Welcome to the most comprehensive Ripped Edge review on the internet!
A detailed breakdown of what’s in it, how much is in it and whether the science says that’s enough to have the effects the manufacturer is claiming. Simple!
Attention:
Ripped Edge has been discontinued and is no longer for sale on the internet. We recommend using Shredfierce fat burner instead
However, if it will be manufactured again in the future we are keeping this review up just in case.
Whether you’re just starting out on a weight-loss journey or you’re prepping for your first ever bodybuilding competition, fat burners can definitely play a role in helping you to achieve your goals.
With loads of options for the consumer and lots of competition among supplement companies, you’d expect high-quality products at reasonable prices, right? Not necessarily. If you’re not careful, you can easily end up with a fat burner that actually does very little to help you achieve your weight management goals.
That’s why we’ve put the hours of research in, so you don’t have to. All the information you need in one convenient place so that you can decide for yourself whether yet another fat burner supplement is all that it’s cracked up to be!
What is BSN Ripped Edge?
The company:
“Bio-Engineered Supplements and Nutrition (BSN) was created in order to provide the most unique and effective products scientifically engineered to enhance one’s physique and athletic performance. Founded in 2001, BSN is an industry pioneer and category-creating brand that has become a global leader in the sports nutrition industry through a relentless dedication to creating dynamic, cutting-edge, and result-producing products that are sure to inspire each person to achieve their true potential and discover the greatness that lies within.”
The Product:
“BSN’s most intense fat-burning formula helps take your transformation to a whole new level. RIPPED EDGE supports metabolism and helps you stay on top of your game while you shred with a unique combination of botanical ingredients and caffeine, delivering concentrated energy, focus and mood support in a convenient capsule.”
How to use it?
Take 1 serving (2 capsules) with a meal or protein shake.
BSN Ripped Edge ingredients
One of the most important factors to consider when making an initial assessment of the ingredients in any nutritional supplement is whether the product includes any proprietary blends!
For those of you new to this world and unsure exactly what a proprietary blend is then read the next bit of this Ripped Edge review carefully. If you’re a seasoned pro, then bare with us!
A proprietary blend is a mixture of ingredients where the total weight is disclosed but not the individual quantities of each component ingredient. That means you have no idea how much of anything you are consuming and we have no precise dosages to compare to the latest research.
Irrespective of what supplement manufacturers try to tell you about why they make use of proprietary blends, normally some bullshit about hiding secret formulas from the prying eyes of competitors, there is actually only one reason they do, and that’s to hide underdosed key ingredients from you!
The good news for this Ripped Edge by BSN review is that there isn’t a single proprietary blend in sight… Yaaay!
FYI, the dosages disclosed below are based on a single 2 capsule serving.
Acetyl-l-carnitine- 250 mg
There have been a number of studies into the potential benefits of carnitine as a dietary supplement to aid weight loss and whilst not entirely unequivocal, there is evidence to suggest that it is effective.
Given that carnitine helps in the transport and ultimate metabolism of fat within the body, it is logical to assume that it may have some kind of weight management benefits!
The main physiological mechanism behind these benefits seems to be the role of carnitine in the breakdown of both glucose and fat, and the resulting increase in energy expenditure that comes with it.
The vast majority of scientific studies have demonstrated that the optimum dose for carnitine supplementation is 2-3g per day which means the 250 mg dose per 2 capsule serving of Ripped Edge falls way short and will most likely be ineffective.
Caffeine- 225 mg
Caffeine is by far the most frequently used stimulant ingredient in nutritional supplements, and for good reason. Not only is it proven to have thermogenic properties but it is also considered safe for human consumption.
Its purported fat-burning benefits lie in its stimulatory properties. By increasing your adrenaline production it is believed to help liberate fatty acids from stores all around your body, which can be used as fuel.
n addition to its safety, what makes caffeine such a popular inclusion in fat burning supplements is the fact that it is effective even at low doses. A 100 mg serving is capable of inducing a thermogenic effect, increasing the resting metabolic rate by 3-4% over a two-and-a-half-hour period.
