“Science gives the thumbs up.” So said the internet summary for the weight loss supplement, Dietspotlight Burn, also known as Burn HD. What makes this weight loss pill interesting is that it's produced /marketed by a supplement review website (Dietspotlight). Really? Yep. In this unbiased review, I'll show you the evidence behind Burn HD and it's active ingredient Meratrim. Does this supplement really burn off fat? Does Burn HD work or is it a scam? Let's see…
DietSpotlight Burn Benefits
According to the company website (DietSpotlight.com), the ingredients in the product are touted to:
- Boost metabolism
- Spark fat loss
- Boost energy
Most weight loss supplements make similar claims. So lets look at the research on the product itself and then its ingredients and see what we can figure out about it.
DietSpotlight Burn Research
If there is clinical research on this weight loss supplement, it cannot be located.
I searched the following medical databases:
- Pubmed.gov (National Library of Medicine)
- ClinicalTrials.gov (lists clinical studies currently going on)
for “DietSpotLight Burn,” and “Burn HD” but found no clinical studies on this supplement.
Just to cover my bases, I also performed a Google search for “Dietspotlight Burn clinical research.” This also did not reveal any studies either.
Conclusion: For now, it seems Dietspotlight Burn (Burn HD) lacks clinical evidence it works.
But, lack of evidence doesn't necessarily mean something doesn't work. It does mean though we will have to look at the individual ingredients in Burn HD to understand it better.
Let's do that now.
Dietspotlight Burn HD Ingredients
According to DietSpotlight.com, 1 bottle has 60 capsules (a months supply). One capsule has the following ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Green Tea Extract (to 70% EGCG) | 200 mg |
| Meratrim (sphaeranthus indicus) | 400 mg |
| ChromeMate (chromium polynicotinate) | 100 mcg |
| Natural Caffeine USP | 75 mg |
It's recommended to take 2 capsules per day – 1 capsule in the morning before breakfast and another capsule before lunch.
So, if you took 2 capsules / day you would be getting:
- 400 mg of green tea extract
- 800 mg of Meratrim
- 200 micrograms of ChroMate
- 150 mg of caffeine
For the most part, these are common ingredients found in MANY weight loss products you may have heard of. Let's take a brief look at each ingredient now as it pertains to weight loss. In fact, looking at the this list, I already know what the active ingredient is. Keep reading…
Green Tea
Green tea (it's scientific name is Camellia sinensis) is a healthy botanical I often add to smoothies. It contains a wide range of antioxidants and is highly studied for more conditions than you can shake a stick at.
But, when it comes to weight loss, I'm not convinced it helps. The research is split with some studies saying:
- it works (click to see study)
- it doesn't work (click to see study)
If green tea really does reduce body weight, I feel caffeine is needed for it to work. Decaffeinated green tea doesn't seem to work according to at least one study. Fortunately, DietSpotlight Burn does include caffeine so no worries there.
Supplement labels often tell us how much EGCG it has. EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) is one of many bio-active compounds in green tea known as catechins (pronounced cat-a-kins). In case you wondered, EGCG is pronounced “epi-galo-cat-a-kin gal-ate.” (Now ya know why they call it EGCG!)
As a rule, I prefer the whole plant to an extract. That's what I add to smoothies. I feel the tea provides a more broader spectrum of nutrients. Green tea extracts are not without controversy – including liver failure. See the side effects section below.
Here's my smoothie recipe in case you were curious.
ChromeMate
ChroMate is a trademarked name for chromium polynicotinate (chromium poly-nick-o-tin-ate). What's that? Basically, it's the mineral chromium bound to the vitamin, niacin. This is done to improve absorption of the mineral.
ChroMate is a supplement from a company called InterHealth Nutraceuticals (which is now owned by a Swiss company called Lonza. Its website is Lonza.com).
Chromium can reduce blood sugar levels. That's all fine and good, but can chromium help people lose weight? While the Diet Spotlight website does not specifically say chromium helps weight loss, they do list a weight loss study– from 1997.
