A supplement containing multiple natural ingredients to help you burn fat, reduce appetite and stay alert – is PhenQ the King of Fat Burners?
What we like: Noticeable impact on body fat %; Minimal stomach discomfort
What we don’t like: Quite expensive; Did not seem to massively reduce appetite
It’s a funny fact that even when you work in the health and fitness industry you still sometimes hear about products from the general public before the news filters through official channels. The fat burner PhenQ was one of these outliers in my case. A client had actually asked if I thought it was suitable for her weight loss program, and as I had never heard of it I had to say I couldn’t answer – slightly embarrassing! Instead I recommended some of the more standard fat-blocking slimming pills on the market and resolved to find out more about PhenQ.
Before we start, be aware that all reviews you read on the internet should be taken with an air of suspicion and it is especially important to investigate a range of opinions if you’re considering taking supplements or medication of any kind. Although it’s highly unlikely that you will suffer any adverse reactions from thermogenic fat burners such as PhenQ it is always worth checking with a GP first, even if the supplement is non-prescription (as PhenQ is).
I have a background in medical pharmacology which provides some armoury in the fight against the endless myths and legends within the weight loss community, but even with that knowledge it can be difficult to predict whether a supplement will work or not. There is no substitute for testing each product thoroughly on a number of volunteers and dispassionately reporting the results. Controlling external variables such as the diet and activity of the volunteers is difficult and adds uncertainty to the findings – however, it is normally fairly clear if a supplement is having some impact or not.
This brings us on to Phen Q and our experiences with it. Due to our small test size (3 volunteers taking PhenQ, 3 volunteers not – see below) you should not take the results as a universal outcome applicable to all users, but we certainly found that PhenQ can offer some physiological improvements as part of a training program, especially over the short term.
Section 1: What is PhenQ?
Phenq is a dietary supplement aimed at people who are looking to remove fat as a percentage of their body whilst not necessarily losing weight (although this is often a welcome byproduct). Fat burners like PhenQ are typically taken by people aiming to re-sculpt their body into achieving a leaner body fat percentage. Reducing subcutaneous and visceral fat in your body via your diet, exercise or supplements (or combinations of all three) can seriously improve both your long-term health and your body shape. However in the case of PhenQ, visible fat burn is only really seen if it’s taken as part of a resistance training program – this is because it enhances fat burn from training and if there is nothing to enhance then you do not get the amplification effect.
PhenQ has been on the market since early 2021 and is a product of the Wolfson Berg Ltd company who have been producing supplements for over ten years and are well known within the fitness communicaty. PhenQ is fully FDA approved in the USA which means it is completely safe to take – whether it offers any benefits is the purpose of our review.
Section 2: How Does PhenQ Work?
Phenq is marketed primarily as a thermogenic fat burner. This means that the ingredients promote thermogenesis or essentially the production of heat within fat cells by combusting triglycerides (fat lipids). A higher rate of thermogenesis can elevate the rate of fat burn and calorie usage when exercising and in the post-exercise period. Luckily with modern smart scales it is a fairly simple process to monitor body fat statistically during a trial and evaluate whether a supplement is doing what it should do in comparison to a control group.
PhenQ additionally contains a range of natural ingredients which are designed to boost metabolism, increase your mental focus/alertness as well as suppressing appetite. These claims are much more difficult to satisfactorily check and so we can only offer anecdotal evidence from our usage.
What Ingredients are used in PhenQ?
- α-Lacys Reset: This is the main fat-burning ingredient within PhenQ and Wolfson are understandably reticent on divulging its exact constituent parts in case they are imitated by other manufacturers. What we do know is that the patented formula contains a blend of alpha lipoic acid and cysteine. This combination can work synergistically (in partnership) within the body to amplify the typical fat-burn thermogenic processes whilst also speeding up your general metabolism.
- Capsimax Powder: This is a blend of capsicum (chilli), caffeine, niacin (vitamin B3) and piperine (black pepper extract). Capsicum is another thermogenic agent with bioactive properties and so can help enhance fat oxidisation in your body. The piperine in PhenQ has some evidence to suggest that it may reduce the formation of fat cells within the body.
- Caffeine: This is a well-known stimulant which can help to mobilise fatty acids for oxidation and also suppress the appetite. This is one of the reasons why quitting smoking can cause you to put on weight afterwards.
- Nopal: This is a type of cactus which is high in fibre and can help to reduce appetite and food cravings.
- Chromium Picolinate: This mineral is known to help regulate blood sugar levels and so can help to prevent cravings for sugary foods.
PhenQ – Recommended Daily Dosage
It’s recommended to take a single PhenQ capsule with breakfast and one with lunch. Bear in mind that this product includes caffeine and should not be taken after 3 p.m. unless you intend to exercise later in the day and have no significant caffeine sensitivities. This is because the caffeine has the potential to create sleep disruptions or irregular sleep patterns.
Section 3: WeightWise 3 Month PhenQ Trial
PhenQ Trial Volunteers
We approached several of our WeightWise clients in Sutton Coldfield, UK to test the PhenQ over a three month period. Out of the eleven who agreed to participate, we selected six who had roughly the same initial BMI and fat percentage level at the initial weigh-in. The other five volunteers decided to also try PhenQ, but they were not considered as part of the trial.
Out of the six selected participants:
- three were given PhenQ tablets according to the recommended guidelines (two per day)
- three were given multi-vitamin capsules which looked identical to the PhenQ tablets, but with no reported fat-burning properties.
All PhenQ was purchased by BDAWeightwise shortly before the trial in order to safeguard against the tablets losing potency due to ageing.
