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Home 
Diets
Diet Supplements
How Does
Hydroxycut Compare?
QUICK FACTS
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BACKGROUND
PRO
CON
INGREDIENTS
ADMINISTRATION
DIET and NUTRITION
EXERCISE
CONCLUSION
Common Misspellings
Whats better than
Hydroxycut?
Diets
Diet Supplements
Hydroxycut Review (UPDATED 2024): Don't Buy Before You Read This!
One of the leading diet and weight loss supplements
Top Rated Diet Pills of 2024What 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.
Do You Know the Best Weight Loss Pills of 2024?
Hydroxycut Ingredients and Side Effects
|
Robusta Coffee Extract (45% (Chlorogenic Acid) |
Papaya |
Blackberry |
Saffron Extract |
Caffeine Anhydrous |
|
Maqui |
Amla Extract |
Microcrystalline Cellulose |
Dicalcium Phosphate Dihydrate |
Pre-gelatinized Starch |
|
Stearic Acid |
Titanium Dioxide |
Polyethylene Glycol |
Talc |
Croscarmellose Sodium |
|
Magnesium Stearate |
Silicon Dioxide |
|
||
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.
For better options for weight loss, you can find the very best diet pills brands by clicking here.
EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this supplement with a proven fat burner such as Sletrokor for better results.
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.
EDITOR’S TIP: For the best results, our experts recommend using weight loss pills for at least 3 months. Save your money by buying a few bottles at once.
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.
Stimulant free options are available, and the 2024 supplement of the year is called Sletrokor.
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.
You can try Sletrokor risk free since they offer a 30 day money back guarantee. Anyone can see for themselves what this brand has to offer.
- Product Name
- User Rating
- Has Good Appetite Suppressant
- Has Only Natural Components
- Contains No Coffee
- Sletrokor
(Editor’s Choice) - 94/100
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-
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Wikipedia
Hydroxycut is a nutritional supplement marketed by Iovate Health Sciences Inc., designed to help consumers lose weight. It is sold at conventional retailers, such as GNC and Wal-Mart, online retailers such as and , and through direct television marketing.
QUICK FACTS
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
- Founder: Muscle Tech Research and Development
- Headquarters: Mississauga Ontario Canada
- Accessibility: Online and major retailers
- Diet Type: Supplement taken with diet and exercise
- Gender: Male, Female
Do You Know the Best Diet Pills of 2024?
BACKGROUND
Hydroxycut Recall after FDA Warning to Stop Using the Diet Pill
Once making headlines for containing a controversial herb, Ephedra, banned by the FDA, Hydroxycut now offers an Ephedra-free product that claims to increase metabolism and energy while curbing your appetite, cutting calories and maintaining blood sugar.
When Hydroxycut is combined with a diet and exercise regimen, the product claims to help users shed two-to-three times more weight that without. When taking Hydroxycut, it is suggested that users commit to consistent exercise and a low-calorie diet. Take Hydroxycut half-to-one hour prior to meals with eight ounces of water.
PRO
- Increases energy
- Control appetite
- Burn calories
- Lose up to 4.5 times more weight than with diet and exercise alone
- Recipes and exercises available
- Research studies available
CON
Hydroxycut Recall due to product association with death and liver damage
Must diet and exercise for Hydroxycut to work
Pills must be taken 30-60 minutes before meals which can be difficult if you don’t always eat at the same time
Contains caffeine
INGREDIENTS
- Hydroxycitric Acid, extracted from tropical fruit and linked with liver problems
- Calcium
- Chromium
- Potassium
- Hydroxagen Plus
- HydroxyTea
- Caffeine
- Green Tea extract
- White Tea extract
- Soy
ADMINISTRATION
Take two caplets with eight ounce of water as a dietary supplement 3 times per day approximately 30-60 minutes before each meal. Do not snack after dinner. Consume 10 eight ounce glasses of water per day. Do not take within five hours of bedtime. For best results, use Hydroxycut for eight weeks with a low-calorie diet and exercise program. For the first three days of the program, take one capsule three times per day. From day four beyond, take two capsules three times per day.
