Lipo 6 Fat Burner Review: Does Lipo 6 Work?

Lipo 6 is a fat burner based on... wait for it... 6 fat burning ingredients (how'd they come up with the name, I wonder? :).

Special note: Before you continue, I should point out that this review is of the old ephedra-based lipo 6 formula. The new formula does not contain ephedra. A review of the new version is available here!

If you're a fan of ephedra, and want to learn how to obtain ephedra safely, and more importantly legally, check out my review of "The Black Market Report On Ephedrine!"

Lipo 6 is a relative rarity these days -- it's an ephedra-based fat burner. Ephedra-based fat burners are fast becoming a dying breed, an unfortunate circumstance, since they walk all over most ephedra-free fat burners in the matter of effectiveness. Put most simply, ephedra, especially when combined with aspirin and caffeine, are a proven fat burning trio often referred to as the "ECA stack".

Ephedra has garnered its share of controversy lately, but for the most part, it's completely unfounded, based on general assumptions and inaccurate and irresponsible media reports. That's not say, of course, that Lipo 6 and other ephedra-based products are for everyone -- individuals with high blood pressure and other contraindicated symptoms should stay well away from Lipo 6.

Lipo 6 contains the first two elements of the ECA stack (ephedra and caffeine), but not the third - aspirin. Because some people do not tolerate aspirin well, it is often left out of such compilations. For those who tolerate aspirin well, it's a simple matter of adding an aspirin to this compilation.

Bottom line?

The ECA stack works. Rather than repeat what I've said many times on this Web site already, here are links to a few of my most popular ephedra articles (all articles will open in a new window, simply close off that window to return here!)...

Is ephedra (ephedrine) safe?

Tips for taking ephedra safely (please note that the Hydroxycut formula mentioned in this article is now ephedra-free).

OK, now let's look at the rest of the Lipo 6 formula...

Citrus Aurantium: Standardized for synephrine, a compound often described as a kinder, gentler ephedra. Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot of evidence that citrus aurantium does much of anything. In fact, Supplementwatch hasn't got anything positive to say about citrus aurantium...

"As it stands now, citrus aurantium extract exists as one of the most over-hyped ingredients on the weight loss scene. There are some interesting theories on how it might work to increase metabolic rate and promote weight loss, but most are couched in pseudo-scientific mumbo jumbo and none are backed by any credible scientific evidence of effectiveness in humans".

So Lipo 6's formula doesn't gain much from the addition of this compound.

Coleus Forskohlii: is a herb from the mint family, its roots have been used in traditional ayurvedic medicine for ages. The active compound of Coleus Forskohlii, called "forskolin", has been used traditionally to treat asthma, overweight, hypothyroidism, and high blood pressure. It has also been shown to help prevent the formation of blood clots by preventing platelet aggregation.

What's exciting for dieters and bodybuilders is the effect forskolin has on adenylyl cyclase, and enzyme required for the conversion of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) into another compound called cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP).

Now, I know this is about as boring as it gets, but the compound camp is required to "spark" many intercellular processes. An increased concentration of camp can have such "total-body" effects such as raised thyroid hormone levels and increased fat burning. And that's good news!

There isn't a whole heck of a lot of verified scientific data available yet on Coleus Forskohlii as a fat burner, but it does show some real promise. Not a bad addition to Lipo 6.

Bioperine: a thermonutrient that aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals. aminos, and so on. A full review of bioperine is posted here!

Yohimbine: the active compound of Yohimbe, which is derived from the bark of an African tree (in Lipo 6, the Yohimbe is synthetic). Yohimbe is reported to facilitate muscle growth, and because of its effect on the central nervous system (Yohimbe acts upon alpha-2 adrenergic receptors), may encourage weight loss. Neither of the previous two benefits have much documentation backing them up. In fact, because of its ability to dilate blood vessels, Yohimbe's best use is an aphrodisiac -- a natural viagra if you will.

Yohimbe isn't a benign ingredient -- people with high blood pressure or kidney disease should avoid Yohimbe containing products, as well as women who are, or who may become pregnant. There's also some concern about combining Yohimbe with ephedra (could lead to variations in blood pressure levels) or antidepressants.

Bottom line on Lipo 6?

Simply because of the ephedra stack, Lipo 6 will work for you. With the exception of Coleus Forskohli and Bioperine however, the other ingredients in this formula are a bust.

Unfortunately, I have a very hard time getting excited about recommending Lipo 6 because of the Yohimbe in this formula (I experienced chills and fever-like symptoms when I experimented with Yohimbe alone, and with Syntrax's now discontinued Adipokenetix, which contained 3 mg of yohimbine). Although Lipo 6 only contains 3 mg of Yohimbine, I'm not comfortable with the Yohimbe/ephedra combination in this compilation.

If you feel you'd like to try Lipo 6, I'd recommend starting off with a half dose to access your tolerance.

Have you used Lipo-6? Tell me what you think!

Have you been the victim of a product that makes exaggerated claims? Launch a complaint!

US visitors should submit a complaint to the US Federal Trade Commission!

Canadians, submit a complaint at the Canadian Competition Bureau!