Synephrine Review – Should You Buy It?

Synephrine, also known as Synephrine HCL (Synephrine Hydrochloride) is a trace amine also known as bitter orange extract. It has a long history of use in Chinese medicine. Today, it’s commonly used in diet pills for weight loss. Read our review to learn more.

What is Synephrine?

Synephrine is a naturally-occurring alkaloid found in some plants in animals. Today, most Synephrine comes from bitter orange. However, you also get trace amounts of Synephrine when you drink orange juice and other orange products (both regular – sweet – and bitter varieties).

The type of Synephrine used in ancient Chinese medicine, however, comes from a specific type of orange known as Citrus aurantium, or Fructus Aurantii Immaturus. When people talk about using Synephrine as a supplement, they’re typically talking about the extract from this fruit.

Synephrine has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries, where it was used as a general cure-all and energy booster. Today, however, it’s typically sold in diet pill supplements, where it’s combined with caffeine to make an effective weight loss agent.

The physical appearance of Synephrine is nothing special: it’s a colorless, crystalline, water-soluble substance. Medically, it’s taken intravenously to treat asthma and respiratory problems. Most people, however, take it orally in the form of a nutritional supplement. Some people also use bitter orange extract as an essential oil, applying it topically to their skin as part of an aromatherapy treatment.

How Does Synephrine Work?

Thanks to modern scientific testing, we know that Synephrine works as an adrenergic. Its effects are similar to norepinephrine, but last longer. When a substance is called an adrenergic, it means it affects your adrenaline or noradrenaline systems – which explains the boosted energy levels after taking Synephrine.

As you might expect, Synephrine’s most active effects are observed on your levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine.

When taken as a nutritional supplement or diet pill, you typically take 50 to 100mg of Synephrine HCL 30 to 45 minutes before working out. You can expect to experience a boost of energy. Side effects typically include increased heart rate and higher blood pressure. These side effects intensity when you use Synephrine with other stimulants or preworkouts (many Synephrine diet pills include caffeine).

Some Synephrine supplements actually contain certain substances to mitigate these side effects. One study, for example, showed that combining Synephrine with flavonoids like Naringin and Hesperidin did not increase blood pressure or heart rate while still leading to the desirable effects of Synephrine.

Today, that blend of Synephrine with Narigin and Hesperidin is marketed under the name Advantra Z, where you get a significantly higher dose of Synephrine (46.9mg) along with the two flavonoids.

Synephrine is a Banned Substance in the NCAA

You know a substance is effective when athletic organizations start to ban it. Perhaps the biggest endorsement for Synephrine comes from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which considers Synephrine to be a banned substance. Other athletic organizations around the world also ban Synephrine.

It’s important to note, however, that Synephrine does not create a false positive result in amphetamine tests. Nevertheless, many people view Synephrine as a controversial supplement among bodybuilders.

Recommended Dosage of Synephrine

Typical Synephrine doses are 10 to 20mg per dose, taken three times per day to support weight loss.

You can find plenty of reports online of people taking doses between 50 and 150mg. However, you should not exceed a daily dose of 150mg.

Typically, when you buy a powdered or encapsulated Synephrine supplement, you’ll get a dose of 10mg.

Synephrine Side Effects

Synephrine, as mentioned above, will likely increase your heart rate and increase your blood pressure.

Oddly enough, these effects are only observed when Synephrine is combined with other stimulants. Synephrine itself does not raise blood pressure (although researchers caution that more research is needed before they confirm these effects).

In any case, Synephrine manufacturers typically caution that using the supplement could lead to a higher risk of hypertension, heart attack, and other cardiovascular problems. As with all nutritional supplements, you should talk to a doctor before taking Synephrine.

Online, you’ll find more reports of Synephrine side effects. There’s one infamous report where one person experienced a panic attack while taking a Synephrine supplement, although that supplement contained a host of other stimulants – including phenylethylamine and caffeine in high concentrations.

Will Synephrine Really Help You Lose Weight?

Synephrine is a popular diet pill ingredient that claims to be a less potent (and more accessible) version of ephedrine. In reality, Synephrine has shown some evidence as a weight loss aid, although more research is needed to confirm its safety and effectiveness.

Nevertheless, a number of studies have taken place on Synephrine and bitter orange extract over the years, including one landmark study from 2011.

In a study published in the International Journal for Medical Sciences in 2011, researchers took a closer look at the metabolic effects of Synephrine. They looked at the metabolic effects on people who used Synephrine by itself and those who used Synephrine combined with other flavonoids.

Researchers in this study found that resting metabolic rate was increased by a mean value of 65Kcal for subjects taking a baseline dose of 65mg of Synephrine alone. Participants were not observed to experience side effects like higher blood pressure or heart rate when taking either Synephrine alone or Synephrine with the flavonoids. There were no other reported symptoms.

In other words, Synephrine safely increased metabolic rate in this study without negatively affecting things like blood pressure or heart rate. You can view the full study here.

However, many studies involving Synephrine have involved studying the compound when mixed with stimulants like caffeine and others, in which case Synephrine can raise heart rate and blood pressure. So be sure to check the ingredients list before you buy a Synephrine supplement.

Ultimately, Synephrine appears to be an effective diet pill ingredient that works by raising metabolic rate, helping you burn more calories and thus lose weight. It’s not as powerful as ephedrine, nor will it cause the same unwanted side effects. However, it may increase your heart rate and blood pressure – particularly when combined with other stimulants. If you don’t mind those side effects (and you’re not an NCAA athlete, where the substance is banned), then Synephrine may be an effective weight loss compound for you.