Meltdown
Z-14 IPHORIC

Powerful Fat Loss Agent With Mind & Craving Control Matrix!

What’s the supplement that burns fat faster than an ice cube melts in the Sahara? Meltdown® mi amigo! In a study presented at the June 2008 International Society of Sports Nutrition Conference in the beautiful Red Rock Hotel, researchers discovered that this fat-blasting supplement jacked up metabolic rate so much so that it left scientists scratching their heads as to how it compared to other popular thermogenics. That’s a finding of tsunamic proportions.₁

What does this mean? Think about it Sherlock. If you take Meltdown before training, your metabolic rate will go through the roof faster than Anderson Silva can put you in an arm bar! You’ll lose fat faster and you’ll get that lean physique you’ve always wanted.

The R & D group at VPX has more ground-breaking science coming down the pike this year. So buckle your chinstraps and get ready for the ride of your thermogenic life! Hasta la vista!

Citrus aurantium (also known as Bitter Orange, Sour Orange, and Seville Orange) is a relatively small citrus tree about 5 meters tall with scented white flowers (Fugh-Berman and Myers, 2004). As the name implies, the fruit is quite bitter and for this reason, it is not commonly used for culinary purposes. However, the dried, entire unripe fruit of Citrus aurantium has been used as an Asian herbal medicine primarily to treat digestive problems. More specific to this article, the greatest interest recently has been in the active alkaloids of the Citrus aurantium, synephrine (oxedrine) and octopamine (Nelson et al., 2007), which are structurally similar to epinephrine and norepinephrine, respectively. Both synephrine and octopamine are considered trace endogenous bioamines, with circulating levels noted in the plasma of healthy men and women (D'Andrea et al., 2003). Synephrine has alpha-adrenergic effects and also activates beta-3 receptors (but not beta-1 or beta-2 receptors). These effects highlight the potential mechanism of action of this agent related to thermogenesis and lipolysis.

Compounds contained within the Citrus aurantium, such as synephrine, have adrenergic effects that may result in lipolysis and appetite suppression (Fugh-Berman and Myers, 2004).

As stated above, synephrine is a chief ingredient in many popular fat/weight loss formulas on the market today. Claims for this ingredient include "increased fat burning", "increased energy", "increased metabolism and thermogenesis", and "increased fat/weight loss". As with many nutritional supplements, the claims are largely unsupported by scientific investigation, in particular at the recommended dosage. Some review articles related to the use of Citrus aurantium (or synephrine) as a weight loss aid indicate that little to no evidence exists for such an effect in human subjects (Bent et al., 2004; Fugh-Berman and Myers, 2004; Preuss et al., 2002), while one recent review suggests that "some evidence is promising" (Haaz et al., 2006).

The use of Citrus aurantium or synephrine as a weight loss agent may be based on a study reporting that both synephrine and octopamine will bind to beta 3-receptors, thereby promoting lipolysis (Carpene et al., 1999). Interestingly, octopamine was found to be superior to synephrine in stimulating the beta 3-receptors, as significance was only noted for the synephrine when given at very high dosages (Carpene et al., 1999). This may be the reason that octopamine has been shown to yield a decrease in body weight when administered to rodents (Bour et al., 2003). However, it should be noted that while beta-3 receptor agonists do have lipolytic effects in fat cells of animals, they appear far less active in human fat cells. That is, Larsen et al. (2002) reported no difference in 24 hour energy expenditure, respiratory quotient, or body composition measures in obese men following 28 days of treatment with a selective beta-3 receptor agonist, when compared to placebo.

There have only been a handful of controlled studies focused on either Citrus aurantium or synephrine, with the inclusion of fat/weight loss as an outcome variable (Armstrong et al., 2001; Colker et al., 1999; Kalman et al., 2000). In each of these studies, the amount of weight lost was slightly greater for those using the supplement compared to those using the placebo. However, in all of these studies the supplement consisted of a combination of ingredients (e.g., Citrus aurantium, caffeine, Ginko biloba, St. John's Wort, etc.). Therefore, it is impossible to determine the independent contribution of Citrus aurantium or synephrine on weight loss in these studies. Clearly, more research involving human subjects is needed to shed light on the potential role of synephrine as a fat/weight loss aid.

Considering the above reports related to the minimal efficacy of ordinary synephrine to yield significant effects on thermogenesis and body fat/weight loss, a novel form of synephrine has recently been developed called methyl synephrine. Methylation is a common term used in chemistry and biochemistry to denote the attachment or substitution of a methyl group onto various molecules. In doing so, the scientists who have engineered this compound suggest that the therrmogenic effects of synephrine are greatly amplified, yielding a profound effect on fat/weight loss. While anecdotal "in the gym" accounts of subjects using methyl synephrine have been noted as highly favorable, controlled testing of this novel methylated version is necessary before firm conclusions can be drawn related to its ability to function as a potent lipolytic agent.

One concern many individuals have with synephrine is the possible stimulatory effect on the cardiovascular system, in particular heart rate and blood pressure. The hemodynamic changes following a single dose intake of synephrine containing dietary supplements has been investigated, with minimal increase noted in either heart rate or blood pressure (Bui et al., 2006; Colker et al. 1999; Haller et al., 2005; Penzak et al., 2001). For example, Penzak and colleagues (2001) had subjects consume 8 oz of Seville Orange Juice and water, on two different occasions, and noted minimal difference in heart rate or blood pressure between the two trials. Other studies have noted "statistically significant" differences in heart rate or blood pressure when subjects ingest dietary supplements containing Citrus aurantium (Bui et al., 2006) or synephrine (Haller et al., 2005). However, the increase has been noted as small (e.g., 7-10mmHg in blood pressure and 4-11 beats per minute in heart rate). Therefore, it does not appear that otherwise healthy individuals would experience any adverse outcome as a result of normal, suggested dosing.

In conclusion, the evidence for the use of ordinary synephrine as a fat/weight loss aid is scant at best. While a few studies have noted small improvements in weight loss when using dietary supplements containing synephrine, the absolute difference between synephrine and placebo groups has been minimal. The novel form of this alkaloid, methyl synephrine, has been touted as a much more potent lipolytic agent. Anecdotal reports indicate this as such; however, clinical trials are needed to confirm these observations. Finally, data indicate only a mild increase in both heart rate and blood pressure with use of synephrine containing dietary supplements. Hence, this alkaloid may be considered safe for supplementation purposes when used as recommended.