Update 8/1/20. Bob Harper of the Biggest Loser, is saying in TV commercials when it comes to weight loss “it's as simple as 1,2,3: eat right, be active and try my new Smart Weight Loss formula”. Really? I've heard about eating right and exercise but what about Bob Harpers Smart Weight Loss Formula? Does Bob know something about weight loss the rest of us don’t? I was intrigued, especially when Bob uttered my two favorite words (next to Star Trek!) – Clinical research. According to Bob, his Smart Weight Loss Formula is backed up by two clinical studies. I did some digging into this supplement and uncovered some interesting facts. Let’s now take a look at Bob Harpers Smart Weight Loss Formula and see if we can figure out if it’s right for you.
Smart Success Weight Loss products
If you go to BobHarperSmartSuccess.com you see that his weight loss formula is actually 3 different products:
- Smart Weight Loss 7 day starter kit
- Smart Weight Loss Formula
- Smart 7 Day Cleanse (this product contains senna which can be very dangerous. I do not recommend)
I'm going to focus mostly on the Smart Weight Loss Formula first and briefly review the other products at the end of this review.
Smart Weight Loss Formula Ingredients
- Vitamin C 7mg (useless for weight loss)
- Calcium 175 mg (useless for weight loss)
“Invigorate Energy Blend” (455 mg). This contains the following:
- Coffee extract (probably helps weight loss)
- Pomegranate powder (no proof it helps weight loss)
- Goji powder (no proof it helps weight loss)
Trim Smart Blend
- Frauenmantel extract (Alchemilla Vulgaris leaf)
- Wild olive extract (Olea Europea leaf)
- Cormino extract (Cuminum cyminum seed)
- Horsemint extract (Mentha longifolia leaf)
Smart Weight Loss Clinical Studies
Now let’s look at the two clinical studies Bob Harper says supports his weight loss formula. These clinical studies are summarized on the Smart Weight Loss website. Here is basically what they say:
Study 1
12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Subjects using the “key ingredients” in the Smart Weight Loss Formula lost an average of 20.94 lbs. versus the placebo group, who lost an average of 1.70 lbs. Both groups followed a calorie-reduced diet.
Interesting.
Here is what they don’t say about this study.
- Where is the study published? There is no reference so people can go and read the study themselves. This is a big problem in my opinion.
There is a big difference between “clinical study” and “Published peer reviewed study”. Without letting other researchers look over how the study was done, how do we know the study is not flawed?
- How many people were in this study? 10, 20, 100? They don’t tell us. This is another big problem because if the study only had a small number of people, it reduces the likelihood that others would see the same results.
- How many calories did people eat? They only say people ate a reduced-calorie diet.
- What was the placebo? They dont tell us. This is important. If the people getting the placebo knew they were not getting the real supplement, they may have cheated more on their diet, thinking “what’s the use?” Placebo choice can make or break a study.
- How much of the weight lost was body fat? They only say that people who took the Smart Weight Loss supplement lost 20.94 pounds. My question is 20.94 pounds of what?
Was it 20.94 pounds of fat?
Was it 20.94 pounds of water?
Was it 20.94 pounds of muscle?
They don’t tell us.
I have no proof but I am guessing that the 20.94 pounds is a combination of some fat, carbs, and water (carbs store lots of water) and maybe a little protein. That’s basically what you see when people go on a diet.
- How did they measure body fat? If they are saying people lost 20.94 pounds of fat, how did the researchers measure it? They don’t tell us. Somebody fat measurements can be pretty inaccurate.
- Who did the study? They say it was a “third party” but that’s vague. It’s implied this means an independent lab did the research but since they don’t specifically say it, we can’t assume this.
Study 2
This study lasted 8 weeks and was backed by the company that makes Bob Harpers Smart Weight Loss supplements. That’s not bad as long as the research is good and the company did not influence the results.
This study was also a randomized, placebo-controlled study. That's good. People using the same key ingredients lost 16.5 pounds (those taking the placebo lost 1.73 lbs).
Again, they don’t tell us a lot about this study either:
- It looks like this is not a published/peer-reviewed study
- What was the placebo?
- How many people were in the study?
The weight loss study Bob doesn't tell you about.
According to Bob Harper's website the “key ingredients” in his Smart Weight loss Formula are:
- Frauenmantel extract (Alchemilla Vulgaris leaf)
- Wild olive extract (Olea europaea leaf)
- Cormino extract (Cuminum cyminum seed)
- horsemint extract
There is a reason why Bob calls them the “key ingredients” – and here it is.
