QuadraLean
$29.99
Pros
- Contains CLA
- Contains good Carnitine blend
Cons
- Garcinia Cambogia might not be as effective as people think
- No 'big hitter' fat burners
- Buying CLA powder is much more cost-effective
Full RSP Nutrition QuadraLean Review
Product Overview – What Is QuadraLean?
QuadraLean is just one fat loss supplement made by RSP Nutrition.
RSP Nutrition are quite a reputable manufacturer. They sell a range of sports performance supplements, including protein powders, intra-workout drinks and even another fat burner called QuadraLean Thermogenic.
But that is for another review. Our focus here will be on QuadraLean; their original and leading weight management supplement.
QuadraLean is sold as a “stimulant free weight loss” product.
According to RSP, QuandraLean supports fat loss, encourages muscle mass preservation, increases your metabolism, and helps control your appetite.
We have said this several times on this site, but our favorite fat burners are those that can enhance fat loss while supporting the maintenance of muscle mass and helping with food cravings.
Many of our readers, and indeed most of our review team, are BIG eaters. When it comes to cutting down for whatever reason, be it to make weight for a competition or a fight, or just to get ready for a beach holiday, it’s not the training or the meal prep that we find difficult; it’s the ravenous hunger.
Most of us are used to eating relatively large meals every three hours or so, so making weight can often be more of a mental struggle than a physiological one.
So, if QuadraLean really can deliver on these claims, we’ll be very happy.
But can it really do all of these things at the same time? Is it worth the price tag? Is there anything better out there?
Let’s take a closer look at QuadraLean. Here’s our full QuadraLean review.
QuadraLean Formula Review
RSP Nutrition’s QuadraLean has an incredibly simple formula. It has just 4 ingredients.
That is by no means a bad thing. In fact, we really do like to see it when a manufacturer has confidence in just a handful of ingredients and doses all of them properly. This is much better than what we see in some second-rate fat burners, where 15-20 ingredients are used, but many of them are almost worthless, and the best ones are significantly under-dosed.
No, QuadraLean clearly follows the ‘less is more’ philosophy.
Before we talk about the ingredients in detail, here’s a shot of the formula as seen on the label:
Here is an overview of the ingredients, and what each of them does to help with fat loss.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid
CLA has been used by serious bodybuilders for a long time, but it is now entering mainstream usage.
The reason for this is obvious; it is a devastatingly effective fat loss aid.
CLA is basically a group of fatty acids that, in certain circumstances, seem to have an effect on a molecular signalling receptor which is involved in instigating fat burning. CLA also seems to affect the receptor involved in steroid hormone signalling, and glucose and lipid metabolism.
While the exact mechanics are not yet nailed down, there is overwhelming anecdotal evidence supporting the notion that CLA is an effective fat burner, and there have been countless studies that show a positive correlation with decreased fat mass and stable lean body mass, despite no mechanism being noted.
For reference, here are three studies showing CLA’s fat burning effects: study 1, study 2, and study 3. The last study will be of particular interest to those of you who struggle to take a few days off in the middle of a diet without blowing up!
Our only reservation regarding the CLA in QuadraLean is that the dosage is very small. Serving sizes for CLA can be as high as 5g daily. QuadraLean contains just 500mg, or one tenth of the usual dose taken by bodybuilders.
While the synergism with other ingredients needs to be taken into account, we think that since there are only 4 ingredients in QuadraLean, RSP Nutrition could have included much more, particularly as it is such a potent fat burner at higher doses.
Garcinia Cambogia
Garcinia is held up by many fitness bloggers as a fat burner par excellence.
The prevailing wisdom in the bodybuilding community is that a certain acid in Garcinia Cambogia, called hydroxycitric acid, can ramp up fat loss without also ramping up muscle atrophy (as happens when restricting calories).
While we aren’t suggesting that Bodybuilding.com represents the views of all bodybuilders, the linked article is a good overview of why this stuff has become so hyped over the last few years.
In our opinion, that’s exactly what all the fuss about Garcinia is; hype.
The only convincing studies we have seen on Cambogia have concluded that it has limited use as a fat burner in humans.
