An intense stimulant fat burner fromHi-Tech Pharmaceuticals. Our Hydroxyelite review contains all you need to know about how it works, what is in it, what are the possible side effects and where to obtain.
Review Summary: Advertised as being a very stim heavy fat burner. Not good if you are susceptible to caffeine and have trouble sleeping.
Although the current version of the Hydroxy Elite is probably safer than the earlier one, HydroxyElite still has a lot of problems. It’s too reliant on stimulants and many of the ingredient quantities are unavailable because they are part of a proprietary blend.
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Table of Contents
What is HydroxyElite
HydroxyElite is a supplement marketed as an intense stimulant and weight loss aid. It’s produced in capsule format and aimed at men and women who wish to lose weight.
Don’t let the name confuse you. HydroxyElite is not connected with the popular HydroxyCut supplement brand. It’s part of a range of supplements manufactured in the USA by Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals.
Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals used to trade under the name USP Labs.
While the company was trading under its original name, the FDA took legal action against it after discovering DMAA in some of its supplements. This is a similar issue experienced by Fastin.
DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine) is a drug derived from amphetamine. It’s banned by many sports authorities and government bodies and cannot be legally used as a supplement ingredient.
In 2013, USP Labs destroyed all of its supplements containing DMAA and agreed not to use the ingredient again.
According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals has had more recent problems with the authorities, most recently the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which took objection to some of the company’s marketing claims. (https://www.bbb.org/us/ga/norcross/profile/pharmaceutical-manufacturing/hi-tech-pharmaceuticals-0443-593)
However, although company credibility is always an important consideration when deciding which supplements to purchase, for the rest of this review we will focus solely on HydroxyElite and the things it may or may not be able to do.
What Is HydroxyElite and How Does It Work?
HydroxyElite is an updated version of OxyElite Pro.
OxyElite Pro was distributed by USP Labs during the early years of this century. It was quite a popular product despite the dangers it presented due to the presence of the ingredient DMAA.
There’s not a lot of difference between HydroxyElite and OxyElite Pro. The formulation is the same except it no longer has any DMAA. Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals is now using DMHA instead.
Like DMAA, DMHA (Dimethylhexylamine) is a stimulant and it works in a similar way. It presents many of the same dangers too but it’s legal to use in supplements and many people consider it a good alternative to ephedrine and DMAA.
HydroxyElite pairs DMHA with caffeine so, like the earlier product, it’s a stimulant-driven fat-burner designed to increase calorie expenditure by boosting metabolism.
Stimulants also reduce appetite and increase energy and mental focus. Unfortunately, the benefits they offer diminish as the body becomes accustomed to their presence.
HydroxyElite also provides several other ingredients including garcinia cambogia. It can reduce appetite too and is one of the safest inclusions in a formulation that leaves a lot to be desired.
Usage Guidelines
You need to take HydroxyElite twice each day. The dose is one to two capsules each morning and one capsule after lunch.
If you are thinking of using HydroxyElite, there are a few considerations you need to know about.
Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals makes it clear, the formulation is unsuitable for women who are pregnant or nursing a child. It also warns the product can raise blood pressure and may interfere with the way certain medications work as well.
In addition to the aforementioned warnings, Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals also makes it clear that it’s unwise to use HydroxyElite alongside other sources of caffeine. It says doing so could entail “serious adverse health effects.”
All things considered, it’s probably unwise to use this product without consulting a doctor first.
What are the Benefits
- Increases energy for a long time
- Excellent for high-intensity training
- Improves your weight loss
- Improves Mental Acuity
Ingredient Profile
HydroxyElite has eight active ingredients, five of which are housed in a proprietary blend.
One capsule provides:
- Proprietary Blend (119.5 mg): Bauhinia Purpurea L Extract, Bacopa Monnieri Extract, Walnut Bark Extract, Cirsium Oligophyllum Extract, Rauwolscine Extract.
- Garcinia Cambogia Extract (200 mg)
- 2-Aminoisoheptane HCL (100 mg)
- Caffeine Anhydrous (100 mg)
Now we know what the key players are, let’s take a look at what they can do.
Proprietary Blend (119.5 mg)
It’s impossible to predict the value of this proprietary blend. It has five ingredients but we don’t know the ratios.
However, Bauhinia purpurea is a plant extract that may stimulate the manufacture of thyroid hormones. In theory, this ingredient may benefit people who are overweight due to thyroid issues.
Bacopa monnieri is a nootropic herb that may reduce anxiety and depression but won’t add much value here.
Walnut bark extracts are sometimes used to treat diphtheria and syphilis. It has other uses too, but supporting weight loss is not one of them.
