This article was co-authored by Jesse Gaynor. Jesse Gaynor is a Fitness and Health Trainer and the Owner of Jesse Gaynor Fitness & Wellness, which is based in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. With over 15 years of experience, he specializes in personal training, nutrition, and pain and injury recovery. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science and an Associate’s degree in Psychology from The University of Southern California.
There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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The Hydroxycut products claim to help you lose weight by boosting your metabolism. To do this, it relies mainly on caffeine, which only helps you lose weight in the short term. There isn't evidence that Hydroxycut will help you lose weight and keep it off.[1] If you are considering taking Hydroxycut, exercise caution. Speak to your doctor before you begin the regimen. Start with a lower dose, and increase the dose over time as instructed. Stop use immediately if you experience symptoms of liver damage or caffeine overdose. For your safety, consider other methods of weight loss with fewer side effects.[2]
Steps
Taking Hydroxycut Pro Clinical
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1Start with 1 tablet twice a day. Take 1 tablet at a time. Drink a glass of water with your tablet. Take each tablet 30-60 minutes before a meal. Do not take a pill within 5 hours of your bedtime.[3]
- Try to take the pills before the main meals of your day. If you eat a full breakfast and lunch, these are your best options.
- You can take your pill before dinner as long as you do so more than 5 hours before your bedtime.
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2Increase your dosage after 3 days. If you have taken 2 pills twice a day and have not experienced any unpleasant symptoms, go ahead and increase your dosage to 2 capsules, twice daily.[4]
- Do not take more than 2 capsules in a 4 hour period.
- Do not take more than 4 capsules in a 24 hour period.
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3Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. The manufacturers of Hydroxycut ask all clients to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. While they do not say why, it is probably meant to counteract the high caffeine content of Hydroxycut.[5]
Trying Hydroxycut Hardcore
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1Try it out by taking 1 tablet once a day. Take 1 tablet 30-60 minutes before you eat a meal. Do not snack between meals.[6]
- Hydroxycut Hardcore contains even more caffeine than Hydroxycut Pro Clinical and other Hydroxycut products. Do not take more than the recommended amount of this product.
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2Up your dosage after 3 days. After taking 1 pill a day for 3 days, take 2 pills on the 4th day. Do this only if you haven't had any adverse effects from taking 1 pill.[7]
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3Use for at least 2 months with diet and training. Hydroxycut Hardcore is meant to be used as a workout supplement. Use it for at least 60 days in combination with exercise and a healthy diet.
- Stop use immediately if you feel strange or notice any side effects.
Monitoring for Side Effects
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1Notice signs of liver damage. Hydroxycut has been linked to potentially fatal liver damage. While fewer deaths have been reported in recent years, cases of liver damage continue to be linked to Hydroxycut use. Discontinue use immediately and seek medical help if you experience any of these symptoms, most of which will appear 2-12 weeks after you begin taking the pills:[8]
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Dark urine
- Jaundice
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2Watch out for symptoms of caffeine overdose. Hydroxycut products include a list of ingredients, but do not include the proportions of ingredients used. However, based on toxicity reports and on the company's warning to drink a lot of water with the product, it's likely that Hydroxycut contains high amounts of caffeine. Too much caffeine can be fatal, so visit the doctor if you are experiencing the following symptoms while taking Hydroxycut:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Agitation, anxiety, or confusion
- Frequent urination
- An irregular or racing heartbeat
- Muscle twitching
- Ringing in the ears
- Stomach pain
- Seizures
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3Consult a doctor if you are on other medications. Most formulations of Hydroxycut have been shown to interact with a wide variety of medications. Talk to your doctor before you start administering Hydroxycut to yourself.
- Drugs that are affected by Hydroxycut may include antidepressants, antibiotics, and stimulants.
