Before deciding on a new weight loss supplement you should always research the product and manufacturer that you intend on buying from. You want to look for a product that is going to help you lose weight safely and effectively, and you want a manufacturer who is going to be trustworthy and deliver what they promise.
The Role of Synephrine or “bitter orange”
Phenterex is a weight loss product that is being held under scrutiny because it claims to achieve its unbelievable weight loss results through the incorporation of an active ingredient called synephrine. Synephrine is also commonly referred to as “bitter orange” because it is derived from the unripe fruit of a small citrus tree. Bitter orange has frequently been used in dietary supplements and particularly as an aid to weight loss because it acts as an appetite suppressant. After the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the stimulant ephedra, manufacturers substituted bitter orange in many herbal weight loss products despite similar concerns about serious side effects.
The problem lies in the fact that bitter orange acts similarly to epinephrine, a drug that acts to constrict blood vessels and increase blood pressure and heart rate. Phenterex is marketed as an alternative to ephedra (a diet supplement that was banned in 2004 because it caused serious side effects in some of its users) and contains “ephedra-free” bitter orange as a substitute ingredient. Bitter orange hasn’t undergone extensive safety testing but it is understood that bitter orange has the potential to cause some of the same side effects, like cardiovascular damage, that ephedra was so famous for causing. Case reports have even linked bitter orange supplements to strokes, angina (severe chest pain), and ischemic colitis (inflammation of the large intestine due to inadequate blood supply).
Aside from the potential to cause more serious side effects, the known Phenterex side effects include:
• headache
• nervousness
• irritability
• insomnia
• anxiety
• dizziness
• jitteriness
As similarly mentioned above, the more serious side effects that can possibly occur include:
• raised blood pressure
• heart palpitations
• increased heart rate
Some nutrition experts believe that after banning ephedra for causing a heart attack in a healthy young man, synephrine or “bitter orange” are being marketed because manufacturers believe they have found a loophole in the FDA’s regulations. By finding this loophole, the creators of Phenterex are actually substituting in an ingredient that has the potential to cause just as frightening side effects as Ephedra did. If you are thinking about purchasing this product, make sure to consult as many Phenterex reviews as you can.