Someone said simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication. This can mean a lot of things depending on where you apply it, but for supplements it simply means only adding the minimum number of ingredients to get max results.
BSN Ripped Edge doesn’t think so. It actually wants us the opposite to be better: The more ingredients, the more effective the supplement. How many are we talking about, you ask? SIXTEEN.
Yes, sixteen ingredients inside a capsule no bigger than your thumb. Bro, that’s an ambitious attempt right there and I know I ain’t gonna be seeing no giant-ass capsule.
Is BSN Ripped Edge really right about their formula strategy, or is this as bad as I think it will be? Read my BSN Ripped Edge review to find out!
About BSN Ripped Edge
BSN Ripped Edge wants you to push past getting lean and start the part where you start getting ripped with six pack abs and really good muscle cuts. It’s claimed to support metabolism (no shit!) and contains a “unique” complex of botanical ingredients together with caffeine (which ain’t botanical in any way if it’s anhydrous).
- Premium stuff. I can see a lot of premiums, and I’m damn sure they’re the reason BSN Ripped Edge is pricey.
- Transparent blend. You can actually see all the dosages for all 16 ingredients. Damn.
- Too complicated. Bro, how many ingredients do you need to burn fat?!
BSN Ripped Edge Review: nutrition label
Other Ingredients: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Gelatin, Silica, Magnesium Stearate, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Red 40, Red 3, Blue 1, Yellow 5.
Directions: Take 1 serving (2 capsules) with a meal or protein shake.
BSN Ripped Edge Review: ingredients list
BSN Ripped Edge is one of those fat burners that tries to stick as many ingredients as possible inside a small capsule. This is something I greatly discourage given a capsule ain’t exactly something with a huge space. Including vitamins and minerals, we get 16 ingredients total, easily 2-3 times more than the ones we’re used to seeing.
And because the formula is so damn stuffed, I’m going to do BSN Ripped Edge a favor and lower my standards just a bit.
- Vitamins and minerals. Nothing special here, bros. If anything, the forms and doses used ain’t exactly what you would call industry standard. These vitamins and minerals are of course useful for energy metabolism and vitamin replenishment, but you can always just get them the natural way: eating. Easily a forgettable blend if I may say so myself.
- Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl. This is an alternative form of carnitine that actually functions more like a nootropic than a fat burner. It still does what l-carnitine does when it comes to funneling fatty acids into cells so they can burn them for energy, but it also works by helping regulate neurotransmitters.
The better the neurotransmitters, the faster the brain signaling. It’s a really solid ingredient, but I feel like BSN Ripped Edge jumped the gun on this one since ALCAR is quite a dose-heavy compound and 250 mg is the bare minimum.
- With 225 mg, at least you have a sizeable amount of caffeine without it being too troublesome when it comes to side effects.
- Green Tea Extract. Green tea extract is a really good fat burner, but what BSN Ripped Edge gave us is not standardized for EGCG (the active compound in green tea for fat burning) and is underdosed by half. The minimum dose we want for green tea is 250 mg.
- Bitter Orange Extract as Advantra Z. This is synephrine except the name has gotten a bit of controversy over reports of some user side effects in sports. However, the brand Advantra Z has been shown to not have any side effects at all up to a dose of 150 mg. So, this is all good.
- Citicoline (Cognizin). This is the world’s most potent nootropic ever. It’s considered one of the best study supplements for focus as well as overall brain health support. The problem is, I don’t see this acting on its maximum effects given the dose is just 50 mg. Would’ve been better if we get at least 150 mg.
- Botan-X Matrix (Theacrine as TeaCrine, Sceletium tortuosum as Zembrin). This is a combination of caffeine-like stimulant without the side effects and a novel adaptogen for stress and mood. I know TeaCrine, but not really familiar with Zembrin. What I do know is, the dosage for either is too low for any real benefit.
- Red Pepper as Capsimax. Capsimax delivers the maximum heat and absorption red pepper can give. And even with the 30 mg dose, it’s still probably worth taking.
- Grapefruit Bioflavonoid Complex. Not really an impressive fat burner, but it does help with appetite by means of better blood sugar control.
- Toothed Club Moss. This is your huperzine source, a nootropic capable of boosting brain energy and mental performance even in tiny dosages. The problem is, we’re not sure just how much we’re getting since it ain’t standardized.
- Yohimbe contains yohimbine, a really potent yet controversial stimulant that’s known to force-produce fat burning hormones from the thyroid. Sad thing is, we don’t know the exact standardization too.
- Black pepper as BioPerine. At 5 mg, BioPerine should help with the overall bioavailability of each ingredient.