So what does all of this mean for our BSN Ripped Edge review? Well, the 225 mg dose in every 2 capsule serving will definitely be of benefit to your fat burning goals and hopefully without some of the nasty side effects which are associated with very high caffeine consumption. More on that a little later!
Green tea extract- 125 mg
It is the high levels of something called EGCG within green tea extract, which is responsible for its potential fat-fighting benefits!
Research has demonstrated that ECGC intake can increase energy expenditure and stimulate fat oxidation, both of which will ultimately help you to lose weight.
By prolonging the action of the hormone responsible for inhibiting the degradation of noradrenaline, catechins may allow for an increase in overall energy output and fat burning!
There is, as yet, no real agreement on an optimal dose of green tea extract for fat burning purposes but the 125 mg dose in each 2 capsule serving of Ripped Edge is a quite a way short of the industry standard 500 mg.
Bitter orange extract- 65 mg
There is some evidence to suggest that bitter orange can help with modest weight loss. The key ingredient believed to be responsible for such effects is called synephrine. Research has demonstrated that it may only be effective when combined with exercise, helping to increase the maximal fat oxidation rate. In fact, one study, in particular, found that the ingestion of 3 mg/kg of synephrine did not change energy consumption or fat oxidation rate at rest.
As far as an optimum dosage is concerned, 10-20 mg three times a day or acute servings of 50 mg are commonly recommended.
It’s difficult for us to ascertain from the product label exactly how much synephrine is actually contained within the 65 mg serving of bitter orange. Given the potentially lethal side effects associated with synephrine consumption, we would rather know precisely what we’re dealing with!
Citicoline- 50 mg
Citicoline is a brain chemical that occurs naturally in the body and can be taken as a supplement.
There are studies to suggest that supplementing with 2000 mg of citicoline per day can have a suppressant effect on appetite. This protocol, did not, however, record any significant changes in actual weight over the same period of time in these individuals.
The above study also demonstrated no change in appetite ratings in a group receiving 500 mg per day, which means the 50 mg dose in every 2 capsule serving of Ripped Edge seems incredibly unlikely to even suppress your appetite, let alone help you actually lose weight!
Botan-X matrix (theacrine and sceletium tortuosum extract)- 33 mg, Grapefruit bioflavonoid complex- 25 mg, Huperzia serrata- 6 mg
We’ve grouped these ingredients together because there is no scientific evidence to support their efficacy for weight loss or fat burning and we don’t want to waste any more of our, or your time discussing them than this!
Capsicum- 30 mg
When it comes to capsicum and fat burning, the component which you need to pay close attention to is something called capsaicin.
>Capsaicin is responsible for the spiciness of capsicums and has been shown to promote thermogenesis by enhancing the secretion of adrenaline, whilst also suppressing appetite. Sounds like a pretty effective dual effect as far as losing weight and burning fat is concerned.
A scientific review concluded that capsaicin supplements can boost metabolism by up to 50 calories a day which is capable of contributing significant weight loss over time. One study, in particular, demonstrated that taking 2.5 mg with each meal resulted in 10% more fat being burned in the subsequent 24 hours than normally would be. The physiological mechanism behind this effect is thought to be based on capsaicin’s likely stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system.
The 30 mg serving in this Ripped Edge fat burner is somewhat short of our preferred 100 mg dosage so we’re unsure whether it will have a positive effect on your fat burning capacity or not!
Yohimbe extract- 6 mg
Yohimbe extract may be effective as a thermogenic supplement as a result of its effect on the activity of hormones including adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine, which play a role in boosting your metabolism.
Whilst the scientific research has produced mixed results, there are individual studies, which corroborate the theory that Yohimbe is of benefit to fat burning. For example, a 3 week study into soccer players, revealed that a daily dose of 20 mg of Yohimbe extracts significantly reduced body fat and fat mass in comparison to a control group.
The 6 mg dose in each 2 capsule serving of Ripped Edge may therefore not be enough to elicit the kind of response seen in the study above!
Black pepper extract- 5 mg
Black pepper extract supplies an active ingredient called piperine, a thermonutrient, which has been suggested to assist with weight control.