DIET and NUTRITION
There is no clear advice from Hydroxycut on an eating plan. You are encouraged to sticky to a healthy diet while taking the supplement. This kind of flexibility allows you to choose a plan of your liking.
For those with food allergies- Hydroxycut is a gluten-free product.
EXERCISE
No guidance provided.
CONCLUSION
ConsumerHealthDigest.com conducted research of 30 dietary supplements. Scoring 3 on a scale of 1-5 for metabolism enhancement, weight-loss potential and ingredient control and 4 on a scale of 1-5 for appetite suppression, Hydroxycut ranked number 11.
Common Misspellings
Hydroxy Cut, Hydroxicut, hydroxcut, hydroxycut.com, hydroxy-cut, hydrox-cut,
Featured Diets and Supplements
Hydroxycut?
User Feedback
(Page 6 of 41, 802 total comments)Lee-Lee
Tells us to return the bottle of pills to point of purchase.
posted May 8th, 2009 9:39 americ
+bring it back
posted May 7th, 2009 3:40 pmGinger
-This supplement worked great as far as weight loss and energy claims go. I followed the package directions to a "T". However, I started having abdominal pains, then blood in my urine(I know, yuck) and had to be hospitalized for a near kidney failure. My doctor said it was very likely Hydroxycut that gave me these problems, and I'm inclined to believe that seeing as how I've never had any kidney problems before. I'm really glad I lost the weight- almost 30 lbs- but I think if I have to chose between skinny and having kidneys, I'll pick kidneys.
posted May 7th, 2009 2:53 amjda_at57
+I have taken hydroxy cut before and had fantastic results but i fell off the wagon and started in my old ways but when i took it and excersiced i lost alot of fat and went to my football weight of 225 i am now on it again as im trying to get into the millitary.
posted May 6th, 2009 10:03 pmkeikei
I started HC yesterday. I weigh myself and I am currently 213. I exerise and started eating right. I need to lose like30 pounds within the next three months. Because I am going on a cruise. I know a lot of people that tried this product and it worked. I will weigh myself next week and see if there is any difference. I will keep you guys updated.
posted May 5th, 2009 9:52 pmMarisol
+It is a shame that they are trying to recall it. I think it is the best weight loss pill. I always have porplems with my weight and after trying HYDROXYCUT I lost 24pounds in about 8 weeks. I feel super and beautiful again. Everybody is telling me I look like I am 25 mind you I am 41. Please lets all pray they stop this.
posted May 5th, 2009 3:16 pmRoderick
+Can i get my money back????????
posted May 4th, 2009 8:18 pmFrank
-This is just a joke. Hydroxycut is one of the most powerful diet pills on the market that actually works - and they decide to recall it? I have been taking Hydroxycut since I was 18 years old and noticed huge strides in my performance at the gym. I tend to believe it is not a placedo affect, because going to the gym without the pill you don't feel the aggressive urge. Yeah, you can say 6 cups of coffee - but who is really going to down 6 cups of coffee? Lets be serious. Cigarettes are bad for you and they're still being sold, FDA - so let Hydroxycut stay on the market and give us a choice - we don't need to do it, this is America we deserve choice and opportunity and banning something that works is definately not the way, FDA. If you want to ban something, ban cigarettes.
posted May 4th, 2009 7:06 pmFrank
-I think this is a joke. Hydroxycut is one of the better diet pills out there, I have been taking the product for many years. Hydroxycut always made me perform better, I would take two pills before work and at work I would keep busy. It somehow gave me more focus - I do notice a difference when I do not take it I tend to slack. Before going to the gym, Hydroxycut works best with SuperPump 250. Yeah, it may be bad for you but it works. Cigarettes are bad aswell, why are they still selling them FDA? It's a joke. Hydroxycut should be sold and bought as a choice - America is supposed to be about choice and opportunity.
posted May 4th, 2009 7:01 pmSB
This recall is essentially a witch hunt, much like the ephedra ban. Liver damage? Does this mean Tylenol and alcohol will also be recalled?
posted May 4th, 2009 4:32 pmAnd to the poster a couple posts down, the product being obscurely linked to a potential liver problem is hardly "proof" of having caused your son's epilepsy.
