Update 3/7/20. The Grenade Thermo Detonator sounds like a weapon of mass destruction but it's really a fat burner supplement marketed to bodybuilders and other strength athletes. Its name implies that it will explode your fat-burning potential and help people quickly lose weight. Regardless of the hype, lets cut to the chase – does it really work and is it safe? In this review look primarily at the Thermo Detonator ingredients and try to find evidence for them. Along the way, my hope is to help you better determine if it's right for you.
Grenade Thermo Detonator Research
The supplement website (Grenade.com) states this about the Thermo Detonator supplement:
“combines scientifically researched ingredients designed to target body fat and preserve maximum lean muscle. “
Several of the ingredients have been researched. But, ingredients -and the product – might be different.
The supplement website did not list any research and proof could not be located. Because of that, the only way to know if it works is to look at its ingredients. Let's do that next.
Thermo Detonator Ingredients
According to the label, each capsule of Grenade Thermo Detonator has 750 mg of these ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Grenade Thermo Detonator Propriotory Blend Consisting of: | 775 mg |
| Green tea extract | N/A |
| Bitter orange extract | N/A |
| Caffeine Anhydrous | N/A |
| Grapefruit seed extract | N/A |
| Capsicum annuum | N/A |
| Evodiamine | N/A |
| Yohimbe bark extract | N/A |
| Raspberry ketones | N/A |
| Phenylalanine | N/A |
| Cocoa bean extract | N/A |
| B pheneythylamine HCL | N/A |
| Coleus forskohlii | N/A |
| Yerba mate leaf | N/A |
| DMAE | N/A |
In the table above “N/A means, there is no established daily value for the ingredient.
Green Tea Extract
The supplement website tells us that the green tea extract contains “80% polyphenols, epigallocatechin gallate and 45% epicatechin.” Epigallocatechin gallate is also called EGCG. It's a polyphenol in green tea. A polyphenol is a type of phytonutrient. Epicatechin is a type of flavonoid in green tea.
So, does green tea help people lose weight?
Individual studies are all over the place with some saying green tea might work and others saying it might not work. That said, when researchers look at all the studies together, they tend to find that it might not work so well.
For example, in this review of researchers concluded that the weight loss effects of green tea were small and not clinically important. In this other review, the researchers came to the same conclusion. Green tea didn't work.
Green tea is controversial when it comes to liver health. See the side effects section below for more info.
Bitter Orange Extract
The label tells us that the bitter orange extracts used are:
- Synephrine
- Octopamine
- N-Methyltyramine
- Tyramine
- Hordenine
Let's address each of these one at a time.
Synephrine
This compound “looks” like ephedra, a popular fat burner herb that was banned in the US in the early 2000's after several people died from overdosing on it.
The idea is that since synephrine (also called citrus Aurantium) looks like ephedra, it might work like ephedra. It sounds plausible but not all studies show it works. Some find it works and others find it doesn't work.
One issue with the research is there are different types of synephrine. For example, this study notes the differences between para synephrine and meta synephrine.
In addition, many weight loss studies combine synephrine with other ingredients. This leaves open the possibility that weight loss effects attributed to synephrine might be due to something else or a combination of ingredients.
Octopamine
Octopamine is a metabolite of synephrine. The idea here is that if it's related to synephrine, that it might augment the effects of synephrine. Maybe it does or doesn't. Human studies are lacking. The FDA maintains octopamine should not be used in dietary supplements.
N-Methyltyramine
This is another compound related to synephrine and hordenine (discussed below). No proof for this ingredient and weight loss could be located.
Tyramine
Tyramine is an amino acid that's involved in the production of synephrine and the other related compounds. The idea here is “more tyramine=more synephrine and synephrine-like compounds” in the hopes that all of these will promote greater weight loss and fat burning. It's an interesting theory but proof can't be found.
Hordenine
Also called Hordeum, eremursine and anhaline but in supplements, it's usually just called “hordenine.” It's chemically related to N-Methyltyramine and hence tyramine – and therefore also synephrine. Clinical proof for hordenine and weightloss cannot be located. The FDA maintains hordenine should not be used in dietary supplements.
See the review on Plexus Slim Accelerator Plus.
Caffeine Anhydrous
This is another name for caffeine. The stimulation effects of caffeine is well known and it's a very common ingredient in fat burners and pre-workout supplements.
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Grapefruit is thought to slow down the breakdown of caffeine. Theoretically, this might mean caffeine (and maybe other stimulants) might stay in the body longer, resulting in greater effects (and maybe side effects too).
Grapefruit seeds do contain an extract called Naringin. Ironically, in this study, naringin actually prevented the increase in metabolism in humans brought on by caffeine. Naringin also had no effect on fat burning.
Capsicum Annuum
Capsicum the ingredient in chili peppers that makes them hot. The idea with adding capsicum to fat burners is that they will heat up metabolic rate, causing us to burn more fat.
So, does capsicum help weight loss? Well, is this review of chili peppers, researchers noted that daily use of at least 2mg of capsaicinoids (compounds in chili peppers) promoted eating fewer calories. This was not a weight-loss study. It just indicated chili peppers (and maybe capsicum) might help curb appetite.
In this review of previous weight loss studies, researchers estimated that consuming capsaicinoids daily might increase metabolism by about 50 calories per day. This might promote significant weight loss results after about 1-2 years of use. These results appear to be supported by this study of capsicum and weight loss. So, if chili peppers help weight loss, its effects are likely small.
Evodiamine
Evodiamine is derived from the fruit of the Evodia tree that grows in Asia. In a study performed in mice, evodiamine caused the mice to lose more fat than those which didn't get evodiamine after 12 days of use.
