TrimSpa is a weight-loss supplement that is marketed to help "stave off hunger." A lot of TrimSpa's popularity is due to clever marketing, such as being endorsed by Anna Nicole Smith and being featured in numerous magazines, and radio and television ads. TrimSpa used to contain ephedra until that ingredient was banned in the U.S. The new TrimSpa formula X32 is made without it.

TrimSpa sells for $39.99/bottle of 105 capsules, which is very expensive given that the recommended dosage is 3-6 pills per day.

Product Claims

Taken from TrimSpa’s website: “TRIMSPA X32 is scientifically formulated to help stave off hunger while helping to keep you feeling satisfied. With the natural thermogenic Green Tea, X32’s proprietary blend is designed to help support normal blood levels and delay fat warehousing. Along with diet and exercise, this amazing formula has been clinically demonstrated to improve weight-loss results over diet and exercise alone.”

Ingredients and How it Works

TrimSpa uses a blend of eight active ingredients in each capsule. They include:

• Vanadium: stabilizes blood sugar
• Glucomannan: a dietary fiber; decreases appetite by creating a feeling of fullness
• Hoodia gordinii: an appetite suppressant
• Cocoa extract: a stimulant that increases metabolism; also a diuretic and antioxidant
• Green Tea extract: an antioxidant; also a stimulant that increases metabolism
• Glucosamine HCl: delays glucose in bloodstream so muscle can use extra insulin for energy
• Citrus Naringin: an antioxidant and dietary fiber that decreases appetite
• Chromium Picolinate: stabilizes blood sugar and decreases cholesterol

Scientific Evidence

There is no scientific evidence that supports TrimSpa’s claims. In fact, the marketers of TrimSpa had to pay $1.5 million to settle the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) allegations that their weight-loss claims were unproven. The FTC complained that the marketers had insufficient scientific evidence to support their advertising claims which say that TrimSpa causes fast and substantial weight loss and that one of its ingredients, Hoodia gordonii, allows people to lose significant amounts of weight by curbing appetite. The agreement forbids the marketers from making any claims about the side effects, performance, health benefits, safety, or efficacy of TrimSpa, Hoodia gordonii, or any other supplement, food, drug, or wellness service or program, unless the claims are factual, and validated by competent and dependable scientific evidence.

Side Effects

Some potential side effects of taking this supplement include: anxiety, insomnia, heart palpitations, migraines, increased blood glucose, and chromium toxicity.

Consumer Feedback

“I took this product for a month and absolutely nothing happened.  Really and truly---nothing.  I was highly disappointed.  This pill is not the fix-it you are looking for.”

--Jana of Utah

“I have been using this product (without ephedrine) for 10 days. I've lost approx. 8 pounds in this time, without dieting or exercise. I have more energy, feel alert, and my appetite is definitely much smaller.”

--Kate on March 23, 2006

Sources

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/popularhealthdiets/a/Trimspa_Review.htm

http://www.trimspa.com/

http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2133610&cp&kw=trimspa&origkw=trimspa&sr=1

http://www.fitnessinfomercialreview.com/reviews/trimspa/startNum/20

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/na/trimef.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimspa

http://www.newstarget.com/005112.html