This kind of complete absence of ability to reason is the sort of mentality responsible for idiotic recalls like this one.
Cigarettes? Still legal.
Stephen
+I personally took Hydroxycut during the summer of 2006 and i lost about 30ibs. in 9 weeks. I was exercising but not dieting. I also drank plenty of water. I think moderation is the key and hope that it will be back on the market soon.
posted May 4th, 2009 1:38 pmMel
+I know this is recalled, but there are tons of other diet pills out there with the hydroxycitrate in it that haven't been recalled - if you use this product as intended [as in not for a whole year straight - for the recommended 8 weeks] I doubt it would have a negative effect. I know many people who have taken this successfully without side effects or health problems, and stopped taking it after the 8 weeks as directed. I myself took the one bottle before it was recalled and I lost 9 lbs in a week and a half.
posted May 3rd, 2009 11:01 pmDave
Has anyone noticed that to achieve weight loss with this product you must exercise and diet? If you do that you will lose weight without any other help. If you fill you cars gas tank with gasoline and add a fuel supplement it will run. Yup, and it will run without the supplement just fine. If Hydroxycut was effective, why would you need to exercise and diet?
posted May 1st, 2009 6:39 pmGrace
My never-been-sick son, 28 years old, "mysteriously" suffered two unexplained seizures, one in Nov 08 and the other in Feb 09, and is now considered epileptic and on anti-seizure medication. He told the doctors that he had been taking Hydroxycut for over a year; they said that was nothing and couldn't possibly be the problem. I didn't know he was taking it until after the second seizure; as soon as he told me, I knew that that was the cause of his problems, but couldn't prove it until today as they've recalled all of it. The ONLY healthy way to lose weight and keep it off is to cut out sugar and refined carbohydrates! Wake up, America!
posted May 1st, 2009 4:21 pmrob
The FDA has just recalled Hyroxycut products!! Cases of liver failure have been related to the use of Hydroxycut.
posted May 1st, 2009 3:24 pmCarol T
Well, read the news - check the hydroxycut and FDA web sites... Too good to be true. Liver damage is no fun.
posted May 1st, 2009 1:59 pmNo more Hydroxycut for me.
getoffyorbutt
wow! i love this stuff! thank goodness i stocked up last week! i cant believe they pulled it! i am 5'1. i weighed in 4 mos. ago at 293 and am 18 years old. In the first week alone i lost 23 lbs! it just kept falling of! i'm now weighing in at 146, thats right, 146! all that fat off me in only 4 months. my friend robert took it too, he is 5'7 and weight 118, now at 104! he looks great! all thanks to hydroxycut. you can do it too! guess we try hoodia next. good luck to all!
posted May 1st, 2009 12:59 pmEric Lamy
Hydroxycut has been recalled by the FDA. All product lines should be returned to the place of purchase and their use discontinued immediately. See for more information.
posted May 1st, 2009 11:35 amSelena
my sister and her fiance have been taking hydroxycut for about a month now and both of them look SOOOO much thinner...they take it about 3 times aday, the normal dosage...so ysterday i decided to go buy myslf some...i weighd myslf b4 i went to bed and i weighd 247...woke up this morning i weighd 242...idk if it will keep giving me these results but it gives me bad diehrea and a rapid heart beat...
posted Apr 30th, 2009 12:50 pmChloe
+Im 18, 5'1 and weighed a whopping 178lbs. I started hydroxicut 3 days ago and am now down to 173! I'm also eating healthier and working out more often which I should have been doing all along. Summers here and nexy year I'll be a freshman in college. I'm hoping to lose at least 50 pounds in the future! Wish me luck and good luck to everyone and their weightloss!
posted Apr 29th, 2009 4:14 pm