Either way, I have to respectfully disagree.
The overwhelming majority of clinical studies show chromium does not help weight loss. (click to read review)
Niacin, which forms part of the type of chromium used in ChroMate, has been getting attention it might help slow down the aging process. See the The Nicotinamide riboside review for more on the anti-aging reputation of this vitamin.
Natural Caffeine
Caffeine is caffeine whether it's “natural” or made in a laboratory. Companies making weight loss supplements have been adding caffeine to their products for decades. The reasons for this include:
- caffeine might raises your metabolism (burn more calories)
- caffeine might spur you to do more stuff (like exercise)
- Caffeine promotes fat burning (called lipolysis)
- Caffeine seems to reduce hunger
Great. But, if caffeine really –significantly – helped weight loss, couldn't you just drink diet coke or cup of coffee? DietSpotlight Burn has 75 mg of caffeine per capsule (150 mg per 2 capsules).
I'd bet many people reading this drink more than 2 cups of coffee per day. Most people don't lose weight drinking coffee or diet soda. Because of this, I have doubts about caffeine containing supplements. Could caffeine be present to help the green tea work better? Maybe. But, I still feel green tea is iffy at best as a weight loss supplement.
What Is Meratrim?
This is the active ingredient in Burn HD. Meratrim is a supplement by a company called InterHealth Nutraceuticals (the same company as ChroMate, mentioned above). Meratrim is composed of 2 botanical ingredients:
- Sphaeranthus indicus
- Garcinia mangostana
Sphaeranthus indicus, also known as East Indian Globe Thistle is an herb used in Ayurvedic medicine. It's said to help blood sugar as well as many other things.
Garcinia mangostana is fancy name for mangosteen, which some may have heard about from other products it's been in such as Vemma. (click to read review).
Let's now look at the weight loss research on Meratrim.
MeraTrim Weight Loss Research
There are some studies on Meratrim as it pertains to weight loss.
In one study, published in 2016 800 mg of Meratrim (or a placebo) were given to 50 healthy, overweight people for 16 weeks. People were instructed to eat only 2000 calories per day and walk for 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week. Those getting Meratrim lost significantly more weight than those taking a placebo.
Prior tot this, a study also noted 800 mg of Meratrim helped people lose weight. This study involved 50 overweight people who took either Meratrim or a placebo for 8 weeks. In this study, people consumed 2000 calories per day and walked 5 days per week for 30 minutes.
The Diet Spotlight website also shows a graph which is said to be the results of an 8 week study showing how Meratrim improves weight loss by an average of 11.4 pounds. But, as is clearly shown on their site, this graph comes from a study that was “presented at 58th Annual Meeting of American College of Nutrition, 11/12/15, Orlando FL.”
Studies presented at scientific conferences may not be peer reviewed clinical studies. It may be a fine study, but until it is published in a medical journal for the world to see, I view it as less important than the other clinical studies.
Two capsules of DietSpotlight Burn provides 800 mg of Meratrim. That's good because it's got the amount the published clinical studies have used too.
But, what is interesting is that the published studies only used Meratrim. In other words, the studies didn't combine Meratrim with caffeine, green tea and chromium.
It was just Meratrim by itself.
There is no evidence Meratrim works better with the other ingredients in Burn HD. So, you can save money and just use Meratrim
Burn HD Active Ingredient
Based on the clinical studies summarized above, if Dietspotlight Burn really works, I believe it's because of Meratrim. I believe Meratrim is the key ingredient. Could the caffeine, green tea and chromium in the supplement promote greater weight loss?
Sure, it's possible, but that's speculation without research to prove it. Remember, the researchers conducting the Meratrim studies gave people Meratrim alone – and nothing else.
For the public, this is good news because Meratrim is LESS EXPENSIVE than DietSpotlight Burn HD.
Here's Meratrim and Here's DietSpotlight Burn. Compare their prices.
Burn HD Free Sample: Do You Qualify? YES…
On the DietSpotlight website, there is a form to complete to see if you qualify for a free, 15 day sample.
