While there are a few proven ways to lose weight, such as maintaining a balanced diet, calorie deficit, and regular physical activity, adopting these methods often requires lifestyle changes — something not always as easy as it sounds.
In such a scenario, you might start thinking about alternative approaches, like dietary supplements — products often marketed as effective solutions for weight loss. While the promises may be enticing, reassuring of instant effects even, the safety and effectiveness of these supplements vary widely. Many lack solid scientific backing and, in some cases, may even pose risks to your health.
In this article, we will focus on Zantrex Black, a rapid energy formula advertised to promote high-velocity weight loss. We will closely examine its ingredients and weigh it against other alternatives to determine whether this product by Zantrex is truly worth your money, or should you consider other options instead.
Your well-being is our top priority. Our in-house Research team and expert fact-checkers diligently review every content piece, ensuring you receive accurate, safe, and up-to-date health information to support your health decisions. Get an inside look at our thorough testing framework.
What did we look at when reviewing Zantrex Black
In order to make sure Zantrex Black checks all the boxes of what makes a safe and reliable dietary supplement, we have put it against specific criteria, which we elaborate just below.
| Ingredient label | Whether defined quantities or a proprietary blend |
| Manufacturing and testing | Transparency level |
| Claims | If reasonable and in line with science |
| User feedback | Both positive and negative |
- Ingredient label. We took a peek into what's inside Zantrex Black to determine whether the brand provides a clear ingredient list with defined quantities, instilling trust, or if its ingredients are included in a proprietary blend, leaving no way to track down the exact amounts.
- Manufacturing and testing. Considering that manufacturing and testing practices are key determinants of credibility and quality standards, we sought to ascertain whether Zantrex discloses this information and openly shares it with its customers.
- Health claims. While every other brand on the market often presents its products in a positive light, our objective was to assess whether Zantrex's health claims are reasonable and supported by scientific evidence, or if they are merely exaggerated promises.
- User feedback. Does Zantrex Black work well in a real-life setting? We turned to customer reviews to find out. It's important to mention that we concentrated on impartial reviews from Amazon, as those on brand websites are often paid for. But then again, with Zantrex, there were hardly any reviews on the company's website for its product to begin with.
What is Zantrex Black?
Zantrex Black is a dietary supplement advertised as a weight loss and energy-boosting product. Labeled a hardcore and rapid-action formula, it is designed to help users transform their physique quickly. In contrast to its Zantrex Blue alternative, which shares almost the exact same ingredient list and comes in capsule form, Zantrex Black is formulated in a liquid-filled softgel for rapid delivery. The brand attributes key benefits to this product, including "extreme" energy, rapid weight loss, appetite control, and mood elevation.
Regarding the pricing structure, the supplement is sold for $39.99 on Zantrex's official website. Each bottle contains 84 softgels. For those who prefer monthly delivery, the company offers a subscription model. As for shipping, free standard shipping is available for U.S. orders.
According to the brand's page, Zantrex has been a reliable source of high-energy and body-transforming products backed by over a decade of research. While the brand claims its formulas are science-backed, only certain individual ingredients have been studied for their potential benefits in weight management. However, the entire formulation has not been tested in clinical trials. Moreover, there is a conspicuous absence of information when it comes to manufacturing and testing practices — or, one might argue, a complete lack thereof.
Ingredients in Zantrex Black
To provide a full scope of the contents of Zantrex Black, we closely examined its supplement facts. Our detailed findings are elaborated in the sections just below.
Proprietary blend
Active ingredients in Zantrex Black are as follows — niacin, yerba mate extract, guarana extract, trimethylxanthine, damiana extract, green tea extract, kola extract, schizonepeta extract, black pepper extract, rhodiola crenulata extract, Asian ginseng extract, maca extract, cacao extract, and black tea extract.
However, all these components, apart from niacin, are part of a proprietary blend, making it impossible to determine the exact quantities of each ingredient and assess the blend's safety.
