The idea of taking a supplement to boost weight loss or physical performance sounds amazing. And, some Performix SST reviews do suggest that this product dramatically improves energy, while also aiding with weight loss.
But, are those claims accurate?
Could Performix SST be the one weight loss supplement on the market that actually works? Or, is it just another scam product that makes hyped up claims?
What is Performix SST?
Simply put, Performix SST is a weight loss supplement. It also looks different than most similar products, as it uses a suspension approach. In theory, this idea is meant to help significantly with absorption – making the product more efficient overall.
Indeed, the company promotes the use of ‘Terra Intelligent Dosing’. This process allows different compounds to be released from the supplement at different points in time. Specifically, the capsule goes through four phases:
- Introduction Phase
- Chill Phase
- Sustain and Block Phase
- Transition Phase
But, the company offers no evidence that the system works as advertised or that the idea is better for weight loss.
All-in-all, the packaging and marketing for Performix SST is stylish and extremely convincing. The product is also sold through GNC, which just adds to the hype surrounding it, especially as sales reps often promote it.
But, how well does the weight loss supplement actually work?
Well, beyond the hype, the marketing for Performix SST doesn’t say all that much. Instead, the primary claim is just this:
So, let’s take a look at the ingredients and how they work.
Performix SST and Caffeine
A key thing to note is that Performix SST does contain caffeine. In fact, it contains 200 mg of caffeine per serving, which is somewhere between one and two cups of coffee (although the amount of caffeine per cup varies considerably).
In fact, the company even goes so far as to say that you shouldn’t consume caffeine from any other sources while taking the supplement.
Now, most people probably don’t follow that advice, especially as 200 mg of caffeine may be fairly low for many people. Still, what about this caffeine?
For one thing, caffeine does promote weight loss, which is probably why it is included in the first place. Likewise, many of the health benefits of coffee are tied into the action of caffeine.
But, caffeine doesn’t work well for everybody. Instead, some people experience significant side effects, including jitteriness and anxiety. As a result, the supplement won’t work well for anyone who is sensitive to caffeine.
For those of us who can consume it, then Performix SST could make sense. However, caffeine alone isn’t a reason to take the supplement. After all, we have access to many different sources of caffeine, including coffee.
Niacin and B12
Vitamin B12 and niacin are also components of Performix SST and they are often a component of weight loss supplement. In both cases, there is some evidence for weight loss impacts but the evidence isn’t strong and the impacts observed haven’t been dramatic.
Instead, niacin is more commonly used to improve the cholesterol profile and to prevent niacin deficiency. Even then, research is inconclusive and more studies are needed.
There is also an interesting detailed examination of the research at the site Mental Health Daily – which considers the connection between niacin, weight gain and weight loss.
Likewise, vitamin B12 is critical for health and a deficiency can have many damaging outcomes. But, there is no strong evidence that supplementing with B12 actually helps people lose weight (1,2).
Performix Suspension Super Thermo Complex
The name is overblown, but this complex is meant to be the key active component of the Performix pills. According to the ingredients label, this is what you get:
There is a range of ingredients here and I’m not going to go into them all in detail.
However, the general pattern is that there is some evidence for weight loss benefits from the various ingredients but the proof isn’t strong.
For example, bitter orange extract and the compound synephrine HCL (which is a key compound in bitter orange extract) has become popular in weight loss products and may contribute to weight loss (3). But, the research has only been conducted in the short-term and the effects aren’t large, as this summary from WebMD shows.
There are also serious concerns about bitter orange, especially when combined with other stimulants (like caffeine) (4).
Likewise, the ingredient shouldn’t be used in conjunction with many health conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Research into side effects is still ongoing but it’s clear that there is some cause for concern.
Synephrine HCL itself is also controversial and is associated with similar side effects (5,6). There are some potential mechanisms that suggest it could help promote weight loss – but the actual effect hasn’t been shown in human studies (7).
The remaining ingredients on the label aren’t particularly impressive and there isn’t much evidence for their benefits either.
Other Ingredients
There are also ingredients added into the supplements to make them look like they do. For example, this is the non-active ingredients list:
These are all ingredients that don’t have significant biological activity. Some of the inclusions here are a little concerning. For one thing, sucrose is added in, which is simply sugar. Likewise, the company uses FD&C Blue #1, which is a food dye.
Now, dyes like this are officially considered to be safe and they are extremely common in processed food. But, there are concerns about their health impacts, particularly when it comes to blue food dyes (8,9,10). This is a topic the site The Hearty Soul talks about in detail.
Regardless of your views on this, there are plenty of weight loss supplements that don’t add in sugar and artificial coloring.
Additional Thoughts
As you can see, many of the ingredients here have some potential but not a significant amount. Even if there weren’t side effects, it seems unlikely that the pill would work well.
For one thing, there are no appetite suppressant ingredients. Such ingredients are often included because they can make it easier for people to reduce their calorie intake.
You are also supposed to cut out all other sources of caffeine when taking the supplement. Doing so could actually reduce weight loss for people who normally drink coffee.
Finally, the company doesn’t actually present evidence that their supplement works. Personally, I would have liked to see links to scientific research, ideally for the product as a whole. Without that information, the supplement is extremely questionable.
Does Performix SST Actually Work?
The simple answer when it comes to Performix SST is that it might work – but probably not well.
Some of the ingredients in the supplement do have implications for weight loss and thermogenesis, including the caffeine (11), niacin (12), bitter orange (13) and black pepper extract (14). For example, site Supplements in Review offers more detail about the connection between bitter orange and fat loss.
However, these ingredients haven’t been studied in much detail, with most research being conducted in animals rather than in humans. Additionally, when weight loss benefits have been observed, they are typically on the small side.