In 2008, there was a study published in the journal, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The study was NOT on Bob Harper's weight loss formula.
Researches were actually testing if another supplement called WeighLevel to see if it helped. The WeighLevel supplement also has the 4 “key ingredients”– and had them at least 3 years BEFORE Bob Harper's supplements. The Weight Level supplement may be discontinued as it cannot be located.
As far as I can tell, this is the ONLY study of these 4 ingredients that has been published in a scientific journal (Remember, the clinical studies touted in Bob'sLoss Formula seem to be unpublished and not peer-reviewed).
Other Smart Weight Loss Products
Bob’s weight loss formula has 3 separate products:
- Smart Weight Loss 7 day Cleanse supplement
Here is the scoop on the other 2 products
The Smart Weight Loss 7 Day Cleanse
This product contains senna which is a laxative. For more on senna see these reviews
Senna was one of the main active ingredients in the weight loss supplement Zi Xiu Tang Bee Pollen. The 7 Day Cleanse also contains Acai fruit which is useless for weight loss.
See the reviews on the Acai Berry Diet and Fact about Acai Berry.
The Smart Weight Loss Starter Kit
This is basically the same thing as the Smart Weight Loss Formula. It has 2 parts – an AM formula and a PM formula. Both contain the same 4 “key ingredients” except that the AM formula also has caffeine (coffee extract) and some other things that do nothing for weight loss.
To be fair, the ingredients in Bob's supplements pale in comparison to the supplements that Jillian Michaels was previously associated with.
The Smart Weight Loss TV Commercial
I watched the Bob Harper TV commercial and I noticed something interesting.
During the commercial Bob says “its key ingredients have proven in two clinical studies”.
Have proven? Have proven what?
Notice Bob does not say its key ingredients “have been proven to cause weight loss” in two clinical studies.
Bob just says the key ingredients “have proven in”. The way Bob says it, the sentence makes no sense and is vague.
Was that an error? Was it fancy Hollywood editing to get around FDA red tape?
Also notice in the TV commercials nobody ever says “the product causes weight loss”.
Instead, they say “It really works”.
Saying it really works is vague language that’s used frequently in supplement ads to tap dance around the law and make people think something promotes weight loss.
Some may think my securitizing of Bob’s words are petty, but I need to do this because of who Bob Harper is. He’s on a hit TV show and is famous. People will take his words as gospel because they like Bob. Heck, I like Bob too!
During the commercial, you meet “Erin” who says “I lost 23 pounds the Smart Way”. Other people are also shown in TV commercials.
But if you read the words at the bottom of the screen you see that these people also:
- Went on a diet and exercised
- And were PAID for their testimonials!
How much did they exercise? How many calories did they eat per day? How long did it take to lose weight? These are important questions because if you don’t do the same thing, odds are you won’t see the same results.
Does It Work?
I have many questions about the clinical studies Bob Harper mentions as proof of his Smart Weight Loss Formula. As I've shown you, the only published study on the “key ingredients” appears to be on a totally different weight loss supplement.
Bere is Bob Harpers Smart Weight Loss on Amazon.
What do you think?
Does this interfere or have a negative effect on individuals with hypothyroidism? Or interact with Levothyroxyne which is a hypothyroid medicine?
Carlos, not that I am aware of. try asking a pharmacist and if they say it will, let me know. Do separate them by at least an hour because I believe synthroid can interact with many supplements.
Okay, Im starting today. Im tired of being poor AND unattractive. To get clients, I need to shape up and loose weight. Tingtong to Male escort..:D
I want to know the company that makes Bob Harper Smart Weight loss PRoducts. They do not work and you can’t seem to get any information on how to get your money back. If you could provide me with whatever information you have and gEt me to the right company so that I can attempt to get my money back if possible. Thank you,
Sincerely yours,
Kim yates
Kim, this is interesting thanks for bringing this up. I looked at “Bobharperssupplements.com” and you are right there is no “contact us” page. I checked the “privacy” page of that website and saw the name “Iovate” which is short for Iovate Health Sciences International Inc. This is the same company that makes Hydroxycut.
The Iovate website is http://www.iovate.com/ but even there I did not see an address or phone number to contact them. On the hydroxycut webpage I did find this address for Iovate 381 North Service Road West, Oakville, ON CANADA L6M 0H4.
Bob harper and hydroxycut do have facebook pages. You can find bob harpers supplement facebook page by searching for “bob harper’s smart success” and you can post your question there and hopefully somebody will get back to you.
