Onyx gemstones symbolize separation.
Black Onyx in particular helps release negativity, such as sorrow and grief. Like an evening primrose, black onyx shines brightest in the darkness. In the beautiful ruins of our depraved lives we—
Uh… Oh, hey! I mean—BLACK ONYX IS THE SHIT, YO!
And so is HydroxyCut’s new formula. It’s so good, it’s even earned the #5 ranking on our Best 5 Fat Burner Supplements list.
Considering HydroxyCut’s piss poor reputation with the FDA, FTC, and our livers, they definitely needed a little Black Onyx power to separate themselves from their history. This formula just might be their redemption and saving grace. CHECK IT!
Table of Contents
About HydroxyCut® SX-7™ Black Onyx™
HydroxyCut SX-7 Black Onyx is a new stimulating weight loss pill manufactured by MuscleTech—a subsidiary of the infamous Iovate Health Sciences Inc. Their website claims this formula is “THE MOST HARDCORE WEIGHT LOSS & ULTIMATE SENSORY EXPERIENCE”—to which we respond with a HARDCORE, ULTIMATE “Okay, sure.” Formula notes:
- SX-7 Fat Burning Energy: 7 quality ingredients focused on burning fat and boosting energy.
- Brainy Coleus Root: Forskolin-enriched coleus not only helps with fat loss, but it increases neuron-stimulating Long-Term Potentiation.
- Horrible History, Sweet Redemption: FDA bans, FTC fines, and county lawsuits… Is a comeback even possible? Apparently so.
HydroxyCut SX-7 Black Onyx Supplement Facts |
|
| Serving Size: 1 Capsule Servings Per Container: 80 |
|
| Ingredients | Amount Per Serving |
| Green coffee bean extract (as Coffea canephora robusta) Standardized for 45% chlorogenic acids | 200 mg |
| Caffeine Anhydrous | 145 mg |
| Coleus root extract (as Coleus forskohlii) | 50 mg |
| L-Theanine | 50 mg |
| Salvia root extract (as Salvia miltiorrhiza) Standardized for 7% salvianolic acid | 25 mg |
| Yohimbe bark extract (as Pausinystalia yohimbe) Standardized for 6% yohimbine | 20 mg |
| Satsuma mandarin pulp concentrate (as Citrus unshiu) Supplying 0.2% beta-cryptoxanthin | 2 mg |
| Other ingredients: Capsule (Gelatin, Titanium Dioxide), Microcrystalline Cellulose, Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide | |
| Directions: To assess your tolerance, take one capsule with 8 oz. of water once per day. Once your tolerance has been assessed, take 1 capsule 2 times daily 30 to 60 minutes before your two largest meals of the day (e.g. breakfast and lunch). Once tolerance has been assessed and you are looking for an additional boost of energy, take an additional capsule with the first serving of the day. Do not exceed 3 capsules in a 24-hour period. For best results, use for 60 days in combination with diet and training. | |
Standardized herbs with detailed dosage facts?!? Don’t call it a comeback…
First let’s take a look at what’s in this updated HydroxyCut formula:
- Green Coffee Bean: Fat burner supported by promising research, and a good CGA standard (45%) to boot.
- Caffeine Anhydrous: 145 mg dose ≈ 8 fl oz coffee. It’s moderate. Not designed for superstimulated freakshows.
- Coleus Root: Forskolin ↑ cAMP → ATP → increased fat loss and Long-Term Potentiation (LTP).
- L-Theanine: Amino acid in green tea that creates calm, focused mind-energy; it’s one of our best nootropics EVER.
- Salvia Root: Not a fat burner, helps dilate coronary arteries. Ad claims it’s for the “sensory experience.”
- Yohimbe Bark: Probably burns fat; more effective for sex. Known yohimbe risks for high BP are mitigated by this low — but standardized — dosage.
- Satsuma Mandarin: Standardized for 0.2% beta-cryptoxanthin (β-CRX). Obese rat research suggests β-CRX decreases abdominal fat.
Other Ingredients
Don’t sound the alarms, but there’s a couple items we don’t like here:
Titanium dioxide is a giant WHY ingredient—as in WHY the funk is it here?? Does it strengthen the pill formula? No. Does it aid pill manufacturing? No. Its only purpose in pill supplements: Prettier colors… Not worth titanium dioxide’s risks.
Magnesium stearate lubricates the pill capsule, speeding up the manufacturing process (and thus boosting pill profits). Unfortunately, it also reduces pill digestion by up to 65%. Great for manufacturers, shit for consumers.
These “Other Ingredients” don’t necessarily scream BULLSHIT so much as they gently whisper it in small, italicized font… we’ll let you decide what’s worse.
Formula Analysis
Many consumers are quick to write off HydroxyCut due its namesake, and rightfully so. The old formulas were garbage—and even warranted a giant FDA recall (more on that later). Yet, Iovate Health Sciences Inc. did something rare with their product: They got their heads out of their asses and a redeeming, bona fide supplement.
The first sign of improvement: Each ingredient amount was shown and not hidden underneath a “proprietary blend” label. Props to MuscleTech for that.
