Ripped Edge

Ripped Edge
tl; dr ... Short and to the Point
Who is this article aimed at?
Anybody looking to get ripped. Anybody looking to gain that extra edge. Anybody who wants to know more about Ripped Edge from BSN.
I am busy - summarize it for me
Our Supplement Rating
  • Ingredients :
  • Price :
  • Trust :
  • Testimonials :
  • Company :
  • Overall Score: 6.0/10
  • Positive

    • A handful of good ingredients
    • No proprietary blends
    • Cheap to buy
    • Good quality money
  • Negative

    • May cause side effects
    • Missing key ingredients
    • Some choices under dosed
    • Mixed reviews

Ripped Edge Review

We’ve reviewed a lot of natural fat burners. Thankfully no one’s pretending these products are going to do the work for you. Not even the best ones. It’s all about good diet and exercise.

A great fat burner will give you that extra edge to get ripped quicker. So in terms of the title at least, Ripped Edge from BSN Nutrition has nailed it.

But this is weight loss aid, not a goldfish. It takes more than a cool name and colorscheme to make these things worth a buy. First and foremost they have to deliver on what they promise.

Ripped Edge

In the case of Ripped Edge the product is designed to deliver;

  • Fat burning
  • Intense energy
  • Mental focus

Thankfully there are no proprietary blends, so the formula is right there in full on the label.

Let’s get straight to it and check out if you should keep away from the edge or be living life on it.

How Does It Work?

At a Glance

  • L-Carnitine to boost energy
  • Caffeine & bitter orange extract to increase metabolism
  • Green tea & red pepper extract to promote thermogenesis
  • Botanic X Matrix, Citicoline & Huperzine A for mental sharpness
  • Yohimbe to further stimulate fat loss

Plenty going on in theory then, but what about in your body? We’ll delve deeper after the scores ….

The Scores

The Scores
Ingredients
5/10

To be honest, on the whole Ripped Edge isn’t actually that impressive. It’s not without plus points however. The B vitamins, caffeine, green tea and red pepper extract are all useful, but the last two are underdosed.

The bad ultimately outweighs the good. Particularly in the case of bitter orange extract, which can cause serious side effects. More often Ripped Edge is more disappointing than dangerous though, with a selection of pretty unconvincing ingredients.


Price
6/10

At around $20 Ripped Edge is admittedly towards the lower end of the price range for fat burners. So while it’s good, it’s not exactly highway robbery as some brands can be.

However to be classed as good value the quality of the formula would definitely have to improve.

For most supplement users it’s the results that count. If you can find a bargain then great, but ultimately it’s the numbers on the scales and not the price tag that matters.


Trustworthiness
6/10

In Ripped Edge’s defence, it’s certainly not dangerously produced. It’s from a U.S company and complies with cGMP regulations. Plus it avoids proprietary blends by putting all formula information on the label.

That said … there are 3 ingredients here with the potential for side effects. Potentially serious ones too in some cases. There’s also a handful of choices that arguably come in under active doses.

So all that adds up to a middling score on trust.


Testimonials
4/10

We’re frequently disappointed by the reviews for natural supplements. Usually it’s because they are glowing, but with no real detail.

Ripped Edge doesn’t have that helpful depth either, but it also can’t even manage to tip the balance and have mainly positive reviews. Feedback is pretty mixed. There are those who like the energy it provides, as you would expect from a product high in caffeine, but just as many if not more users note a lack of effects.


Company
9/10

Just because Ripped Edge didn’t blow us away, that doesn’t mean BSN Nutrition, the company it’s from, is a write off.

You can’t hit a home run every swing. In actual fact since starting in 2001, Florida based Bio-Engineered Supplement & Nutrition have developed a wide range of popular supplements.

They’ve also done work with MMA star Conor McGregor so frankly we’d rather stay on their good side.

How Do I Take It?

The label suggests you take 1 serving of 2 caps a day with a meal or protein shake.

It’s apparently up to you to decide exactly when you take it. There’s no way a single serving will sustain full fat burning effects all day, so whenever you pick you’ll be losing out at several points during the day.

If you’re sticking with Ripped Edge though, best not take it too close to bed owing to the high caffeine content.

Any Ripped Edge Side Effects?

If you’re not a big coffee drinker, the caffeine might be a bit of a shock to the system. Though these side effects aren’t serious, they aren’t nice either. Headaches, nausea, dizziness, racing heart or insomnia, would be a few.