Initial Weigh-in for the PhenQ Trial
Key Measurements At Start of Trial - PhenQ vs Placebo
| Volunteer | PhenQ or Placebo | Age | Sex | Height | Weight (kg) | BMI | Body fat % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | PhenQ | 24 | Female | 5ft7 | 79 | 28.3 | 34.2 |
| B | PhenQ | 56 | Male | 5ft11 | 87 | 26.8 | 26.9 |
| C | PhenQ | 41 | Male | 6ft | 75 | 22.3 | 18.2 |
| D | Placebo | 29 | Female | 5ft7 | 71 | 24.5 | 29.7 |
| E | Placebo | 50 | Male | 6ft 2 | 92 | 26 | 24.8 |
| F | Placebo | 44 | Male | 6ft1 | 82 | 23.9 | 20.9 |
Exercise and Diet During the PhenQ Trial
Key Measurements After 3 Months of Trial - Phen Q vs Placebo
| Volunteer | PhenQ or Placebo | BMI start | Body fat % start | BMI end | Body fat % end | % Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | PhenQ | 28.3 | 34.2 | 26.2 | 31.2 | 8.6 |
| B | PhenQ | 26.8 | 26.9 | 25.4 | 25.0 | 7.0 |
| C | PhenQ | 22.3 | 18.2 | 21.5 | 17.1 | 6.4 |
| D | Placebo | 24.5 | 29.7 | 23.1 | 27.7 | 6.6 |
| E | Placebo | 26 | 24.8 | 25.4 | 23.9 | 3.6 |
| F | Placebo | 23.9 | 20.9 | 23.1 | 19.8 | 5.4 |
PhenQ Trial Results
After the three months, the results were extremely interesting, and are tabulated in the table above. Key takeaways from the trial were:
- All volunteers lost weight and body fat, whether they were taking PhenQ or Placebo.
- The volunteers taking PhenQ lost on average 7.3% body fat, whereas the placebo group lost 5.2% – a phenomenal impact from the PhenQ in our opinion.
- We saw a bigger improvement in body fat percentage for those volunteers who were carrying more body fat at the start. This trend was irrespective of whether PhenQ had been taken.
- No volunteers reported a reduction in appetite – the trial was tough to persevere with whether they were taking PhenQ or not.
Overall, the trial we conducted showed an undoubted benefit in taking the PhenQ supplement. Due to the nature of the trial and the small sample size, there is a very small but finite possibility that those volunteers who took the PhenQ were by chance working harder at the gym or cut more calories in their diet than the placebo group. However, the chances of this happening for each volunteer with the highest improvements are extremely unlikely. It is much more likely that PhenQ is producing a fat burning benefit.
Section 4: What are the Side Effects of PhenQ?
When it comes to side effects, there are many hundreds of customer reviews online declaring no major issues with taking this supplement. This was also confirmed during our mini-trial at WeightWise. Some mild negative bodily responses were recorded by two of our volunteers, including the following:
- Restlessness
- Stomach aches and pains
- Feelings of sickness/nausea
Overall though there were no major side effects recorded and indeed the feelings of restlessness may be part of the reason why PhenQ can burn fat better than a placebo.
When taking any supplement, it is critical to read the label and ensure that you do not have any allergies or special sensitivities to any of the contents. Because all of the chemicals in PhenQ are derived from natural sources and have been thoroughly tested and approved by the FDA, there are no ingredients that can cause seriously life-threatening effects. We believe that a small risk of stomach upset is worth the benefits of fat burn over a short program of a few months.
Section 5: Conclusions and Overall Verdict
This was our first dedicated trial of a fat burning supplement and we were actually very surprised at the stark contrast seen between the PhenQ group and the placebo. It is clear to us that PhenQ can provide improvement in body fat as part of a calorie controlled diet with cardio. It seems to provide an amplification of the work you are already putting in.
How would we improve the PhenQ trial in the future?
This is a good question. It would be useful to have different control groups of volunteers to try and dig down into how the PhenQ is working. Do you absolutely have to perform the cardio to get the benefit for example? Alternatively, will PhenQ still burn more fat if you’re only doing the cardio sessions and not reducing your calories.
These are all interesting questions which we will try and address in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because it is a 100 percent natural product, PhenQ is extremely safe if used according to the manufacturer’s instructions. PhenQ can be purchased and consumed without a prescription; however, it is always advisable to read the label carefully in order to understand all of the ingredients and their quantities in order to avoid any potential allergies.
It is not possible to purchase PhenQ from a retailer, as is the case with most other nutritional supplements. The only way to get it is to go to the company’s official website and purchase it. Remember that there are counterfeit and expired PhenQ bottles available for purchase on the internet and in other locations. Always make sure to purchase PhenQ from the official website in order to be safe.
If you follow the directions on the bottle, you should see significant results after a few weeks of using the supplement. Important to remember is that the results you achieve will be largely dependent on how healthy your diet and exercise are while taking PhenQ.
PhenQ contains A-lacy reset, whereas Phen24 does not include this ingredient. Additionally, PhenQ is designed to assist you in losing weight when all of its components are combined, making it a superior product in broad terms. That being said, we are planning a trial of Phen24 and will report back when completed.
Yes, that is correct. This is due to the high concentration of caffeine found in it. Taking this amount of caffeine will provide you with enough energy to get through your more brutal workouts while boosting your overall energy levels. Increased energy levels assist you in overcoming a common obstacle faced by those trying to lose weight through exercise.
No, these are two completely different products from one another. Phentermine is related to the stimulant amphetamine (“speed”) and is not considered a weight-loss supplement in the strict sense of the word, even though it is used for its appetite-suppressing and weight-loss-inducing side effects. There are some serious side effects to taking phentermine, such as seizures and high blood pressure (hypertension). Because of this, you should avoid taking phentermine unless it has been prescribed to you by a doctor.