Cirsium Oligophyllum is an edible thistle. When researchers combined it with caffeine and gave it to rats, the rats lost more weight than they did with the caffeine alone. There is no evidence to suggest it may do the same for humans.
Cirsium Oligophyllum is not a popular supplement ingredient. The lack of interest is partly due to its poor credentials but also due to the lack of research into its safety.
Rauwolscine is an alternative name for Yohimbe. It’s a tree bark extract that provides the stimulant yohimbine.
Although many people associate it with weight loss, its value as a fat burner is questionable. However, yohimbe is good for improving circulation and has an excellent reputation as a treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED).
Garcinia Cambogia Extract (200 mg)
Garcinia cambogia is a tropical fruit. The rind provides hydroxycitric acid (HCA).
HCA supports weight loss by reducing appetite and discouraging fresh fat cell formation.
To be effective, garcinia cambogia needs to provide HCA in a significant amount. Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals is using an extract that’s 60 percent HCA. That’s a good potency and the inclusion rate is also okay, so nothing to complain about here.
2-Aminoisoheptane HCL (100 mg)
2-Aminoisoheptane is one of several alternative names for DMHA. Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals may be using it here to prevent people from confusing its updated product with the earlier version that had DMAA.
DMHA is a drug that was originally developed as a treatment for nasal congestion. It’s also a stimulant.
These days, supplement companies put DMHA in products that aim to support weight loss or improve athletic performance.
There’s a lack of proof it can do either of these things and (trusted site) WebMD states DMHA is “possibly unsafe when taken by mouth). (https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1538/dimethylhexylamine-dmha)
Caffeine Anhydrous (100 mg)
Caffeine is a popular stimulant. It boosts energy and increases mental focus too.
The anhydrous form of caffeine is a potent concentrage. The body absorbs it quickly, and it gets to work fast.
Many diet pills have caffeine in them because research shows it boosts metabolism and helps you to burn fat. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2912010/)
One hundred milligrams is not an unduly high dose. A cup of standard coffee provides a similar amount.
However, HydroxyElite pairs caffeine with DMHA and yobimbe. They are stimulants too. This increases the likelihood of side effects and, if you take two capsules each morning, instead of one, the prospect of problems becomes even worse.
HydroxyElite Customer Reviews
Although a few people complain about side effects and/or say the supplement does not work, HydroxyElite customer reviews are predominantly good.
Here are a couple of comments from people reporting positive experiences:
And here are a couple of reviews from customers with less flattering things to say:
Does HydroxyElite Cause Side Effects?
Some customers report experiencing side effects while using the product.
A few of the known side effects include:
- Nausea/vomiting
- Bloating
- Jitters
- Heart palpitations
- Insomnia
Several customers state they believe it’s best not to take more than one pill per dose. This is probably good advice. Especially for new users. Again though, due to the manufacturer’s suitability warnings, we believe it would be unwise to use this product without consulting a doctor first.
Where to Buy HydroxyElite?
HydroxyElite is not a difficult supplement to buy. It’s available via many online stores including Supplement Warehouse and Suppz.com. You can also buy HydroxyElite from the manufacturer’s website but you could end up paying more.
When you buy directly from Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals, HydroxyElite costs around $70 per bottle. If you choose to buy via an alternative vendor, you can often get it for half the price.
When you use the recommended dose of three capsules per day, a bottle of HydroxyElite should last a month.
Losing weight can be a long process. A monthly cost of $35 is not bad. There don’t seem to be any advantages to cutting out the middle man if doing so is going to double the price.
Is there a Money-Back Guarantee?
The shipping and returns page on the Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals website states the company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all product returns.
However, it does not say if customers can return supplements they have opened and used. It’s possible the company only accepts unopened products. Either way, 30 days is not long enough to allow anyone to judge a product and see what it can do.
HydroxyElite Review Conclusion
Although the present version of the product is probably safer than the earlier one, HydroxyElite still has a lot of problems. It’s too reliant on stimulants and many of the ingredient quantities are unavailable because they are part of a proprietary blend.
To make matters worse, several of the ingredients in the proprietary blend do not have an association with weight loss. To put it bluntly, there’s a lot of dead weight.
HydroxyElite is the only supplement we’ve ever reviewed that has a manufacturer’s warning that says it may elevate blood pressure. That’s a worrying admission. Especially for a formulation that has an ingredient (yohimbe) that can lower blood pressure.
Other than the presence of garcinia cambogia, we aren’t seeing a lot to impress us. Some alternatives have better ingredient profiles and customer feedback, along with longer money-back guarantees. We suggest you forget about HydroxyElite and choose a more credible alternative instead.