Lately, fat burners seem to have become more popular than underpants, with supplement companies investing in tubby-terminators left, right and core-shrinking center.
Little wonder then, that Florida company Physique Enhancing Science have reserved their seat at the table with their first “stimulant based thermogenic”: Norcodrene.
With fewer reviews on the product than most other fat burners, the fact that Norcodrene usually scores around 5 stars on Amazon strikes me as a touch suspicious.
About the Company
Physique Enhancing Science (or PEScience) have a rather hand in the supplement market. They have products one, or maybe two products in most areas of the gym-going lifestyle, fat burners, BCAAs, protein powders and even hormone modulators. With a rod in every corner of the pond, PEScience seem to be waiting for which bait brings in the most fish.
Regardless, they’re definitely growing in notoriety, and their products can be found on their website or Amazon depending on availability.
The Ingredients and they work
Using Norcodrene involves ingesting 1 capsule three times a day, taking a 5-6 hour window between each serving. PEScience has specifically stated, due to the potency of the supplement, no more than 3 servings should be taken per 24 hour period.
I appreciate that PEScience has suggested multiple doses throughout the day, this is reassuring for those more likely to crash on these types of supplements. Constant top-ups lower the risk of this from happening by keeping energy levels steady.
Above, however, is something that I do not appreciate. Say it with me, you know the words by now: Proprietary Blends.
I have voiced my concerns before with these types of ingredients and it unfortunately seems to becoming a growing trend. It makes deciphering the value of each component in the product utterly redundant, this lack of transparency usually means the company is not proud of what being used.
Luckily there’s only one in this case… Oh wait actually four if you include the primary blend, the two secondary blends made to make that blend, and the fourth blend that’s part of one of the secondary blends. Forget I said anything.
That aside, I’ll focus on the blend(s) components to get an idea of what we’re dealing with here.
Cirsium Oligophyllum – An edible perennial plant that makes up part of the thistle family. This plant has only come in to supplements over the last few years due to a study by Japanese scientists linking it to weight loss. However, this is just one study, and much else about the plant is relatively unknown.
Grapefruit Seed Extract – It’s rather surprising to come across Grapefruit Seed Extract in a fat burner. Alone GSE is a powerful natural antiseptic, along with good anti-fungal qualities and good for the immune system. The only connection I can make between the two is the possible ability for it to lower cholesterol, though this hasn’t been fully proven.
Selaginella Tamariscina Extract (Standardized for Amentoflavone) – The key aspect to this component being the Amentoflavone, which is an inhibitor of cathespin B in the body. It has been shown to lower stress levels in some individuals during clinical trials, which may be an effective tool to help dieters cope with cravings.
Yohimbe – A favorite among effective fat burners. An inhibitor of alpha sub-units of the adrenergic receptor system which suppresses fat cell metabolism. This in turn leads to a boost in fat stimulation due to the impact on the beta sub-units. In short it helps with weight loss, although with misuse, side effects can include anxiety, hypertension and gastrointestinal distress.
Nelumbo Nucifera – Also known as Blue Lotus and are used in herbal medicine, to help with disorders of the digestion tract. This may be to help with the side effects of the component above. Unfortunately, however, no studies have shown Nelumbo Nucifera to be effective.
Caffeine – An honest to god weight loss aid, boosting the body’s metabolism and stimulating the user. Caffeine helps burn calories and raise energy levels.
Check out which ingredients work and which don’t in our
– Fat burner ingredients guide –
Side effects
As stated above a few of the ingredients involved with Norcodrene contain various side effects, or are partly unproven. Although, on the face of it these ingredients are natural we must also consider the fact that they fall under the umbrella of the suspicious proprietary blends. In doing so we cannot correctly quantify the dosage that we are receiving for each product, and therefore cannot make an accurate assumption as to the safety of the product.
Norcodrene Pros and Cons
Pros
- Uses all natural ingredients
- Regular top-up doses for constant engagement
- Few negative reviews
Cons
- Proprietary blend: masks the dosages of the product
- Some ingredients seem unnecessary
- The majority of the negative reviews claim that the product has little effect
Norcodrene Review Conclusion
Norcodrene uses a vast array of natural produce in it’s ingredients, which is a good sign, and although the side effects are difficult to judge due to the products blending options, the feedback seems to be going well for the product.
However, no matter how natural the ingredients are, I cannot forgive a company that hides behind proprietary blends. I’m sure they’d see more success in sales if the company offered more transparent information about their ingredients.