As with other similar supplements, there isn’t much research about the impact of these ingredients in combination with one another. This means there may well be unintended side effects.
Indeed, some reports suggest that liver damage from supplements is increasing, especially when it comes to weight loss supplements (15,16).
There are certainly cases where supplements are beneficial, especially when it comes to options like vitamin D and fish oil, which are both critical for health.
Now, there has been some testing on Performix SST, mostly by the company that created it. The product is also sold through GNC, which does have a positive reputation. Still, there are risks involved and the long-term health implications of the supplement aren’t truly known.
With this in mind, the risks may well outweigh the benefits. After all, no weight loss supplement is likely to have a radical impact on weight without compromising overall health.
And, if you're serious about weight loss pills - it's worth looking at the detailed information that Laura Beil from Redbook Mag offers on the topic.
The scope of impacts is also something the company points out – and the supplement is designed to be used with a calorie-restricted diet and exercise.
So, at best, Performix SST may give you an energy boost and help you lose a little extra weight. But, that’s about it and only if you’re following a relatively healthy diet anyway.
Performix SST Reviews and Results
Scientific support is important but it is only one side of the equation.
Realistically, there simply hasn’t been enough research to know the potential of Performix SST. Furthermore, most research doesn’t consider all of the complexities of the population. As a result, we need to consider actual experiences as well.
The first thing I noticed with Performix SST is that the reviews are incredibly mixed. For example, on GNC some people loved the supplement and others hated it.
One important point is that many of the positive reviews aren’t actually about weight loss.
Instead, there are reviews like these ones:
Other people observed weight loss benefits but changed their lifestyle and/or eating habits at the same time. That makes it impossible to know how much impact the supplement itself had.
When you look at all the positive reviews, there aren’t all that many that suggest the supplement actually helped with weight loss. This is a pretty concerning pattern, suggesting that Performix SST isn’t nearly as good as it seems.
There were also negative reviews, with people finding that the supplement had little to no effect.
Likewise, some reviews mentioned side effects with the supplement, which will be discussed in the next section.
Now, the average reviews do differ depending on what site you go to. For example, on Amazon, the balance of reviews is a little more positive but there are still many dissatisfied customers. A similar pattern is present on the site Highya.
But, regardless of the site, there is still a decent number of people who have very low opinions of the supplement.
The End Result
From the various reviews, it’s clear that the impacts of the supplement can vary.
And, these reviews are only ever partly accurate anyway. After all, people have different expectations of the supplements and those expectations will affect the reviews.
Overall though, Performix SST can theoretically help with weight loss, to some degree. And, some people have found exactly that impact. Others have suggested implications for energy and focus, which could indirectly help as well.
Still, we are talking about a pretty expensive product that only works for some people. Indeed, the strongest benefits appear to be for energy, not for weight loss.
Likewise, side effects are more prevalent for this supplement than for many others.
With this in mind, whether or not the product is worth it is going to depend on what you want and your budget. If you do take it, pay close attention to how your body responds and be prepared to stop if there are any significant side effects.
Perfomix SST Side Effects and Risks
As mentioned earlier, Performix SST does contain caffeine, along with a range of other ingredients. The caffeine alone can contribute to significant side effects, including anxiety, jitteriness, mood swings and sleeping problems.
Such side effects are likely to be strongest for anybody sensitive to caffeine.
But, even if you’re not, you may still experience side effects.
One reason is the other ingredients. For example, bitter orange also has stimulant effects and can increase your heart rate and blood pressure as a consequence (17). Other ingredients may have similar impacts and this supplement does basically just combine multiple stimulant ingredients.
This implication isn’t just theoretical either. Instead, many of the negative reviews for Performix SST have highlighted side effects.
A less common side effect was mood swings:
Given that the product can increase anxiety, this outcome isn’t too surprising.
The side effects don’t impact everybody, so you could take Performix SST and not have any issues at all. However, these do suggest a need for caution.
There are also some groups that should avoid the supplement.
In particular, you shouldn’t try it if you are sensitive to caffeine, if you are pregnant or nursing, if you have issues with anxiety or if you are on some medication.
The company actually has a long list of types of medication that shouldn’t be mixed with this supplement, which is below. The list includes medication for depression and any medication that contains a stimulant of any form. Interestingly, it also includes aspirin and NSAIDs, which you might be taking over the counter.
The end result is that you should consult your doctor if you have any health conditions or are on any medication whatsoever.
Doing so is a good general rule for any supplement – but is particularly relevant here. After all, the number of side effects and considerations is high and is very concerning.
At the same time, some of the side effects observed could be life-threatening, particularly due to the impacts on heart rate. So, if you do take the supplement, be very careful indeed.
There is also one final thing to mention.
If you do take Performix SST or if you plan to – you shouldn’t take it for more than 8 weeks at a time. This is the number that the company recommends and there hasn’t been much safety testing past that point.
You absolutely should not rely on this supplement as a long-term weight loss tool or energy booster.
Buying Performix SST
If you are interested in it, Performix SST is commonly sold at GNC, either online or through their physical store. You can also buy it from Amazon directly and it is roughly the same price either way.
Final Thoughts on Performix SST
As a general rule, weight loss supplements are a pipe dream. They sound amazing on paper but none actually live up to their claims. At best, a supplement may make it a little easier to lose weight, which could be true for Performix SST as well.
Still, even with the potential for benefit, Performix SST isn’t a good supplement to take. There are simply too many side effects and the risk to your health is high.
Besides, if you wanted to lose weight with this supplement, you still have to follow a healthy diet and exercise approach. So, you’re better skipping the supplement and just doing that instead.
Thankfully, weight loss doesn’t have to be as hard as it seems and there are multiple approaches that can truly be effective.
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