Hydroxycut also has a facebook page so you can post there also and try to find a customer service number.
Where did you get the supplement from? Was it at a Walgreens, supermarket etc? If yes you can also go to the store and speak to the manager and get an address/phone number from them. They should have contact information for all products they sell.
Kim, I wish I could be more help. Would you contact me with an update on how you resolved this? I’d also like to know who to contact if you are looking for a refund.
do you have a review for xenadrine results ? Is there anything out there that does help at all. I am already doing reduced calories and exercise. Have lost 20 — need to be patient. I am healthy.
Terri, I looked at xendrine for you. It has caffeine so its a stimulant. They say it also has something called “LipoCore” which is an invented word for another supplement. The xedranine site says this is a combination of frauenmantle, wild olive, cormino, horsemint but when I googled “LipoCore” I found the company that actually makes it – Katalyst Nutraceuticals – and they say it has different stuff like ALA, CLA and GLA. here is the link http://www.katalystnutraceuticals.com/katalyst/products/weightloss/lipocor
since you’ve already lost 20 pounds, Id say keep doing what you are doing. It sounds like you are making tremendous progress.
My fiance suggested that I do some research and look at the reviews before going and potentially wasting my money on this product. Needless to say, I’m glad I found your review and avoided inevitably wasting money on a product that isn’t going to do much for me. I think I’ll just stick to a healthy diet and increase my activity/exercise (which is about non-existent at this point) 😉 Thank you very much and I will be looking for your reviews to give me more good insight in the future!
Thanks for letting the world know about this product. I was looking for something to help me get a boost on my weight loss. I was also looking for something to help with energy. Since I started doing Insanity a week ago, I wanted something to help push me through the workouts. So I was wondering what do you think about all the hype about raspberry ketones?
Glannette, Im actually working on raspberry ketone right now! I’m reviewing the research and hope to have it posted this week or early next week. Since you said you were doing Insanity, please read this which I posted on my personal website http://www.joe-cannon.com/rhabdomyolysis-personal-trainers-exercise-review-symptoms-negatives-eccentric-fitness-bootcamp/
its a must read for everybody who works out intensely. Be sure to read the comments also…
Thanks Joe!
I did go to the doctor today. I have to go in for blood tests just to be sure everything is alright. But, it’s most likely acid reflux from all the caffeine in these pills 🙁 It’s so uncomfortable! I’ve definitely stopped taking them. I’m very disappointed that Bob Harper would endorse this product. I would never recommend it to anyone!
I am aware and ok with the fact that I will probably gain the weight back. It was too good to be true. The good thing is that I am also being tested for hypothyroid because it has taken me 2 years to lose 25lbs and I can’t get past this hump even though I have a generally healthy diet and I exercise regularly. I seem to have a lot of the symptoms and this experience has forced me to finally get tested.
If you do ever find a safe magic pill, I’d love to know about it! Just don’t sell yourself out 😉
Amanda, great!I am VERY glad to hear you saw a doctor and that everything seems OK! As for hypothyroidism, I think that’s a smart idea. I discovered last year I was hypothyroid (couldn’t lose weight even on a 1000 calorie diet and got tired a LOT in the afternoon).
I was likewise disappointing in Bob. I often drew the distinction between Bob (who sold oatmeal on TV) vs Jillian (who sold wt loss supplements). I’m sad I cant make that distinction anymore.
I will let you know if I ever find something that works/is safe but dont worry about me “selling out.” That won’t happen 🙂
I need to lose weight and got Bob’s weight loss product and started taking it today. Took 4 pills in total. Decided to do a search on it and came across your site. After reading some of the posted comments by others I am wondering about this product and scared. I guess like with everything in my life, to good to be true.
Always been hesitant of trying any weight loss stuff but decided to try this one because it was advertised as a natural product.
I have never worked out and dont know anything about gym equipment and all that stuff. Everything I have seen, read, come across when it comes to exercising are the regular same traditional work out routines, moves, etc…
I have to be very very careful what exercise I do since I have bad hips (limited motion), bad back pain, and limited left shoulder motion.
Because of this I dont know what exercises I can do to get in shape and mainly loose weight. No exercise/info/resources I have been able to find that can help me and learn. Accomplished what I want/need.
Any help you can give me I really appreciate it. Thanks
Javier, have you seen a physical therapist about trying to exercise while working around your condition? They are very good at helping with things like this. Also have you ever considered exercising in a pool? This will also help.
