Review: ErgoGenix ErgoBurn (Previously known as "Amp 2")

ErgoGenix's ErgoBurn fat burner and energy booster is not a new product. Nope, it's a re-named, re-labeled and re-branded version of ErgoLean's Amp 2 fat burner. From what I can tell, it's identical to the original formula.

A single capsule serving offers up 241 mg of 8 ingredients, including 80 mg of caffeine. Unless you're using the highest recommended dosage (4 caps 3 times per day—a pretty unrealistic dose since it delivers an outrageous amount of caffeine; just under 1,000 mg) it is pretty much guaranteed that most of the supporting ingredients will be under-dosed, with the possible exception of a couple (since this is a proprietary blend, it's impossible to know for sure which ones, of course).

One of the likeliest of those supporting ingredients to be included at a useful dose is 1-3 Dimethylamylamine (also known as DMAA).

It packs one heck of an "energy punch" and doesn't need to be present in a huge dose to be effective. This ingredient, in addition to the caffeine present in ErgoBurn, will ensure most of you will get all the "energy" you need from this product.

A capsule or two will be all most people will need to accomplish this. And if you've got a huge tolerance to stimulants, you can always boost your dosage to the maximum recommended dose.

That said, let's have a closer look at the ErgoGenix formula...

• Caffeine Anhydrous: No surprise here; caffeine's got a well established record as a thermogenic, and does help with weight loss (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97). It also cheaply and effectively addresses the most common complaint of dieters; lack of energy.
  
  
• Zingerone: A component of ginger, small animal studies performed on zingerone have been positive for weight loss (Yakugaku Zasshi. 2008 Aug;128(8):1195-201) albeit the dosage used (170 mg/kg) is too high to be transferred into humans (a 180 lbs. person would need to take about 14 grams a day).
  
  
• Raspberry Ketone: a phenolic compound derived from red raspberries, raspberry ketones have only really been shown effective in animal studies (you can view the details of the study here). You are not a mouse, and the results of animal studies do not necessarily translate over to humans.
  
  An unpublished pilot study performed on Razberri-K (a patented form of raspberry ketones) demonstrated it enhanced post-exercise fat oxidation, although the results were apparently not large enough to be statistically significant.
  
  
• Fursultiamine: A derivative of Vitamin B1, the Amp 2 advertising states that this ingredient may
  
  "...improve exercise performance and reduce muscle fatigue."
  
  I did find some evidence that high-dose thiamine supplementation (100 mg/day) does appear to reduce exercise induced fatigue (Metab Brain Dis. 1996 Mar;11(1):95-106).
  
  On the other hand, studies performed with large doses of Fursultiamine (1,000 mg/day) showed it to have no effect on exercise performance (see Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1997;75(6):520-4).
  
  

• Dimethylpentylamine or DMAA (Constituent Of Geranium Oil): DMAA is an adrenergic amine that acts as a CNS stimulant. It was originally patented by Eli Lilly as a nasal decongestant in 1944, but largely abandoned until re-introduced as a supplement ingredient (Geranamine™) by Proviant Technologies (the parent company of Ergopharm).
  
  Although there's no current research on it, DMAA's gotten mostly rave reviews from users for its effects on mood, focus and energy. And, as a CNS stimulant, it's not unreasonable to assume some metabolism-boosting effect, although the claims made by the retailers are not substantiated by any clinical data.
  
  When the original AMP came out, it created a bit of a hubbub due to its DMAA content, even receiving some pretty negative publicity in the Washington Post.
  
  
• Green Coffee Bean Extract: This ingredient is likely standardized for something called "chlorogenic acid." Although there is some animal data that indicates this compound has weight loss benefits (see BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2006, 6:9), there is currently no human-based clinical data available.
  
  
• Evodiamine: a Chinese fruit that some claim burns fat by increasing the body's production of heat, as well as reducing the body's ability to store fat. Although a preliminary animal study shows promising results, to date there's no evidence showing evodiamine works in people.
  
  
• Kaempferol: This ingredient, usually derived from grape seed, has shown anti-obesity activity in animal and in-vitro experiments, but human data is lacking.
  
  
• Coleus forskohlii extract (On BodyBuilding.com, the ingredients list includes forskohlii, but the product label does not): Usually standardized for forskolin, clinical data indicates that this ingredient provides modest benefits for fat loss.

And that's it; the entire ErgoBurn formula in a nutshell.

As already discussed, its value comes mainly from the energy-boosting effects of the caffeine / DMAA combination. For many people, this will deliver enough value on its own. Especially when you consider that ErgoBurn is not outrageously priced (a 120 capsule bottle retails for about $25 at BodyBuilding.com). The remaining ingredients, as already detailed—are under-dosed and offer value that is speculative at best.

But as an "energy supplement", we have no doubt ErgoBurn works just fine, thank you very much!

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