE RESULTS ARE MOTIVATING ME TO BUY HYDROXYCUT!!!!
posted May 22nd, 2008 11:50 amjoan
I'm goin to start this product today!!! I hope it works!!!
posted May 22nd, 2008 11:50 amANN
I started this product 2 days ago and i already having chess pain and head aches i hope this product don't make me get sick. I am working out and exercising before using this product and i have great results losing weight naturally. I'm trying to lose another 20lbs faster so I'm trying hydroxy cut Maximum i hope this product works.
posted May 21st, 2008 9:56 amAnonymous
Been taking it for 3 days. First day was jittery. Feeling fine now. Definitely suppressed my appetite. Working my way up slowly to 6 pills/day. I will only take one pill and take it at 4pm at very latest. I won't check my weigth, b/c I don't want to become obsessed with weight loss.
posted May 19th, 2008 6:03 pmRobby
I've been taking Hydroxycut for two weeks now. I've lost around 5 pounds since my last weigh in. (Around a month ago) My body is more defined. I started taking 1 pill 3 times a day, and now i'm taking 2 pills 3 times a day. I asked my doctor before taking it, and with any weight loss pill, it's going to raise your heartbeat due to the high levels of caffiene in the pills. I personally have not experienced any chest pain. I do believe that it helps the person get into the mindset of working out and eating healthier and smaller portions. Also, take the pills 30 minutes to an hour before you eat, and you can notice a difference in the amount you eat and the amount of time it takes you to eat. Also, i've noticed that it takes away water weight, so it is important to drink alot of water while taking it. Good luck to everyone!
posted May 19th, 2008 10:44 amjenna
i'm 5'4'', still in highschool, and 185 lbs. i carry my weight well but i still have a bad self esteem. my mom and i just bought hydroxycut 24 for each of us and we are really excited about triyng it out. most of the reviews are good so im hoping to see some results in about a week to keep me motivated. sometimes i need that kind of confidence boost.
posted May 19th, 2008 10:44 amdanny rocks
hydrodroxycut totally rules balls man!
posted May 18th, 2008 7:46 amSim
16MAY - Im back and been on the bill now for about 2 weeks. Initially I lost a pound or 2, and then I gained 4 probably due to all the extra water I have been drinking. It gave me more energy to work out, but other than that, I am exactly at the same weight I started. I can only handle 1 pill a day because even that amount of caffiene malkes my heart beat really fast. I dont think I will be finishing off the bottle, and just keep at it how I lost it before, work out more, and cut portion sizes, even though its only 5 pounds, its the hardest to lose! Good luck to all of you!
posted May 16th, 2008 5:07 pmWick
Hydroxycut Hardcore works somewhat. Here are the issues though. I am no stranger to these types of weight loss pills, so I knew that there would be some negative effects. I eased into the dosage, but found that I cannot do the 3 pills, twice a day that the bottle suggests. I can only handle 2 pills twice a day. Appetite suppression works well enough, as long as I take it 30 mins prior to my breakfast or lunch and then pay attention to how much I am eating. What I mean by that is, while taking the pills, I tend to feel full more quickly. Unfortunately, if I do not get my meal within a half hour of taking the pills, I become ravenously hungry and eat waaay too much once I do get a meal. I also tend to get queasy to my stomach from time to time while taking this supplement. You have to work it just right, but when you do, it is a big help.
posted May 16th, 2008 12:21 pmMiles Stafford
This product you should start slow at first dont start with 2 pills 3 times a day.. you dont want you body to stop producing what the pill gives you.. if you overload your body with it it'll do just that.. instead start with 1 pill twice a day.. or even 1 pill in the morning before breakfast and one at lunch time.. Eeryone had there own style.. TBO i take a 2 Hydroxycut in the morning before eating then after Cla works well
posted May 16th, 2008 8:39 amAngeline
Hydroxycut made my heart beat go way up. I had to go home from work due to chest pain. It also made me crap my pants. I had to buy adult diapers for work but it will be worth it if I can just drop a few more pounds by summer.
posted May 16th, 2008 8:39 amLeeann
05/14/08 ~ Today is day 2 on Hydroxycut and I pretty much lost 2lbs but that's 2 lbs of water I'm sure. I do feel anxious as well as my appetite is suppressed, I eat healthier and as a matter of fact I've been using some Hydroxycut recipes from the website. The smoothies are great and at the same time they repair your muscles if you weight lift. I do 50 minutes cardio on a stationary bike and 20 minutes on my bowflex. The only thing I'm concerned about is that I have high blood pressure so if anyone has some info on that it would be greatly appreciated. Other than that I feel good.
posted May 15th, 2008 9:44 amtrueblues
i ve started hydroxycut a week back. the first day or rather night was horrible as it kept me awake.....but now i feel it keeps me energetic throughout the day.......i ve been excersicing 5 days a week and eating lesser portions than before.......it sure makes u want drink lot of water.....so far no great changes in weight....lets see at the end of month...my target is losing 5-6 lbs.
posted May 13th, 2008 3:40 pmSkinny Bra
When I took hydroxycut for the first time, all I could think about was sex. It was amazing
posted May 13th, 2008 3:40 pm