When it comes to exercise, “they” often try to make it more complicated than it has to be. I am an exercise physiologist in “real life” so I know that it doesn’t take any special exercises. If you are able to walk, then I say that’s a fine exercise.
This is what I suggest. Try to see a physical therapist and explain to them your problems and tell ask if there are any exercises to help your current issues. if yes start with those. If you can find a health club with a warm water pool I also suggest this if you can.
When it comes to the gym, the physical therapist should be able to guide you here also but if not, if you join a gym, try to find a personal trainer who is certified by the “NSCA” or “NASM” or “ACSM” These are high end fitness organizations. the people certified by these groups often have a higher level of knowledge dealing with people who have special needs.
I believe you can work around your issues Javier. I think it will just take time.
As for Bob’s weight loss supplement, I think its best to start with only 1 pill to see what happens before taking more. If you want to keep taking it, use only 1 pill for a week to see how you feel before taking more.
Have you ever spoken with a nutritionist before? Instead of a wt loss pill, they will show you how to eat to help you lose weight. If you go to the website EatRight.org you can find a nutritionist in your area.
I hope some of this helps Javier. Ive also written about various weight loss tips on my personal website here is the link http://www.joe-cannon.com/what-weight-loss-supplements-work/
This was an easy sell for me! If Bob Harper was willing to stamp his name on this, I was in. Bob seems to believe in healthy weight loss, so I bought his DVD and a bottle of the smart weight loss formula.
When the product arrived, I was disappointed in the ingredients. I was unhappy about the amount of caffeine in it, since I’m not a coffee drinker and I get headaches from it. I was also disappointed in the non medical ingredient cellulose…which I’m sure is used for all pill casings, but it’s something I am trying to avoid. I left this product on my shelf for a few weeks.
Ten days ago, I decided to try the product since I paid for it. I started waking up early enough to take it before eating breakfast. The first couple of days were ok. I started feeling like I had more energy. I felt full and my appetite decreased. I was also having frequent bowel movements. Then, I started to notice that I couldn’t sleep as well at night. By the third night I started getting stomach cramps, that even woke me during the night. I had to miss a day of work because I wasn’t sleeping and I had a sick feeling in my stomach. I kept telling myself it’s just my body detoxing.
Now, after using it for 10 days, I feel awful which is why I’ve been looking at the reviews for this product. I am off work again today because I had the worst stomach pains last night. I don’t feel hungry, I don’t even want to eat anything. I have lost weight, but it seems like the most unhealthy way to do it.
Anyway, it’s going to be back to the gym and hopefully I can train my mind to eat less and eat healthy! Thank-you Joe for the review and all the research you put into this. I hope that everyone sees it before they get sick!
Amanda, thanks for writing and I am so sorry that you missed work! Please dont mistake your problems for your body “detoxing.” If the only thing you changed was taking the supplement, its probable that the supplement was causing the pains you were having. Its possible that when you do start to get your appitite back that you will regain some of the weight you said you lost but dont be depressed over this. I’d bet most of the weight you lost was water which will return when you eat again. just wanted to point that out so that you dont think its “fat.” It’s not.
I do hope you feel better soon -but if you dont, I do want you to go to your doctor. If anything, that will help me sleep better knowing that you did 🙂
Come on guys, wake up. The Weighlevel research was conducted by the same guys that own the patent. 20 pounds over 3 months without any change in diet or exercise? Yeah right. Now that’s funny. Examine the ingredients by themselves and explain to me how you get that type of weight loss over 3 months. Simply impossible. Wow, people will believe anything.
I bought Harper’s 7 day starter kit. I am on my 6th day and lost 6lbs. I take 2 in the morning, 2 before lunch and 2 before dinner.
I have great energy in the morning and afternoon! No jitters!
I noticed my appetite or lack of appetite has changed. It does make me very thirsty, which make me drink a lot more water.
It could be water weight i have lost, but i am going to continue on and take the next set of his supplements.
Hopefully, i continue loosing weight.
Jessica, thanks for the feedback and I hope it continues also. Keep me posted!
Well, the above info is well presented. I guess with so many fad diets or change of lifestyle programs there is questions.
I have been on many programs, I am seriously over weight by 50 + lbs.
I thought I will try this program.
I am not one to exercise nor diet. But willing to give Bob a try.
I struggle with routines and fight with eating regular times as with food.
Will try to post update.