For instance, this study found that “Garcinia cambogia failed to produce significant weight loss and fat mass loss beyond that observed with placebo.” The researchers even focused on hydroxycitric acid.
The few studies that have shown Garcinia is able to promote fat loss have looked at either isolated fat cells (taken from mice) or at live mice themselves. Once again, we need to remind ourselves that healthy adult humans are not anatomically the same as mice.
Until we see more convincing evidence, we must conclude that this stuff isn’t the super fat burner it’s cracked up to be.
-Read About Our Most Recommended Ingredients-
Raspberry Ketones
Raspberry ketones is, in our opinion, another case of people getting too excited over very limited evidence.
The prevailing wisdom here is that raspberry ketones enhance the rate of fat loss by encouraging fat cells to release more adiponectin. This hormone is found in higher amounts in thinner people, and it is believed to play some role in regulating metabolism and lipolysis.
Indeed, when fat cells isolated from mice where exposed to raspberry ketones, researchers observed higher rates of lipolysis.
Unfortunately though, this is pretty much the only ‘evidence’ supporting the idea that this stuff really works in people.
Even if raspberry ketones do boost adiponectin levels, and even if that hormone does increase lipolysis, we aren’t sure that 250mg will be enough to make a significant impact. When you realize that moderate exercise increases adiponectin levels by over 200%, the boost provided by raspberry ketones may seem a little impotent.
Carnitine
Carnitine is a very safe, widely used health supplement.
It is so widely used because it offers such a range of benefits, from helping to alleviate some of the signs of ageing, to improving blood flow and physical performance.
It is safe to say that it is an ingredient that promotes overall good health and well-being, which is by no means a bad ingredient to have in a fat burner.
It also has a more direct and immediate benefit to people looking to lose fat without harming their muscle gains. Carnitine is partly responsible for shuttling fat to your cell mitochondria.
If you aren’t already aware, mitochondria are basically your cell’s “engines”. It is here that your fat stores are transported to, and it is here that they are ‘burned’ for energy. (NB: It isn’t just stored fat that is used by mitochondria of course, but that is our focus here).
However, since the QuadraLean formula is so…well…lean, we would have either liked to have seen this 500mg go to an ingredient with a little more fat burning bite, or we would have liked to have seen a whole lot more Carnitine.
500mg is very much on the lower end of the dosing spectrum with Carnitine. Other fat burners can use 500mg and get a lot out of it, because their other ingredients pick up a lot of the slack.
But Carnitine is one of the main ingredients in QuadraLean, so we would ideally want to see Carnitine being dosed at around 1,500mg.
QuadraLean Side Effects
We’re confident that the vast majority of people wont experience a single side effect from taking QuadraLean on a regular basis for a reasonable length of time.
That said, even the safest, most robustly tested and widely used substances can have unexpected effects on individuals.
It is highly unlikely that you regularly consume some of the ingredients found in QuadraLean, so you do need to keep a close eye on how you react. We always advise people to start with the lowest possible dose and work higher gradually.
You should tell your physician what it is that you’re planning on trying, and asking him or her whether or not they think it’s a good idea, given your medical history.
QuadraLean Review Conclusion
After looking more carefully at the formula and evaluating the ingredients, there’s really only one conclusion that this QuadraLean review can come to. Surprisingly, it is a different conclusion to most of the QuadraLean reviews we have seen online before.
There’s quite a bit we like about QuadraLean: no proprietary blend, simple, straightforward formula, and no dangerous or side-effect ridden ingredients.
Unfortunately, there’s more to this fat burner that we don’t like: heavy reliance on Garcinia cambogia, under-dosed Carnitine, and under-dosed CLA.
As such, we wouldn’t recommend this product to anyone who was in need of serious, heavy-duty help with cutting fat in a relatively short amount of time.
At the same time, we would never warn anyone off trying QuadraLean. It seems to be incredibly safe for most people. We would simply advise people to shop around and compare QuadraLean with other, similarly priced products.
To see what your options are, check out our top rated fat burners.
Are you starting a serious cut and want something to give you a little more bang for your buck? Check out our current top rated fat burner. Our review team tried this product out and experienced:
- Decreased cravings
- More energy in the gym
- Rapid fat loss
Read our detailed review to see if this fat burner is what you've been looking for!