With the dosages explicitly labeled we’re able to deduce the worth of each ingredient—and for the most part, everything seems appropriately dosed: The caffeine isn’t overwhelming, especially with l-theanine’s “calmed focus” to reduce the jitter. Yohimbine’s fat burning potential is weak, but at least it’s not at a high enough dosage to provoke risky BP levels.
Fat Burning: Premium ingredients (green coffee bean, coleus root, and yohimbine are all standardized—two thumbs up!) mix for “decent” fat burning effects. Most importantly, HydroxyCut’s “weight loss” is no longer a euphemism for “losing a liver.”
Sensory Experience: Caffeine, coleus root, and l-theanine provide the energy and focus—additionally, coleus root aids LTP, which has positive effects on learning & memory. Salvia miltiorrhiza is slightly confusing—perhaps the coronary vasodilation increases other ingredients’ bioavailability? At the least, it sits as a potential X-factor ingredient that makes this formula even more enticing.
HydroxyCut SX-7 Black Onyx Benefits
Will HydroxyCut SX-7 Black Onyx give you “THE MOST HARDCORE WEIGHT LOSS”? Probably not—but it will give you reasonable weight loss, so long as you also fulfill the healthy dieting/exercise caveat. Odds are that the “weight loss” will primarily include “fat loss.”
Will HydroxyCut SX-7 Black Onyx give you the “ULTIMATE SENSORY EXPERIENCE”? Sure? The caffeine, coleus, l-theanine combo (plus salvia miltiorrhiza mystery effect) does offer great mental energy & focus, with the additional upside of nootropic brain-growth.
Simply put: Yes, Black Onyx works in enhancing fat loss and the “sensory experience.”
Who Takes It?
Beefy Jerks , Chunky Chads & Brittanys. HydroxyCut’s branding generally gears towards the gym BROs and BROETTEs—primarily weightlifters looking to lose fat while they gain muscle. Not necessarily for “lay-around” weight loss. It’s effective, but all the razzle dazzle seems a little soft… probably not the right choice for those seeking a no-frills, straight-up fat burner.
Any Side Effects?
Side effects are rare and commonly associated with caffeine—irritability, anxiety, sleeplessness, etc. This should only concern caffeine-sensitive consumers. The lack of side effects signifies a remarkable improvement from previous HydroxyCut formulas, which afforded a number of serious liver injuries—including one death due to liver failure.
HydroxyCut SX-7 Black Onyx label warning image.
HydroxyCut SX-7 Black Onyx Summary
Pros
- Vastly Improved Formula. Despite horrid history of bans, scams, and fines.
- Premium Ingredients. Top quality, standardized herbs.
- Fat Burning Energizer. Plus coleus root extract’s LTP-enhancing benefits.
- Complete Dosage Exposure. All “Amount Per Serving” mg amounts shown.
Cons
- Annoying BS Additives. Titanium dioxide, magnesium stearate… whyyy…
- Salvia Root Extract. Doesn’t make sense in this formula… yet.
The Big Con: Past HydroxyCut Safety Risks
FDA issued a rare, “singled out” warning about Hydroxycut products, specifically.
Where to begin… In 2004 HydroxyCut was incriminated in the FDA ban on ephedra, but we’ll skip that and start with 2009’s FDA crackdown on HydroxyCut. The official complaint stated:
“FDA received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice & elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplant. One death due to liver failure was reported to FDA.”
Following the FDA warning, Iovate Health Sciences Inc. voluntarily recalled 14 HydroxyCut products. Not one year later, the supplement manufacturer found itself in hotter water when the FTC fined them $5.5 Million for misleading claims on other health & supplement products. In 2012, Iovate Health Sciences Inc. were fined another $1.5 Million to end a lawsuit instigated by 10 California counties.
Moral of the Story: It only takes 2 FDA bans and $7 Million for a supplement company to get its shit straight.
Pricing & Buying Info
- 1 bottle (80 capsules): $69.99
- Available online and in retail stores
Final Word on HydroxyCut SX-7 Black Onyx
HydroxyCut escapes its morally bereft past with this HUGE comeback formula. Despite manufacturing that prioritizes profits over health, the 7 main ingredients are quality and on-point. More importantly: They work.
[yasr_overall_rating]
Salvia is an Hallucinogenic. Small doses do a lot. In some states it has even been made illegal, though many are completely unaware of it. It was traditionally used in American Indian societies to induce visions for spirit quests. So the use in this supplement to “enhance sensory experience” would make me apprehensive. To my knowledge there have been no studies about tiny doses of salvia promoting a healthy level of alertness and awareness. I would want to see this evidence before trying it. For those who do try it, I recommend no driving and to be cautious with dosage. A liitle goes a long way with salvia.
All you say is true of Salvia… but not the Salvia in this formula. The Salvia genus includes almost 1,000 different plant species. Hydroxycut SX-7 Black Onyx supplies Salvia miltiorrhiza, which is an old-school Traditional Chinese herb used to enhance blood flow. This might yield some sensory effects and/or workout benefits. Salvia divinorum is the Mexican psychedelic herb you are referring to. They are not the same, so if you’re interested in Hydroxycut SX-7 Black Onyx, you don’t have to worry about its “Salvia” bringing any hallucinations or legal risks. In any case, we appreciate you weighing in on Salvia divinorum, and agree with your cautions on that particular herb. Drugs are bad…. mmmmkay?