SomnaSlim Review

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SomnaSlim Bottle SomnaSlim is a diet pill targeted toward people that want to “lose weight in your sleep” (and frankly, who doesn’t?). This review takes a hard look at SomnaSlim - especially SomnaSlim’s ingredient profile, to see if it can truly live up to its claims.

The SomnaSlim does an excellent job of outlining the ingredients used and research to back them up. We’ll work through each one of these SomnaSlim ingredients to see if there are any we should be excited about, and any that are just label eye candy.

Hydroxycitric Acid Update

On May 1, 2009 the FDA issued a warning to consumers to stop taking Hydroxycut-branded products. Over more than 7 years they have received 23 reports of health related issues with those taking Hydroxycut-branded products. The main health concern appears to be serious liver-related problems. Iovate Health Sciences Inc., the makers of Hydroxcut, have voluntarily recalled all of the products under question in the FDA’s report

Common symptoms of liver complications include:

jaundice (yellowing of the skin)
brown urine
light colored stools
unusual tiredness
stomach pain
itching
loss of appetite
weakness
vomiting

In light of the recent FDA warning concerning the possible dangers of Hydroxycut-branded diet pills, many believe that the associated health risks are likely due to the inclusion of the commonly used ingredient Hydroxycitric Acid, or HCA. And while according to the FDA, “The agency has not yet determined which ingredients, dosages, or other health-related factors may be associated with risks related to these Hydroxycut products. The products contain a variety of ingredients and herbal extracts.” you can never be too cautious.

So, while further study and research is needed to confirm the link between HCA and the liver problems, until proven otherwise any products that contain HCA are no longer recommended on this website.

SomnaSlim Ingredients

Garcinia Cambogia’s active ingredient is HCA. You can see my review of Garcinia Cambogia for more information. The gist of it is that Garcinia Cambogia has plenty of research to show it’s an effective stimulant without causing jitters. I would imagine this is the prime reason SomnaSlim contains a non-jitters stimulant.
Glucomannan, at 2-4 grams per day, resulted in an average weight loss of 5.5 lb. in one study (the study was conducted over weight weeks). Note the dosage. SomnaSlim’s proprietary blend, of which Glucomannan is a part, is 1.2g — large for a proprietary blend, but it’s obviously short of the effective dose of Glucomannan as shown in studies. This doesn’t mean the ingredient will be ineffective, but obviously not as effective. See the entire Glucomannan review for more information.
Green Tea is an effective metabolic booster, as supported by years and years of research. Read the Green Tea review for more information. Note that SomnaSlim’s green tea is decaffeinated, as this pill is supposed to be a nighttime dose.
Aloe Vera’s health benefits are uncontested and it’s used as a mild laxative with moderate success. The use of Aloe Vera for weight loss is mainly for colon cleansing. The dosage present in SomnaSlim is probably not high enough to have the desired effect.
Phase 2 is an effective starch blocker. You can see Phase 2 review for more information.
Chitosan, while providing some weight loss benefit at high dosages, has not been shown to be effective at the dosage level necessary to fit one or even several capsules with other ingredients. See the Chitosan review for more information.
Gymnema Sylvestre, when taken in concert with Yerba Mate and Chromium, shows very strong weight loss results. Unfortunately, SomnaSlim does not have YerbaMate or Damiana in its formulation.
5 HTP is a solid performer in the “mood enhancement” area, a precursor to Serotonin. See the 5-HTP review for more information and a link to (several) additional studies.
Valerian Root, Passion Flower, and Melatonin all promote restful sleep, which has obvious benefits beyond mere weight loss.

SomnaSlim’s Pricing

When you consider the price, at $14.95 SomnaSlim looks like a bargain. I would caution you against diet pills that are priced well below “the norm”, but also am savvy enough to realize that a $15 experiment (that is guaranteed as well, kudos to SomnaSlim for that) isn’t such a bad idea considering the potential weight loss benefits.