Bitter orange extract is the real worry though. It can also cause a lot of the same less serious feelings like nausea, but add to that complications like spiking blood pressure. That may not sound too scary but in fact it can raise your chances of heart attack and stroke.

Huperzine A on the other hand has been known to cause pretty unpleasant stomach upset in some unlucky users. Sickness, cramps and diarrhoea are common if it disagrees with you.

Yohimbe too in rare cases can cause hypertension and increased anxiety as a side effect.

Where Can I Get It?

Ripped Edge is available from Amazon.com for $18 which gets you a one month supply.

Ingredients – In Detail

Vitamin B6

B vitamins

Ripped Edge contains vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6 and B12. These are all helpful for supporting a healthy metabolism, especially vitamin B6. B12 is also a stand out as it could help maintain energy levels through your dieting period.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21154195
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23892832


Acetyl L-Carnitine HCL

Acetyl L-Carnitine HCL

A favorite in fat burners and pre-workouts thanks to supposed energy fuelling and weight loss properties. The most promising of these is reducing fatigue, but it’s worth pointing out it typically works better at much higher levels than 250mg.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18545197


Caffeine

Caffeine

Caffeine is much more reliable as an energy source. This is important while you’re taking on fewer calories, as it helps to avoid stamina slumps. Not only that, it also speeds up your metabolism and to an extent helps to keep your appetite in check, stopping cravings

As with any stimulant, amount is key. 225mg is a safe, effective daily level but if you’re sensitive you may need time to adjust.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7369170


Green Tea

Green Tea

One of our fat burning favourites, this another choice with a lot to offer. First and foremost it’s rich in catechins, which trigger norepinephrine, the body’s main fat burning hormone.

Aside from being one of the most effective natural thermogenic ingredients around it’s also full of antioxidants to support good all-round health.

If we were worried the caffeine might be a tad on the high side for some, it’s the opposite problem here. Green tea is so beneficial just 125mg seems a real shame.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21366839


Bitter Orange Extract

Bitter Orange Extract

Any advantages bitter orange has as a metabolism booster is sort of cancelled out by the fact that, particularly when paired with caffeine, it can cause serious side effects.

Introduced as a replacement after the FDA banned ephedrine for health risks, there’s some question over whether bitter orange (or synephrine) is any safer. There are already restrictions or bans on its use in Canada, Scandinavia and Europe.

65mg gives Ripped Edge and edge alright, maybe just not the type you were hoping for.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22521485


Botan-X  Matrix

Citicoline

This is aimed at supporting cognition, motivation and focus at a time when reduced calories might cause your mental game to flag. A good idea then, even if it has no direct fat burning chops.

The problem with Citicoline though is that, like L-Carnitine, it’s usually works at much higher levels than 50mg. Also, again it’s typically much more effective in older users.

http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?paperID=19921


Botan-X  Matrix

Botan-X  Matrix

Basically this is a mix of Theacrine and Sceletium Tortuosum. Two more picks to keep you sharp and in good spirits while low on your usual fuel.

Both show promise in battling anxiety at lowish amounts so 33mg might not sound like much but maybe it could actually help boost mood somewhat.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25389443


Grapefruit

Grapefruit Bioflavonoid Complex

Grapefruit and coffee are sometimes called the ultimate fat burning breakfast and we’ve already had caffeine, so this is the perfect choice, right?

Well, not quite. There’s not a whole lot of evidence that grapefruit transfers well as a fat burner to supplement form. Bioflavonoids are generally better as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Helpful, but actually not as good as it first seems.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18617377


Huperzine A

Toothed Club Moss Extract (Huperzine A)

Huperzine A is another choice geared towards mood and focus. It can genuinely help some in this area too, but usually in bigger amounts than just 6mg.

Some users also report side effects so maybe the small dose is a bit of a blessing in this case.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5004090/


Yohimbe

Yohimbe

Yohimbe is a plant which blocks the alpha receptors in the body. These limit the amount of natural fat burning our systems do. It can do this well at levels as low as 5mg, so 6mg isn’t as bad as it looks.

It’s worth being aware though there is the possibility of side effects here again.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17214405


Black Pepper

Black Pepper

Helps to better absorb all the other things here.


Anything Missing?

If we could talk to the makers of Ripped Edge, we’d say why so shy with the green tea? Also we’d suggest switching up red pepper for cayenne and add plenty of green coffee bean.

