Product Review:Weight Loss Supplement Review (Green Tea, 7-Keto DHEA, and Stimulant Blends)
HOW PRODUCTS WERE EVALUATED:
How Products were Selected:
Products were selected to represent those commonly sold and/or available nationally in the U.S. ConsumerLab.com purchased products on the open market through retail stores, on-line retailers, and direct sales or multi-level marketing companies. Products were not accepted directly from manufacturers. For each product, the sample was composed of one or more purchased samples from a lot having an expiration date (if labeled) later than the date of testing.
Testing Methods:
The weight-loss products were tested for amount(s) of selected key ingredients: 7-keto DHEA, green tea (Camellia sinensis L.), chromium and caffeine. Analyses included identification of potential contamination with hexavalent chromium in chromium products and lead in all products. The products were also tested for their ability to disintegrate in solution (excluding capsules, chewable and time-release products).
For each ingredient, the following testing method was employed:
7-keto-dehydroepiandrosterone (7-keto DHEA or 7-keto) products were analyzed by HPLC.
Chromium products were analyzed for total chromium using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and by Isotope Dilution Spectrometry (IDMS) and for hexavalent chromium (chromium VI) by Ion Chromatography (EPA method 3060A/7199) and by Speciated Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry (SIDMS).
Green tea products were evaluated for catechin (including EGCG) concentrations by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
Proprietary blends containing green tea were for catechins by HPLC.
All products were analyzed for xanthine alkaloid content (caffeine, theophylline and theobromine) by HPLC and for lead by ICP-MS.
Disintegration of non-capsule, non-chewable and non-time release formulations was analyzed utilizing USP (United States Pharmacopeia) 2040 recommendations entitled "Disintegration and Dissolution of Nutritional Supplements."
Products not having passing levels of key ingredients or contaminants were then re-tested in a second independent laboratory using similar methods and instrumentation. The identities of the products were not disclosed to the laboratories performing the testing.
Passing Score: *
To achieve a "Pass" in the testing, a product had to meet the following criteria:
7-Keto Products
Contain no less than 100% and no more than 135% of label claim of 7-keto.
Chromium Products
Contain a minimum of 100% and no more than 120% of label claim for total chromium.
Contain less than 0.1% of hexavalent chromium (chromium VI) by %wt/wt of total chromium.
Green Tea and Proprietary Blends Containing Green Tea
Contain a minimum of 100% and no more than 135% of label claim for total catechins or specific catechins (e.g. epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)). Total catechins are the sum of epigallocatechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate, epicatechin gallate and catechin gallate. Green tea extracts with no total catechin or specific catechin label claim should have no less than 10% total catechins (%wt/wt).
All Products
Contain no less than 100% and no more than 120% of label claim for xanthine alkaloids (as caffeine, theophylline and theobromine). Contain no detectable amounts of caffeine in products not claiming to contain caffeine or xanthine-containing herbals, stimulants or related ingredients.
Not exceed the State of California's Prop 65 limits for lead in supplements in a recommended daily serving: 0.5 mcg of lead per daily serving with an additional allowance of 1.0 mcg for supplements containing 1,000 mg/day or more of elemental calcium and 0.5 mcg for supplements containing specific other minerals. For supplements not marketed for use by children, ConsumerLab.com provides an additional allowance of 0.5 mcg if containing 250 to 499 mg/day of elemental calcium or 1.0 mcg if containing 500 to 999 mg/day of elemental calcium and an allowance of 0.5 mcg for if containing one whole herb (not extract) ingredient or 1.0 mcg for two or more whole herb ingredients. If a maximum recommended daily serving is not defined, a daily serving size will be determined and applied by CL.
Meet recommended USP parameters for disintegration for nutritional supplements (excluding capsule, chewable and time-release products).
Meet all FDA labeling requirements.
A product passed if it passed each criterion in any one of the analyses.
* Passing scores allow for specific margins of technical error associated with each analysis. ConsumerLab.com reserves the right to disqualify a product at any time from passing its testing if it considers such product to present a safety risk or to provide misleading or inaccurate information in its labeling.
