Phytodren Reviews

Phytodren is a fat loss supplement that claims to have finally revealed “they key to long term weight loss” [1]. One paragraph in and there is already a typo. So far the bar for Phytodren has been set really low. Typos and poor grammar aside, let’s take a look at Phytodren to see if it could help you lose weight. I also want to see if any of the ingredients in this fat burner have ANY clinical proof as it relates to weight loss. Let’s begin our Phytodren review…

What is Phytodren?

Phytodren is a fat loss supplement that has been around for a few years. The sales approach is one that I have seen before and is pretty familiar. It talks about CART (Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript) and NPY (neuropeptide Y) and the “battle” being fought in your body. CART is the “good guy” and NPY is the “evil one” [1].

What is CART?

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide is involved in the suppression of food intake.CART peptides are abundant but discretely distributed in the brain, pituitary and adrenal glands, pancreas, and gut. Human studies provide additional evidence that CART is important in the regulation of appetite as mutations in the CART gene are linked to eating disorders, including obesity and anorexia [2].

What is Neuropeptide-Y (NPY)?

Low blood sugar levels stimulate the activity of the neurotransmitter Neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the hypothalamus, increasing your cravings for sweet and starchy food. When someone does not eat frequently enough, or is chronically dieting blood sugar can drop low which triggers NPY. When this happens on a regular basis NPY also starts to promote fat storage, and can lead to weight gain [3].

So how can we increase CART activity and suppress NPY? Well, Phytordren claims to be “formulated to help safely emulate the stimulation of CART and inhibit NPY, thus helping you win the battle of the bulge” [1]. It contains five ingredients that may activate CART and inhibit NPY. Let’s take a closer look at these ingredients and see if we can find ANY clinical studies related to CART/NPY.

Phytodren Ingredients & Studies

Phytodren contains a proprietary blend of Andrean (?) Cocoa Extract, Phenylethylamine (PEA), Synephrine HCl, Hops and Caffeine.

Andean Cocoa Extract – Phytodren says it contains “andrean” cocoa extract, but this has to be another typo. I’ve never heard of Andrean Cocoa, and I am pretty sure there is no city or place called Andrea where cocoa is harvested. So it is safe to assume that it is actually Andean cocoa extract.

Andéan is a powerful cocoa almond blend designed to work synergistically with weight loss formulas. Andéan cocoa extract has been shown in clinical studies to extend endurance [4], optimize cognitive performance [5,6], support a balanced mood [7,8], and suppress appetite [9].

Cocoa extracts are rich in methylxanthines and biogenic amines. One of those biogenic amines is Phenylethylamine, or PEA. The PEA in Cocoa Extract is an amphetamine-like compound closely related to the naturally occurring catecholamine neurotransmitters and the amino acid precursors tyrosine and phenylalanine. PEA works within the brain to promote feelings of pleasure and relaxation.

Phenylethylamine – Phenylethylamine (PEA) is an alkaloid and monoamine compound that’s found in the brain, and it has been suggested that mood, mental acuity, energy, focus, and weight-loss are strongly connected to PEA.[10]

Synephrine HCl – Synephrine, or citrus aurantium, is an adrenergic amine that stimulates beta-3 receptors. These receptors release adrenaline and noradrenaline which increase your metabolic rate with minimal effect on your heart rate or blood pressure. Studies on the efficacy, safety, and pharmacology of citrum aurantium as a thermogenic supplement are still being performed, you should treat the substance as supplement with tame stimulant properties.

Hops – Hops, or Humulus lupulus, contains an alkaloid called Lupulinum, which produces a mild stimulant effect which then triggers the body to relax. [11]

Caffeine -Caffeine is one of the most researched supplements. There are numerous studies in regards to its effect on sports performance. A study performed in 1995 showed that caffeine helped the body boost its metabolic rate and increase energy expenditure [12]. This allows your body to burn more calories and unwanted fat.

Final Thoughts on Phytodren

Phytodren contains some extremely unique ingredients that have been clinically proven to improve mood, decrease hunger and help you burn more calories. If you take Phytodren in conjunction with a proper diet and exercise plan, you could lose weight. As far as the research is concerned, it was difficult to find information regarding CART, NPY studies and their relationship to the ingredients in Phytodren.

This is one man’s opinion. What really matters is how well it works for all of you. Please use our form below to share what your experiences have been with Phytodren. Please include other product(s) you have used, side effects, benefits, dosage, and let us all know if you think Phytodren is a good value or not.

References

[1] – http://www.phytodren.com

[2] – http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/320/2/499.full

[3] – http://www.sharecare.com/question/how-is-neuropeptide-y-related-to-weight-gain

[4] – Greer F., Friars D., Graham E., 2000 J. Appl. Physiol; 89: 1837-1844.

[5] Jarvis M.J., 1993 Psychopharmacology; 110: 45-42.

[6] Lieberman H.R., et al. 1987 Psychopharmacology; 92: 308-312.

[7] Sabelli H. et al. 1996 Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 8: no 2, 168-171.

[8] Paetsch P.R. et al. 1993 Neurochem Res.; 18(9): 1015-1022.

[9] Tarka S.M., Zoumas B.L., Trout G.A., 1978 Nutrition Reports International; 18: no 3, 301-313.

[10] – J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2009; 6: 1. Published online 2009 January 6. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-6-1 “Thermogenic effect of an acute ingestion of a weight loss supplement”

[11] – Henderson MC, Miranda CL, Stevens JF, et al. In vitro inhibition of human P450 enzymes by prenylated flavonoids from hops, Humulus lupulus. Xenobiotica 2000;30(3):235-251.

[12] – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7485480