What are the ingredients in RapidSlim diet pills?

The following are the ingredients in RapidSlim.

Supplement Facts Serving Size: 2 Liquid Gel Capsules
Servings Per Container: 20

• Niacin 5 mg 25%
• Vitamin B6 50 mg 2500%
• Folic Acid 400 mcg 100%
• Vitamin B12 50 mcg 833%
• Selenium 60 mcg 86%
• Chromium 150 mcg 125%

RapidSlim SX Thermogenic Proprietary Blend: Caffeine Anhydrous, Green Tea Extract, Picamillon HCl, White Pepper Powder, Oolong Tea Extract, Black Tea Extract, Rooibos Tea Extract 426 mg **

RapidSlim SX Weight-Loss Proprietary Blend: Cissus Quadrangulars Extract, Soy Albumin, Hoodia Gordonii, Quercetin Dihydrate, White Willow Extract 227 mg **

RapidSlim Ingredient details

Chromium Picolinate (chromium + picolinic acid) is pushed by companies as an aid to losing weight. It is known that small quantities of chromium are “needed for glucose utilization by insulin in normal health, but deficiency is extremely rare in developed nations.”

Do you have a chromium deficiency? Probably not. However, some studies are finding that Chromium Picolinate reduces insulin resistance, thus leading to weight loss. Other studies claim to find the opposite.

See our Chromium Picolinate Review on our website for more detailed information on clinical studies and findings. Regardless of whether Chromium Picolinate does actually contribute to weight loss, there is not as much contained in RapidSlim as was used in clinical studies, so it is highly unlikely that the Chromium Picolinate in RapidSlim will bring about weight loss.

Caffeine has been shown to increase metabolic function and we support it as a diet pill ingredient. Don’t be impressed when they say caffeine anhydrous (here%u2019s why).

Green tea is one of our favorite diet pill ingredients; it has been proven to contribute to weight loss by increasing your metabolic rate.

Black tea has been shown to contribute to weight loss in combination with other ingredients, but not on its own. (source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-black_tea.html)

Wu Long tea (also known as Oolong tea) has been shown to increase metabolism. (source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13678386?dopt=AbstractPlus)

Rooibos tea is full of antioxidants, but does nothing for weight loss.

Cissus Quadrangularis extract has been shown to contribute to weight loss, but only when combined with other ingredients. There have been no studies done on the weight loss effects of Cissus Quadrangularis alone.

Hoodia Gordonii is an overhyped ingredient with no clinical proof that it actually contributes to weight loss.

White willow bark is an anti-inflammatory/pain reliever similar to aspirin. It may enhance the thermogenic effect and increase the body’s ability to utilize fatty acids while preserving lean muscle tissue. Further research is needed to substantiate these claims.

You will notice several of these ingredients are proven to contribute to weight loss. However, this RapidSlim review finds RapidSlim does not disclose how much of each ingredient is included in their “proprietary blend”. Companies do this because they don’t want you to know how little of the effective ingredients are included.  Believe me, if they included a lot, they would show it and sell you on it.

What are the side effects of RapidSlim?

Side effects include nausea, vomiting, headache, jitters, and increased bowel movements.

RapidSlim’s sketchy marketing tactics

RapidSlim is manufactured by Iovate, who also makes Cylaris and nanoSlim, among other diet pills. Iovate makes the claim that RapidSlim is the “”Fastest weight loss solution”. They make similar claims about many of their other products. They also refer to a clinical study that showed subjects who used “the key ingredient in RapidSlim” (Cissus Quadrangularis) losing more weight than those using a placebo. What they don’t tell you is Cissus Quadrangularis has never been tested on its own, only in combination with other ingredients.

They also boast “Now you can lose weight – up to 24 pounds in record time!” They never explain what “record time” is.

RapidSlim Conclusion

This RapidSlim review finds that RapidSlim diet pills are really no different from many other ineffective diet pills. They make big claims but fail to back them up. They do not disclose how much of each ingredient is included in their formula. Look for a diet pill that uses proven ingredients in proven amounts.

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.

What ingredients does Cylaris contain?

The following is the list of ingredients in Cylaris

• Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine hydrochloride) 50 mg 2500%
• Folic Acid 400 mcg 100%
• Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin) 50 mcg 833%
• Selenium (as l-selenomethionine) 60 mcg 86%
• Chromium (as chromium polynicotinate) 150 mcg 125%
• Cylaris™ Proprietary Weight-Loss Blend *
  • Caffeine Anhydrous *
  • Cissus quadrangularis extract (stem and leaves) Standardized for 2.5% phytosterols *
  • Green Tea Extract (as Camellia sinensis) (leaf) Standardized for 90% polyphenols, 45% EGCG *
  • Soy albumin extract (as Glycine max) (bean) Standardized for 200 mg caffeine *

Other Ingredients: Microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, vegetable stearine, magnesium stearate, silica, hydroxypropyl-cellulose, acesulfame-potassium, coating (polyvinyl alcohol, titanium dioxide, polyethylene glycol, talc, FD&C Red NO. 40, FD&C Blue NO. 2, hydroxypropyl cellulose, soy lecithin, polysorbate 80).

What does the research say re: Cylaris’ ingredients say?

Chromium, according to some studies, reduces insulin resistance, thus increasing weight loss. However, other studies find the opposite. The findings are too contradictory to be sure whether it is effective or not. We’re neutral with a slightly positive lean here.

Caffeine has been shown to increase endurance which can lead to weight loss. Cylaris does not disclose exactly how much caffeine it contains.

The study mentioned multiple times on the Cylaris website was done on a Cissus quadrangularis formulation. This formulation also included green tea and caffeine, among other ingredients.
No study has been done on Cissus quadrangularis itself, so who is to say that the success of this study is not due to the green tea and caffeine? My guess would be that it is.

The cynic in me would also venture a guess that there’s a reason Cylaris included the potentially effective ingredients in their proprietary blend — because they’ve likely used too little of them to make Cylaris effective.

Green tea has been proven to be very effective in promoting weight loss. However, with the “proprietary blend”, Cylaris does not disclose how much green tea it contains so there is no way to tell whether it is effective in this supplement or not.

Who endorses Cylaris?

The Cylaris website contains endorsements from people who have supposedly had great weight loss success while using Cylaris. These people are paid for their endorsements. You can be paid for one too. Just sign up on the website. I don’t know about you, but it makes me suspect to know someone has been paid to endorse
a product. If the product is so superior, they wouldn’t have to pay people to say good things about it.

Another thing to mention, those who endorse Cylaris, in addition to financial compensation, receive “Support from a trained nutrition and fitness consultant.” How is that demonstrating the experience of an average Cylaris user? How many people can afford to hire a personal trainer?

What are the side effects associated with Cylaris?

The list of side effects for Cylaris is long and includes the following:

• Headaches
• Gas
• Dry mouth
• Diarrhea
• Insomnia
• Nervousness
• Restlessness
• Indigestion or heartburn
• Jitteriness
• Increased urination

Cylaris Side Effects to Report

More serious side effects that you should report to your healthcare provider include:

• High blood pressure
• Rapid heart rate
• Rapid breathing
• Difficulty breathing
• Seizures
• Anxiety
• Signs of an allergic reaction

Cylaris Review Conclusion

Cylaris relies solely on one study which doesn’t prove that their product is effective. The lengthy list of side effects as well as the paid endorsements certainly make us skeptical. Use your money on a weight loss supplement that is proven to work.