Of significance is the fact that several of these ingredients, such as Asian ginseng and green tea extract, may interact with certain medications. This raises concerns for individuals who are taking medication while consuming this supplement.
Caffeine content
The brand asserts that the caffeine content in the supplement is roughly 300 mg per serving, which is below the FDA's recommended safe limit of 400 mg per day for healthy adults. However, it remains unclear whether the brand is referring solely to trimethylxanthine or if other ingredients such as yerba mate, guarana, green tea, kola, cacao, or black tea extracts are also included.
These botanicals naturally contain caffeine, and depending on how the extracts were prepared and standardized, the caffeine content in the supplement may exceed the recommended daily safe limit.
Niacin content
The proprietary blend of Zantrex Black formulation includes all ingredients except for one — niacin, also known as vitamin B3. Each serving contains 30 mg of it. While this niacin dose is nearly double the recommended daily value for adults, the tolerable upper intake level for niacin in the U.S. is 35 mg. Therefore, even though the dose is notable, it does not exceed the established limit. However, note that individual responses vary, and certain side effects, such as flushing, can occur at doses as low as 30 mg.
Other ingredients
Aside from the active ingredients, Zantrex Black also contains what are known as other or secondary ingredients. These include gelatin, glycerin, white beeswax, purified water, and caramel for color. However, most importantly, it contains soybean oil and soy lecithin. It's important to note that these soy derivatives make the supplement unsuitable for those with soy allergies.
What customers are saying about Zantrex Black?
While it's no secret to anyone that reviews featured on a brand's official website can often be paid for or commissioned, coupled with the fact that Zantrex Black had only one available user review, we looked to Amazon as the next option for getting impartial user feedback.
Although Zantrex Black boasts a solid 4.2-star rating out of 5 on Amazon, with positive comments mainly focusing on increased energy, there is also a significant number of reviews expressing concerns about the safety of this product. Some users reported major side effects, including allergic reactions such as itchiness, redness throughout the entire body, and even blurry vision. Others mentioned experiencing nausea and jitteriness.
In summary, while Zantrex Black reviews may not seem much different at first glance from other reviews, a clear pattern emerges when it comes to side effects associated with this product, raising serious concerns about its safety.
Why we don't recommend Zantrex Black
Upon reviewing the ingredient list, it becomes apparent that determining the overall safety of Zantrex Black is challenging. This difficulty arises from the fact that nearly all active ingredients are part of a proprietary blend, and there is no access to a Certificate of Analysis (COA) or any mention of third-party testing in the first place. Because of this, we cannot determine what are the dosages of the ingredients and whether these dosages would not pose any health harm.
Additionally, there are some indications of potential ingredient interactions with nutrients or drugs, and the caffeine content may be excessive, especially if other caffeine-containing foods or drinks are consumed simultaneously. Given these concerns, it is difficult for us to endorse Zantrex Black as a reliable dietary supplement. The lack of transparency and clarity in Zantrex's labeling undermines its credibility and trustworthiness, two essential pillars for consumers when evaluating dietary supplement companies.
Other weight loss products to replace Zantrex Black
When searching for alternatives to Zantrex Black, several other dietary supplements for weight loss have stood out, not only for their benefits but also for their composition and the safety measures they employ. Our research has identified several options for comparison:
Transparent Labs
Unlike what we encountered with Zantrex Black, RECOMP by Transparent Labs is a dietary supplement marketed with reason. According to its makers, it’s not a magic pill in any sense, but it is intended to support metabolism, reduce hunger, and promote both perceived energy levels and focus — all to help you achieve your body composition goals.
With clearly outlined quantities of active ingredients, the RECOMP weight loss product packs extracts of green tea and red and black peppers. It also incorporates coleus forskohlii, L-theanine, and natural caffeine. The caffeine content is kept well below the recommended safe daily limits.