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4Report any issues with the pills. In order for doctors to diagnose you, take note of the exact version of Hydroxycut you have taken, as well as any other supplements you might be on. Bring in the bottle if you can. This will also help doctors report your case to the FDA if they determine that the Hydroxycut has caused your symptoms.[9]
Losing Weight Safely
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1Make time for regular aerobic exercise. Every week, plan to get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise. Rather than doing all your exercise at once, try exercising several times a week. Find forms of exercise you enjoy, and commit to doing them regularly.[10]
- Try moderate aerobic exercises, such as walking, biking on even terrain, or dancing. A moderate aerobic activity is one you can talk through.[11]
- Experiment with different forms of vigorous aerobic activity, such as swimming, fast biking, or running. An aerobic activity is considered vigorous if it makes talking difficult.[12]
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2Eat well . Strive for consistency in your mealtimes, but diversity in your foodstuffs. Eat fruits and vegetables every day, and make sure you don't skip your carbohydrates or protein. You need carbohydrates to work out, and protein to help your muscles grow and repair.[13]
- If you snack, eat vegetables and fruits.
- If you want a treat, go for natural high-fat over high-sugar. Small servings of nuts, yogurt, and hummus will satisfy your craving without putting you over the edge.[14]
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3Drink water, not soda. Being properly hydrated is essential to your health and energy. Drink whenever you're thirsty, and try for about 8 glasses a day. While you should primarily drink water, other beverages such as juice, milk, nut milk, coffee, tea, and even beer or wine can all contribute to your hydration. However, you'll lose more weight if you avoid high-sugar beverages, such as soda and alcohol.[15]
- Drink water before and after exercise.
- Drink more water on days when you sweat, vomit, or have diarrhea.
- You'll know you're hydrated when your urine is clear.[16]
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4Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Sleep regulates your hormones, helping you process calories appropriately. If you are an adult and you get more or less than 7-8 hours of sleep a night you are at risk for weight gain. Teenagers should aim for 8-10 hours.[17]
Warnings
- Never take Hydroxycut without consulting your doctor first.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Hydroxycut interferes with many types of medication.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Hydroxycut is associated with liver toxicity.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- It's important to understand that most weight loss supplements are stimulants and can have the opposite effect than desired. If you're busy and stressed, taking a stimulant would give you an outside energy source that would cause your body to get more stressed, which will eventually affect your metabolism and make it difficult to lose weight.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about Hydroxycut, check out our in-depth interview with Jesse Gaynor.
References
- ↑ https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-hydroxycut-work#section3
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3952288/
- ↑ https://www.hydroxycut.com/products/hydroxycut/
- ↑ https://www.hydroxycut.com/products/hydroxycut/
- ↑ https://livertox.nih.gov/Hydroxycut.htm
- ↑ https://www.hydroxycut.com/products/hydroxycut-hardcore/
- ↑ https://www.hydroxycut.com/products/hydroxycut/
- ↑ https://livertox.nih.gov/Hydroxycut.htm
- ↑ https://livertox.nih.gov/Hydroxycut.htm
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/basics/aerobic-exercise/hlv-20049447
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/measuring/
- ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/measuring/
- ↑ http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/fit/fit_kid.html
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/healthy-diet/art-20046267?pg=2
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256?pg=2
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/basics/prevention/con-20030056
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sleep-and-weight-gain/faq-20058198
About This Article
Hydroxycut is a product that relies mainly on caffeine to help you lose weight. To take Hydroxycut, start off slow to test the effects before you increase your dosage, and be sure to drink plenty of water. For Hydroxycut Pro Clinical, start by taking 1 tablet twice a day about 30 minutes before you eat a meal. After 3 days of use, if you’re not experiencing any negative side effects such as anxiety, increased heart rate, or insomnia, you can increase your dosage to 2 pills, twice a day. Make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to counteract the high caffeine content. If you’re trying Hydroxycut Hardcore, which has even more caffeine than Pro Clinical, start by taking 1 tablet once a day before you eat a meal. If you don’t have any negative side effects after 3 days, go ahead and start taking 2 pills on the 4th day. If you ever experience negative side effects such as rapid heart rate and insomnia, stop taking Hydroxycut and visit your doctor. To learn how to monitor the side effects of taking Hydroxycut, keep reading!