It is thought to achieve this by optimizing thermogenesis, and in turn, increasing energy expenditure. Piperine is also purported to promote efficient food metabolism, including the enhancement of nutrient absorption; as well as inhibiting the formation of new fat cells, a process known as adipogenesis.
We consider a 10 mg serving per day an optimum dose which means the 5 mg dose contained in this BSN Ripped Edge fat burner is a little shy of optimal!
BSN Ripped Edge benefits
>Whilst there are at least 6 ingredients included in this BSN Ripped Edge fat burner with a degree of scientific research to support their efficacy for weight loss, the only one of them which actually seems to be dosed at meaningful levels is caffeine. The 235 mg dose should definitely be enough to elicit a thermogenic response and therefore be of benefit to your weight loss goals.
We wouldn’t, however, hold out too much hope for the rest of the ingredients in this product!
BSN Ripped Edge side effects
Given the dosages within this product, there are probably two ingredients that you need to be wary of when it comes to potential side effects!
High levels of caffeine consumption can present a number of issues, including diarrhea, vomiting, the jitters and even anxiety! Whilst the 225 mg dose in this product isn’t overly potent and shouldn’t, in theory, cause too many of these issues, if you have a low tolerance level or are just new to fat burning supplements, it may be sensible to test the waters with a one capsule serving to start with!
The other ingredient you need to pay attention to is synephrine. There are suggestions that it may result in dangerous increases in blood pressure and can lead to strokes. However, human studies have demonstrated that 3 mg per kg of body weight doesn’t result in any noticeable changes in blood pressure, which means whatever the dose contained within the 65 mg of bitter orange extract you will be consuming per day shouldn’t in theory cause too many problems.
Having said that, you should absolutely heed warnings about the potential dangers of synephrine consumption at any level.
Is it a scam?
No. BSN are a reputable supplement company with a significant range of products in the market. Having said that, we’re not sure there are many ingredients of benefit in this product other than caffeine, and given how much other stuff features, that’s a pretty big disappointment!
BSN Ripped Edge reviews we found online
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Amazon customer reviews- 3.7 out of 5 stars:
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- 5 out of 5 stars, March 19, 2019- Effective, but very potent. Be careful, please.
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- “Warning to anyone reading this before they buy. If you’ve ever taken similar fat burners like Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite, Ripped Edge’s one pill is equivalent to 2+ pills of most competitors. I accidentally took 2 pills of Ripped Edge a few days ago because I was so used to taking two pills of whatever fat burners I am on (I’ve been taking these since 2014). I felt like going to the ER – I had jitters, chills, and I was sweating profusely. Even taking 1 puts me on edge, but I like it because it’s working. I’m giving this 5 stars and want to warn others to be careful, the label says “potent” and it is no joke.”
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- 3 out of 5 stars, May 4, 2019- Good product, upset stomach
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- “Has a good amount of ingredients for what you want, just upsets my stomach.”
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BSN Ripped Edge price and where to buy?
Update: BSN Ripped Edge is no longer available on the internet as the product has been discountinued.
You can purchase this product from muscleandstrength.com for $44.22, which works out at just under a buck per serving, making it a pretty reasonable-priced fat burner supplement. Strangely, however, Ripped Edge is not available on the official BSN website, nor at global online retail giant Amazon, and has been discontinued at trusted third-party supplement site iherb.com.
Summary
A fairly disappointing Ripped Edge review in all honesty. The only real ingredient of note which is actually dosed at meaningful levels is caffeine, and whilst that will certainly help induce thermogenesis and boost your metabolism to a certain extent, when you’re paying close to a buck per serving, you should be getting more than just caffeine.
The inclusion of bitter orange (and therefore synephrine) is always a concern as far as safety is concerned, although at least it probably doesn’t feature in overtly harmful quantities.
Our final verdict… ? There are some well researched and proven ingredients included in this product, such as capsicum, black pepper, yohimbe extract and green tea extract which all have the potential to help you lose weight in combination with diet and exercise. Unfortunately, there’s just not enough of any of these ingredients for them to have their purported benefits and as a result we would not recommend this fat burner!
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