Ron, give it time and remember that you dont have to build Rome in a day. On the Biggest Loser, they basically lock people away for 3 months and make them do a lot of exercise while drastically cutting their calories (1600-1800 per day if I remember). For many people on that show, they gain much if not all of the weight back. Don’t do what they do. if you want to try Bobs product, that’s fine and if you can find some time to exercise thats good too. I think the key is to find a routine that you can fit into your schedule. Focus on being healthy and not just losing weight. Studies show that overweight people who exercise are heather than skinny people who don’t. I think if you focus on trying to be a healthier you, that you will be more successful than if you just focus on weight loss. I hope this helps some Ron and do keep me posted what happens.
Just curious, I am wondering if Karen is referring to Bob Harper’s supplement or WeighLevel? Has anyone tried WeighLevel? I’d like to hear about any experiences.
Just so you know, there IS information out there on ALL the ingredients in the product. The first 3 that you mention and say “probably help weight loss” are under the ENERGY BLEND – meaning they are primarily for the ENERGY part of the product. The other 4 ingredients, when you look for the background on them, have specific regard to what we eat:
Stimulates metabolism – wild mint
Reduces appetite – Lady’s Mantle
Eases digestion – Lady’s Mantle, cumin, olive leaves
And interestingly, all four of these have a number of other positive benefits on the body, especially Lady’s Mantle for female issues.
HOWEVER, I think the energy blend is incredibly high in caffeine – I read the box BEFORE I purchased and ingested any. I decided to only take one and see how it goes, then one more at lunch time – that’s it. 185 mg of caffeine is a ton (the amount in 2 capsules). A SMALL cup of coffee at Starbucks is approximately 100 mg! So, instead of having any coffee or energy drinks, this is more than enough for 1 day.
I won’t ever go to 2 capsules 3 X daily. I’m staying at 1 capsule 2 X per day, and only at breakfast and lunch. The lunch capsule helps me even at dinner. I eat healthy and exercise, but needed that extra kick in the pants for energy, focus, and a LITTLE appetite control. This maybe has more appetite control than I want, and I will potentially only take half a capsule at lunch time. Plus, I take mine with my meal, not before my meal like it says to do. I have a sensitive stomach, and don’t know how that would be. And actually, the second capsule I take AFTER lunch, when I feel the energy start to drag.
Joe, I completely agree with you concerning the dubious marketing methods behind Bob Harper’s supplement. And since discovering your site, I have been very impressed with your unbiased “the truth and nothing but the truth” approach.
I appreciate everyone’s comments about the supplement in question. But I think that what is being overlooked here is the study you referenced on Weighlevel. Yes, the sample size of only 80 adults is a little small, but compared to many weight-loss supplements, the results sure look promising, particularly the conclusion that “significant and progressive weight reductions were observed each month” over the period of three months. Add to that the important observation by researchers that the supplement was well-tolerated by all subjects involved. You yourself have commented on the importance of peer-reviewed, published studies, and this seems to be one of them.
Why not serve your readers up a review of Weighlevel, which I believe is still on the market? Maybe even try a test run of it? I know there is no “silver bullet” that will allow anyone to lose weight without effort, but Weighlevel seems like it may help in the battle.
Ray, yes, I was intrigued by the weighlevel research as well. Its funny, until you mentioned it, I was under the impression that Weighlevel was discontinued but I just did a search and there are people on the web selling it. I may have to take a closer look at WeighLevel sometime this year. Thanks for the heads up and the very kind words 🙂
I hear all of you. I have tried this weight loss supplement for a week. It says NO other caffeine use period!! I drank water and followed the directions completely…….I have lost 8 pounds in ONE week! So, I say it works! I feel great and have had no side effects. I have not done any work outs other than my normal daily routine of life. Just wanted to share that! 🙂
How bob advertise it is a supplement. He says WITH diet and exercise on it. NOT a magic pill … its a supplement that is only supposed to help your weight loss
Amanda, yes that’s true but he has no studies on his product to show it works. I would insist on those studies being published before I would put my good reputation behind any supplement.
Thank you, thats’ what I thought and when I come across a product to consider I will be sure to look on your website first for your amazing reviews. Thanks again…
Thanks for the kind words Bejia 🙂
Joe, thank you kindly, this was very helpful and your review on Relacore was enlightning, will rethink taking that again. I will try your suggestion on the veggie intake. Also, any real diet pill out there that may actually work?
Beija, if the diet pill that works and is safe for everybody is out there I have yet to find it. I always keep looking and if I find any I will be sure to review it
Forgot too mention, I also drink lots of water, occasionally vege juice, coconut water, coconut milk, almond milk and every other day, apple cider vinegar about half a cup, thank you in advance for any advice you can provide.
Let me know if any of this helped Beija