But, guess what?
EVERYBODY qualifies for the free sample!
Even if you don't enter ANY information and just click the “claim your Sample” button, you'll still qualify.
This is wrong for so many reasons. Shame on them!
For example, what if you were someone with an eating disorder? That person should never use a diet supplement – yet they would also qualify for the free sample of this product.
But, wait, there's more. The free sample really isn't free.
The free sample is really $3.95. I get they need to cover their costs, but you have to give them:
- your name
- your address
- your phone number
- your email
before you learn the cost of free sample. Why don't they just tell us up front the free sample is $3.95? By purchasing the free sample, you may be enrolled in an autoship program. See below for more on this.
More important than this, now they have your contact information, what will they do with it? I don't know. In this age of information gathering and Facebook scandals, I think this is a valid question to ask.
Buy Burn HD
This supplement is not sold in stores like Costco, Walmart, Target, Kroger, Kholes, Rite Aid, CVS or Walgreens. You can only get it from the Diet Spotlight website.
Remember Meratrim is LESS expensive!
DietSpotlight Burn HD Cost
The FAQ page of the product website tells us buying just a single bottle (1 month supply/ 60 capsules) costs $89.95. If you take advantage of the autoship program, then the cost is $59.95 plus shipping and handling.
Either way you slice it, I think this supplement is expensive.
Remember, Meratrim is the key ingredient. It costs a LOT less.
The Diet Spotlight AutoShip Program
If you decide to purchase the free sample of Burn HD, you must cancel within 14 days OR you'll be automatically enrolled in an autoship program called, Burn HD Member Program. If you do not cancel within 14 days, they will send a months supply at 14 days and every month after that, charging your credit card $59.95 plus $5.95 shipping and handling each month until you cancel. These terms are stated on the website.
DietSpotlight Platinum X
Those who call to order DietSpotlight Burn may be introduced to Platinum X. This is a year-long program which includes supplements as well as counseling with a health coach, online support and other tools to help people lose weight. The cost for Platinum X is $249 billed every 3 months ($996 per year).
I was told that for those who did not achieve at least 15%-20% of their weight loss goal would receive another year of Platinum X absolutely free. In other words, it doesn't look like they offer refunds.
Some studies have shown weight loss is improved when people get coaching. So, it's theoretically possible weight loss would be better with Platinum X than just using the supplements by themselves. Regardless, I think this is a lot of money. Weight Watchers is much less expensive.
Other DietSpotlight Supplements
Previously, the company website has sold other weight loss supplements. Those I have reviewed before include Leptigen and Avesil. Here's the ingredients in DietSpotlight Burn, Leptigen and Avesil side-by side.
| DietSpotlight Burn (1 capsule) | Leptigen (1 capsule) | Avesil (1 capsule) |
|---|---|---|
| Green Tea Extract (70% EGCG) | Green Tea Extract (70% EGCG) | Green Tea Extract (70% EGCG) |
| Meratrim 400 mg | Meratrim 400 mg | Meratrim 400 mg |
| ChromeMate 100 mcg | ChromeMate 100 mcg | ChromeMate 100 mcg |
| Natural Caffeine 75 mg | Natural Caffeine 75 mg | Natural Caffeine 75 mg |
These look like the same thing to me. To be fair, Avesil, once contained an ingredient called ashwagandha (osh-wa-gon-da). It appears ashwagandha was replaced by Meratrim, likely because of the better weight loss evidence.
Still, the question remains: Why has the Diet Spotlight company been putting the same ingredients in bottles and calling them different names?
What Is Burn HD?
As mentioned above, Diet Spotlight Burn is the same thing as Burn HD. They are the exact same thing with the same ingredients. Burn HD is the new name for this supplement. First Avisil, then Leptigen, then Burn and now Burn HD. Why do they keep changing the name of their weight loss supplement? This has been going on for years.
Who Makes DietSpotlight Burn?
The supplement is by the Diet Spotlight website. This is their supplement. As mentioned above, this website provids reviews of other supplements.