BSN Ripped Edge Review: formula analysis
That was one crazy ingredient list. BSN Ripped Edge really tried to squeeze in good ingredients, but it was ultimately a bad formulating strategy.
What I like:
Transparency. BSN Ripped Edge isn’t a cheap bottle, so any prop blend ain’t welcome.
The number of premium ingredients are also worth noting. It’s my first time seeing the likes of Cognizin, BioPerine, and Advantra Z in one capsule. It also explains why BSN Ripped Edge is crazy expensive.
There should be synergy among the many ingredients BSN Ripped Edge has. Synephrine, Caffeine, and Yohimbine make for one potent stim-burn stack, but it also boosts their respective side effects, sadly.
What I don’t like:
I really just can’t get the idea behind stuffing 11 ingredients (16 counting vitamins and minerals) in a capsule. Like, bro wtf?! Even powders hesitate adding this many ingredients at once!
The dosing for most of the ingredients are poorly done too. Even the vitamins and minerals are terribly dosed despite the 100% DV. When you train you actually use up more than 100% of vitamin intake.
I also think adding ALCAR was a bad idea. Not only is the first ingredient more nootropic than fat burner, it also requires upwards of 500 mg to be worth taking. They could have removed it and instead standardized yohimbine or Huperzia for maximum effect.
In summary: BSN Ripped Edge tried too hard to impress people that it lost sight of what was truly important in creating an efficient and effective fat burner: Common sense.
Common sense is important when planning out a supplement formula. You just don’t look at a capsule and think “Hmmm, maybe this little thing can fit 16 ingredients! Surely, nothing will go wrong!”
I would have cut half of the ingredients and redistribute the dosages properly if it were me.
What’s Missing from BSN Ripped Edge?
There’s nothing missing here, bro. I’d be surprised if there was something missing, actually. BSN Ripped Edge tried to pretty much attack all angles of fat burning, so I give them points for effort at the very least.
So, does BSN Ripped Edge work?
BSN Ripped Edge works mostly due to its stimulants and peppers. There’s also an element of nootropic boosting going on here, but nothing too spectacular.
Does BSN Ripped Edge have a lot of caffeine?
The 225 mg dosage shouldn’t be too hard on you if you’re a regular coffee drinker. It’s just over two good cups of coffee.
So, is BSN Ripped Edge any good or just hype?
BSN Ripped Edge is a lot of hype. The ingredients that does the job in its formula (as in work properly) aren’t the premium ones like Cognizin and TeaCrine. No, the bulk of the work comes from the stims and their resulting synergy with other stim ingredients.
Sadly, it also makes BSN Ripped Edge more of a glorified and overcomplicated stim-burner.
BSN Ripped Edge Review: benefits for muscle
BSN Ripped Edge offers some nootropics to help ease the stress associated with weight lifting. There’s also a boatload of energy on the table, so that shouldn’t be a problem when you’re going to the gym.
Who is BSN Ripped Edge made for?
BSN Ripped Edge is definitely made for those looking for premiums and can afford to pay for said premiums. It’s also for those looking for a “complete” fat burner, so I guess adding those ingredients will make it appear complete when it’s really hollowed out.
BSN Ripped Edge Review: side effects
The side effects associated with caffeine, synephrine, and yohimbe are slightly boosted. Depending on your tolerance, you might experience jitters, sweats, palpitations, and in rare cases a temporary bit of hypertension.
BSN Ripped Edge Review: pros and cons
Pros
- Premium stack. BSN Ripped Edge definitely called the premiums to a party.
- All-in kind of formula. Covered majority of bases when it comes to fat burning.
- Hard energy. Nothing like a good mix of stims to get you going.
Cons
- Over complicated mess. Capsules ain’t meant to fit all that shit.
- Dosing issues. A consequence of adding too many inside something too little.
- Can be pricey. Depending on where you buy this, you might end up paying more than $50!
Pricing info
- 1 bottle (45 servings): $43.00
- Available online and in retail stores.
BSN Ripped Edge Review: summary
BSN Ripped Edge tried to make sure your burn the fat away from your body like a blowtorch to a piece of dry wood. They managed to find a way to squeeze more than a handful of premiums, with some super rare that even I didn’t think would exist inside a fat burning supplement.
It’s just sad how BSN Ripped Edge tried so hard to become a fat burner that covers all the bases, that it ironically ended up covering only some. From too many key ingredients to poor dosing strategy, BSN Ripped Edge really didn’t think someone would spot their BS formula.
BSN Ripped Edge still works, though. I mean, it’s going to be mostly stim-driven, but it damn works. The question now is, would you actually pay a premium for just another stim-burner?
I know I won’t. Unless you have a stack that needs to be filled in, I wouldn’t recommend BSN Ripped Edge.