Another significant factor that prompted us to recommend Transparent Labs as an alternative to Zantrex Black was its commitment to quality standards. See, all of its products are third-party tested, and what further instills trust is that the COAs are readily accessible through the brand's webpage.
A bottle of RECOMP, designed to last two months when following the recommended daily dosage of 2 capsules, is currently available for purchase on the official Transparent Labs website. It is priced at $54.99.
Oweli
Infused with essential vitamins, minerals, and herbs, Oweli's Glucose-CR is a dietary supplement formulated to support healthy blood sugar levels, promote heart health, and aid in weight management.
In this Oweli formula, you will find a total of 20 active ingredients. These range from vital minerals and vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, and manganese, to herbal extracts like guggul, yarrow, and gymnema.
Much like Transparent Labs, Oweli takes product safety and quality control seriously. Their supplement undergoes lab testing and is manufactured in an FDA-registered facility that complies with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs).
A month's worth of Oweli Glucose-CR is currently available for purchase at the price of $27.99.
Hourglass Fit
As an alternative to those who want to avoid caffeine, Hourglass Fit's dietary supplement emerges as a promising option. It is a non-caffeinated product — out of many caffeine-based fat-burning alternatives out there — that is intended to keep hunger at bay and provide nutritional support without the jitters and insomnia often associated with such products, as per the makers.
Right away, the brand makes it clear that they do not hide behind a proprietary blend. Instead, they define the exact ingredients and their quantities in its supplement, allowing you to know precisely what you will be putting into your body.
Besides, all of the ingredients in the supplement are naturally sourced. Some of the notable ones include glucomannan, vitamins B6, B12, and B2, chromium, zinc, black pepper extract, and cayenne pepper extract.
Hourglass Fit is manufactured in the United States within an FDA-registered facility that complies with GMPs.
You can get your one-month supply of Hourglass Fit right from the brand's official website for $60.
Our conclusion — Zantrex Black is not worth a try
Clearly defined ingredient amounts, claims aligned with scientific evidence, and transparent manufacturing and testing practices — these are some positive traits associated with reliable dietary supplements, which cannot be attributed to Zantrex Black. This particular brand's offering is marked by a questionable formula, further weakened by a resounding pattern of customer feedback indicating significant side effects. All this is accompanied by unsubstantiated claims lacking evidence and scientific backing. These reasons are our 'why' that deems Zantrex Black not worth a try in our books.
FAQ
Can Zantrex Black help lose weight?
It’s doubtful. Even though Zantrex Black has the makeup of a dietary supplement that could potentially help with weight loss efforts, the undisclosed amounts of ingredients in its formulation make it difficult to trust the prospect of this product. Not only is its effectiveness in question, but also its safety, stemming from the lack of transparency in labeling.
What ingredients might burn fat?
There are a few. Among the prominent ingredients linked to promoting fat burning are caffeine and green tea extract. But while the potential of these ingredients is promising, it's important to understand that the effects of individual ingredients are usually negligible or not clinically significant on their own. It’s more likely that when combined with proven weight loss methods such as calorie restriction and regular exercise, they would potentially support weight loss and fat burning.
What is the best alternative for Zantrex Black?
There’s a couple. Some promising weight loss product alternatives that you may want to consider in place of Zantrex Black include Transparent Labs, Oweli, and Hourglass Fit. These brands go the extra mile to ensure their products adhere to high-quality standards. They openly disclose their product ingredients and their quantities and market them with scientific evidence in mind.
6 resources
- EFSA Journal. Scientific opinion on the safety of green tea catechins.
- Toxicology Reports. The clinical toxicology of caffeine: A review and case study.
- Obesity. A Systematic Review of Dietary Supplements and Alternative Therapies for Weight Loss.
- International Journal of Obesity Supplements. Nutritionist and obesity: brief overview on efficacy, safety, and drug interactions of the main weight-loss dietary supplements.
- British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Herb–drug interactions: an overview of systematic reviews.
- National Institutes of Health. Niacin Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
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