[rebeleagle1965]

I came across the info on this on a "fat burners ratings" website. The site seemed to be pretty honest about each different type of pill, and they weren't selling anything. It listed the top ten-and most of them were given pretty crappy ratings, and a "don't waste your money" vote from the author. Most of the products were things I'd heard of, like hydroxycut, zantrex, etc, and they were given a points system based on the score/input given by people who had taken the products. The top rated pills were called Lipovox (just one of those superfoods concentrates) and ephedrasil (no ephedra in it). But the Lipovox was highly rated by voters (in comments) more because of other effects, like clearing up of skin or digestion problems. And the ephedrasil was voted "good results" by users but also noted by the author to be considered to have alot of side effects, and may soon be taken off the market because of them.
Anyway, there was a product on that list I had never heard of, called Lean System 7. It was like number 4 on the list I think, and it had alot of positive comments. It is manufactured by Isatori ? labs, which is the company owned by Sylvester Stallone. The kicker was, it was highly voted for, and claims are made by the company, that the ingredients are better for improvement in body composition than so much for weight loss. As in when dieting, to help you lose body fat and be able to retain muscle. The note by the author is that it helps in keeping the metabolism of a dieter from slowing down that often happens when we restrict calories. I know that does happen-I've read it on many other sites that discuss basal metabolic rates. The best part about this particular one was that there are published double blind studies that prove it's effectiveness, and no wild claims about virtually unattainable results, both of which the author claimed are pretty rare in a supplement. The downside-It does contain bitter orange extract, which some people say is kindof dangerous.
My questions are this.....has anyone ever tried this stuff?
And what is it about bitter orange (citrus aurantium) that is considered to be bad?

[Suzanne 3FC]

Bitter orange is one of the "Dirty Dozen" most dangerous supplements, named by Consumer Reports. It works like ephedra in the body.

This is from our supplement guide:

Bitter orange is made from the peel of Seville oranges, so it sounds harmless, right? Unfortunately, this product can be very dangerous! It is found in many weight loss supplements labeled as "ephedra free". Bitter orange might be just as dangerous as ephedra and can cause serious side effects such as high blood pressure, increased risk of heart arrythmias, heart attack, seizures, or even stroke. Consumer Reports magazine listed bitter orange as one of the Dirty Dozen, most dangerous supplements. Though made from orange peels, this product contains concentrated amounts of synephrine, which is similar to the potent chemical in ephedra. It also contains methyltyramine, which is known to raise blood pressure. If you are taking any medications, you may be at particular risk if you also take bitter orange. Citrus aurantium has a substance in it called 6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin. It inhibits a drug-metabolizing enzyme, so that drugs are cleared less quickly, and may build to dangerous levels. This is also found in grapefruit juice, which is why many prescription warning labels say to avoid grapefruit juice.
Bitter orange goes by many names, and is included in products such as Trimspa, Metabolife, and other similar products. It goes by many names. Read the labels carefully and look for bitter orange, citrus aurantium, green orange, kijitsu, neroli oil, Seville orange, shangzhou zhiqiao, sour orange, zhi oiao, or zhi xhi.

Besides bitter orange, Lean System 7 also contains a diuretic, so you'll drop water weight and probably think you are buring fat. It contains other caffeine type stimulants such as yerba mate and guarana. It also contains green tea, but it doesn't say how much. Their claims about the green tea are very exaggerated. Actual studies showed that drinking 4 cups of green tea daily (probably more than in the pills) resulted in only 8 pounds of weight loss over the course of a whole year. Experts say you are better off drinking real green tea instead of taking extracts, and to drink it for the antioxidant qualities - not for fat loss.


The fat burner website offers a positive review of the product, but they are also making money by recommending it, through affiliate sales.


Generally speaking there are SOME supplements that do contain a few valid ingredients that can speed up metabolism, though the vast majority are bogus and based on unproven claims and myths. None are proven safe or effective longterm and all have possible side effects. Plus, the effects are so minor that the dangers outweigh the benefits. Manufacturers of those types of products are not required by law to prove their claims, so they can and do say anything they want. Many have been found to have fabricated "studies" and testimonials.

We encourage weight loss through a healthy diet and exercise plan, and don't support the use of this type of product.

[huniebunie]

I actually AM on Lean System 7 right now. Although, I havent lost any weight in the past 4 months Ive been taking it, I also havent gained any (without diet and exercise) Im actually on my last bottle, I will be stopping pills and doing it manually (calorie counting, exercise, etc) But the only difference Ive noticed in the beginning was that my appetite went down dramatically. Now that my body is used to it, I feel no difference. Its all in my mind that if I dont take the pill, "im hungry". Just an illusion though. All in all, i've tried many pills, but this one worked best for me. Like I said though, this is my last bottle, as I will be exercising and dieting for a long term effect. Hope this helps.

[Gladdy]

I just started my second bottle of Lean System 7. Like hunie, I felt it helped with appetite control. I noticed a teeny tiny improvement in my midsection; I haven't lost any weight, but I haven't been trying either, to be honest.

Another point: begin with half or less of the recommended dosage to see your tolerance. I was on half the dosage for about 2 weeks and worked up to 3/4's. I'm not taking full dosage.

IMO, stay away from the new souped up version of LS7! (MX-LS7). The stuff on less than half the recommended dosage gave me heart palpitations. I took it for a week and returned it.

The only one allowed to give me heart palpitations is my boyfriend!