A bit of added help with hunger pangs would be nice too. There are options there, they should have looked into them.

Overall

Despite a handful of good choices, it turns out that Ripped Edge is actually pretty blunt.

It’s far from the worst burner we’ve seen but in this market that’s really not much of a boast. BSN Nutrition have some good products but there are plenty of problems to iron out before this is one of them.

In the meantime there are plenty of better fat burner options out there worthy of your time and funds.

Studies Quoted in the Review

  1. Bliskind & Bliskind Inactivation of testosterone propionate in the liver during vitamin B complex deficiency. Alteration of the estrogen-androgen equilibrium (1945)
  2. Baltaci D, Kutlucan A, Turker Y, Yilmaz A, Karacam S, Deler H, Ucgun T, Kara IH. Association of vitamin B12 with obesity, overweight, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, and body fat composition; primary care-based study. Department of Family Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, 3Family Medicine Office, 4Department of Biochemistry; Duzce University, School of Medicine, Duzce, Turkey (2013)
  3. Spiering BA, Kraemer WJ, Hatfield DL, Vingren JL, Fragala MS, Ho JY, Thomas GA, Häkkinen K, Volek JS. Effects of L-carnitine L-tartrate supplementation on muscle oxygenation responses to resistance exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2008 Jul;22(4):1130-5. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31817d48d9.
  4. Acheson KJ, Zahorska-Markiewicz B, Pittet P, Anantharaman K, Jéquier E. Caffeine and coffee: their influence on metabolic rate and substrate utilization in normal weight and obese individuals. (1980)
  5. Hursel R, Viechtbauer W, Dulloo AG, Tremblay A, Tappy L, Rumpler W, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. The effects of catechin rich teas and caffeine on energy expenditure and fat oxidation: a meta-analysis. Department of Human Biology, Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands (2011)
  6. Hansen DK, George NI, White GE, Pellicore LS, Abdel-Rahman A, Fabricant D; Food and Drug Administration. Physiological effects following administration of Citrus aurantium for 28 days in rats Division of Personalized Nutrition and Medicine, U.S. FDA/NCTR, 3900 NCTR Rd., Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
  7. Erin McGlade, Allison Locatelli, Julia Hardy, Toshikazu Kamiya, Masahiko Morita, Koji Morishita, Yoichiro Sugimura, Deborah Yurgelun-Todd Improved Attentional Performance Following Citicoline Administration in Healthy Adult Women Brain Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA. (2012)
  8. Chiu S, Gericke N, Farina-Woodbury M, Badmaev V, Raheb H, Terpstra K, Antongiorgi J, Bureau Y, Cernovsky Z, Hou J, Sanchez V, Williams M, Copen J, Husni M, Goble L. Proof-of-Concept Randomized Controlled Study of Cognition Effects of the Proprietary Extract Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin) Targeting Phosphodiesterase-4 in Cognitively Healthy Subjects: Implications for Alzheimer’s Dementia. Lawson Health Research Institute, Lab FB125, 268 Grosvenor Street, London, ON, Canada N6A 4V2 ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada (2014)
  9. Dallas C, Gerbi A, Tenca G, Juchaux F, Bernard FX.Lipolytic effect of a polyphenolic citrus dry extract of red orange, grapefruit, orange (SINETROL) in human body fat adipocytes. Mechanism of action by inhibition of cAMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE). FYTEXIA-NB Consulting Group, ZAC de Mercorent, 280 rue Nicolas Joseph Cugnot, 34500 Beziers, France. (2008)
  10. Wei ZHENG,1,* Ying-Qiang XIANG,2,3 Gabor S. UNGVARI,4,5 F.K. Helen CHIU,6 Chee H. NG,7 Ying WANG,8 and Yu-Tao XIANG9,* Huperzine A for treatment of cognitive impairment in major depressive disorder: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials he Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, China (2016).
  11. Ostojic SM. Yohimbine: the effects on body composition and exercise performance in soccer players. Institute of Sports Medicine, Sports Academy, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro. (2006)
tl; dr ... Short and to the Point
Who is this article aimed at?
Anybody looking to get ripped. Anybody looking to gain that extra edge. Anybody who wants to know more about Ripped Edge from BSN.
I am busy - summarize it for me
Our Supplement Rating
  • Ingredients :
  • Price :
  • Trust :
  • Testimonials :
  • Company :
  • Overall Score: 6.0/10