According to the Better Business Bureau, DietSpotlight.com is located at this address: 75 Valencia Avenue, Suite 1000
Coral Gables, FL 33134. An online search for this address (minus suite 1000) reveals an office building. The BBB gave this company a rating of “C+” when this review was updated.
According to Whois.com we see that the administrative person for DietSpotlight has an email address from greenbracket.com. This is the website of Green Bracket LLC.
Green Bracket LLC, located at 4135 Laguna Street, Coral Gables, FL 33146, shares this address with another company called Triton Web Properties (TritonCorp.com).
The founder/ CEO of DietSpotlight, Green Bracket and Triton Web Properties is the same person. So all three companies are the same.
According to this Bloomberg summary of the company, Triton Web Properties is involved buying websites, producing content for those websites and helping websites get ranked in search engines.
In other words, they own websites and create content for those sites to help them rank in search engines. This is called search engine optimization or SEO. They do it very well too. Dietspotlight often ranks at the top of Google results for many products.
What does this mean? The parent company of Diet Spotlight is Green Bracket LLC / Triton Web Properties – a website company. Why is a website company in the supplement business?
SupplementReviews.com has a very interesting review of the DietSpotlight company.
DietSpotlight: Pro & Con
Here's a quick summary of what I liked and didn't like about this supplement.
| What's Good | Whats Not So Good |
|---|---|
| Money back guarantee | Lacks clinical studies |
| Ephedra free | Very expensive |
| Has Meratrim | Everybody qualifies for a free sample |
| They keep changing the name of their supplement | |
| Autoship program |
One thing I did like about the company was their “Donate the Weight” initiative. Basically, when someone obtains one of their free samples, they donate 1 meal feed the less fortunate. I can appreciate that. I'm not sure how much they have donated. See the free sample section above for more info.
DietSpotlight Burn Side Effects
Even though the product seems to lack clinical research, I think DietSpotlight Burn (Burn HD) is safe for most healthy people. Based on the ingredients in the product, here are some things people should be aware of. Speak to your doctor if any of this applies to you. This list is not complete.
- Supplements containing green tea extracts have been associated with liver problems. While the risk appears to be very low, there have been some who needed liver transplants. What caused this? Was it the green tea or something in in these supplements? Obviously more research needs to be done to better understand what is happening. The risk seems to be associated with green tea supplements and not drinking green tea. See the review on supplements and liver failure.
- Dietspotlight Burn contains caffeine. This may lead to insomnia if taken close to bedtime. This is likely why they say to take the product with breakfast and lunch only.
- Stop taking Dietspotlight Burn at least 2 weeks before having surgery.
- The product is not intended for women who are pregnant breastfeeding.
- The product is not intended for those under 18.
For more personalized information on whether DietSpotlight Burn is right for you, speak to your doctor /pharmacist especially if you take ANY medications or have any health problems.
DietSpotlight Complaints
The Better Business Bureau has a variety of positive and negative reviews from people. Most of the positive comments mostly dealt with how well the product worked while the negative complaints dealt with how bad the company, bad customer service or about being enrolled in an autoship program.
Many of the positive comments seem to show up within a day of each other. I found it unusual so many people would go out of their way to go to the Better Business Bureau to say positive things at the BBB website.
Like the BBB, Amazon also has a combination of positive and negative reviews about this product. According to this article at NewBeauty.com, there are many fake reviews of products at Amazon.
Contact Diet Spotlight
The Better Business Bureau provides this contact number: 844-964-3258. To see their BBB ratings see the BBB site for updates and more information. Also see the BBB file for Green Bracket for more information.
Does Diet Spotlight Burn Work?
While DietSpotlight Burn (Burn HD) lacks clinical evidence to prove it helps people lose weight, this supplement does contain an ingredient called Meratrim which some research seems to show may work (when combined with eating fewer calories and exercise).
The good news is Meratrim is much less expensive than DietSpotlight Burn. My advice: Save money on Dietspotlight Burn / Burn HD and just get Meratrim.
Do You Have Any Questions?