Fat burning supplements on the modern market come with different names, shapes and sizes. So I was intrigued to discover that someone has named a fat burner after themselves.
The man is Jim Stoppani, and the product is Shred JYM.
A fat burning product from the supplement company JYM Supplement Science, a brand so good Stoppani apparently put his name on it.
I’ve heard mixed reviews about this product, and also seen that it only available on the bodybuilding.com site. On the face of it, it appears Stoppani has good intentions and claims to use only the best ingredients – that’s why I’ve created this review to put that statement to the test.
About the Company
JYM Supplement Science is a company founded by Jim Stoppani, a doctor in Exercise Physiology, who has honed his expertise to the world of supplements.
This company has produced a variety of protein powders, pre-workouts, fat burners and essentially products in all the main areas of the protein market,
Stoppani deals his wares primarily through bodybuilding.com and has a strong aversion to propritary blends – which is always a good sign. Stoppani stands behinds all of his products – although so far I haven’t come across a money back guarantee on either his own, or the bodybuilding.com website for this product.
The Ingredients and they work
Shred comes in capsule form and requires the user to take 4 a day to the equivalent of one serving. Depending on the ingredients this could be dangerous given this is all taken in one hit, as Stoppani states:
“One serving of Shred JYM provides you with 2,750 mg of active fat-burning ingredients that are backed by science.”
That’s still an awful lot of ingredients for one serving. In terms of it being backed by science, Stoppani contains all the sources of the studies he has used for his research, but has not interlinked them in any way, or made them available to read for yourself. It seems an awful lot like the company just wants us to take their word for it. Which isn’t a good look, but I digress, let’s get analyzing those ingredients:
I have to say, I am impressed by the lack of proprietary blends. It’s always good to see this kind of transparency in a product.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine HCl 1500mg – A vial amino acid to the body for the transportation of fatty acids, these are then oxidized into energy. It’s a win-win, more focus and less fat.
L-Tyrosine 500mg – Working with chemicals in the brain, L-Tyrosine increasing alertness in the body and has also been seen to promote the production of norepinephrine which can help in the fat loss process.
Green Tea Leaf Extract 500mg – A great stimulant that uses catechins. Green Tea catechins are great for inhibiting the enzyme responsible for the breakdown of norepinphrine, and also very effective when looking for a thermogenic boost.
Caffeine Anhydrous 200mg – A fantastic stimulant for rising the metabolic rate of the body and increasing energy levels. Caffeine is well-known for the benefits it brings to fat burners and can improve cognitive function.
Cayenne Pepper Fruit 50mg – A hot chili which works by raising the body’s core temperature. It’s thermogenic properties make the body burn calories to cool itself back down to normal levels.
Synephrine 20mg – Although JYM claims there are no side effects to this component, I beg to differ, especially when a caffeinated herb like Green Tea is on the list. Many studies have shown synephrine to cause side effects in humans, such as headaches and raised blood pressure. So far there has been no concrete evidence to fully prove Synephrine is useful for weight loss.
Check out which ingredients work and which don’t in our
– Fat burner ingredients guide –
Side Effects
Quite honestly, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of side effects associated with Shred JYM. That said, it would be wise to keep your eye on the synephrine content as that has been linked to headaches in some individuals and can go on to raise blood pressure, increase the risk of stroke and heart attacks.
There doesn’t seem much point in taking the risk.
Also the amount of stimulants and active ingredients in this product may have some combined side effects – they are on the whole stimulant based and highly potent. To top it off the entire serving is administered all at once. This could lead to typical stimulant abuse, with a very high rise followed by a very low crash.
Plus the amount of Acetyl-L-Carnitine in there is right on the upper level of the safe amount to take, teetering into the danger areas. This can cause stomach problems such as nausea, vomiting and gastronomical distress. If a user has an energy drink containing more carnitine, it has a strong potential to go bad.
Shred JYM Pros and Cons
Pros
- Shred JYM has a lot of natural ingredients
- Strong ethos to promote non-proprietary blends
- Emphasis on thermogenesis with ingredients like Cayenne
Cons
- 4 Capsules a serving – hugely inconvenient
- Use of synephrine
- Acetyl-L-Carnitine levels are a bit of a worry
- Incredibly large dosage of active ingredients per serving
Shred JYM Conclusion
Shred JYM comes from a company with it’s heart in the right place. It’s attempting to become an example for the fitness industry to aspire to with it’s natural ingredients and lack of proprietary blends. However, their execution needs a little work.
Their serving levels are too large to be taken by everyone, and it could cause a lot of trouble if the user was also taking other supplements, or even an energy drink.
Add to this the inclusion of Synephrine, and I cannot, with my knowledge and insight, fully recommend this product.
I have yet to review other products from JYM, but I’m hoping that they will be more towards the idea Stoppani has for this company.