In a lab rat study, rats given evodiamine gained less weight than rats not getting evodiamine. Evodiamine might increase a fat-burning enzyme called hormone-sensitive lipase in both fat cells and liver cells of lab mice.
All this is great but human proof for weight loss cannot be located.
Yohimbe Bark Extract
Yohimbine is popular in supplements for weight loss, exercise, and some bedroom supplements. So does it work?
In one investigation 20 soccer players were given 20 mg of Yohimbe for 3 weeks or a placebo. While Yohimbe did not improve the soccer players exercise ability, it was shown to reduce body mass and fat mass compared to those getting the placebo.
Yohimbe is not without cautions as is evidenced by this review citing a number of adverse side effects reported to the California Poison Control System.
Raspberry Ketones
Raspberry ketones are the compounds that give raspberries their aroma. They are not related to the ketogenic diet. Raspberry ketones became popular a few years ago after Dr. Oz called them a miracle in a bottle to burn your fat. The problem is there's no human proof for it. In the review of raspberry ketones, the only evidence I could find was a couple of mouse studies.
Phenylalanine
Phenylalanine (“Fee-nil-ethyl-A-mean”) is an amino acid. Some research hints phenylalanine might stimulate the release of a hormone called CCK, which reduces appetite.
In small study phenylalanine stimulating CCK in people. But it took 10,000 mg (10 grams) of phenylalanine to achieve this. That's a lot more than is in the Thermo Detonator.
Cocoa Bean Extract
What extract are they using? They don't tell us. Could the “extract” be caffeine?
B phenethylamine HCL
This is phenethylamine (PEA), the downstream metabolite of phenylalanine mentioned above. It has stimulant-like effects although how well it works in people needs better study.
Coleus Forskohlii
Coleus forskohlii (forskolin) has been a popular weight loss supplement for a long time. Weight loss research tends to use a specific brand called ForsLean. Some studies say it may work while others say it might not.
See the coleus forskohlii review for more insights.
Yerba Mate Leaf
In study of yerba mate and exercise, 14 people were given either 1000 mg of yerba mate or a placebo. Those getting yerba mate appeared to be better at burning fat during exercise than when they were given the placebo.
Most of the other yerba mate weight loss research is not on humans.
DMAE
DMAE is short for dimethylaminoethanol (die-methel-amino-ethanol). Another name for it is Deanol. DMEA can increase acetylcholine levels. DMEA is at the bottom of the ingredients list so that likely means the supplement has very little of it.
Ingredients That Are Stimulants
Here are the ingredients in Grenade Thermo Detonator that I believe are stimulants:
- Green tea (if it has caffeine)
- Synephrine
- Octopamine
- N-Methyltyramine
- Tyramine (maybe)
- Hordenine
- Caffeine
- Yohimbe
- cocoa bean extract (if the extract is caffeine)
- Phenethylamine (maybe)
How Much Caffeine Does It Have?
The label does not indicate this
Ingredients With Evidence
Which of the ingredients in the Thermo Detonator have human clinical weight loss evidence? Based on the studies I've seen, these are the ingredients:
- Coleus Forskohlii (read the review)
- Green Tea (it's debatable )
- Yohimbe
- Yerba mate
Notice caffeine is not listed. While it's popular in weight loss products,studies often combine it with other things to achieve weight loss. This leave opens the possibility caffeine by itself may not help people lose weight.
Who Makes Thermo Detonator?
The company is called Grenade LLC. The company based in the United Kingdom. The company is located in the Coventry Business Park at 5 Spitfire Close West Midlands CV5 6UR. Their website also lists this address in the US: 225 Episcopal Road, Berlin, CT 06037.
Contact Grenade
The product website lists this phone number for UK residents: +44 (0) 2476 711 284
Grenade Thermo Detonator Side Effects
The Grenade company listed several warnings to people about this supplement. Here are those warnings and afterward a few other things. READ THIS LIST CAREFULLY:
1. Grenade is not to be used by persons under age 21
2. DO NOT USE if pregnant or nursing
3. Never exceed the recommended maximum dosage
4. DO NOT consume caffeine, synephrine or thyroid boosting compounds from other sources including but not limited to coffee, tea, soda and other dietary supplements or medications containing phenylephrine or caffeine or any other stimulants whatsoever.
5. Grenade contains caffeine
6. DO NOT USE this product for longer than 8 weeks and make sure that usage is followed by a 4 week “off period.”
7. Consult your doctor before using if you are taking medications including but not limited to MAO inhibitors, anti-depressants, aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or products containing phenylephrine, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, phenylethylamine or other stimulants.
8. Consult your doctor prior to use if you have a medical condition including but not limited to heart, liver kidney or thyroid disease, psychiatric or epileptic disorders, difficulty urinating, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, recurrent headaches, enlarged prostate or glaucoma.
9. Discontinue use 2 weeks before surgery.
10. Immediately discontinue use if you experience dizziness, severe headaches, rapid heartbeat or shortness of breath
11. Note for tested athletes. Consult your specific athletic federation prior to use.
In addition to these cautions here are some other things:
- Green tea may be implicated in liver problems and liver failure.
- Grapefruit might interfere with MANY medications. If you take ANY medications, show the ingredients to your pharmacist/doctor.
- Fat burner, supplements have been linked to rhabdomyolysis in some people.
- Yerba mate has been linked to some types of cancer. Much of the evidence implicates yerba mate tea.
- Supplements containing synephrine have been associated with heart problems even in young people.
- Athletes who are drug tested, show the list of ingredients not just to your coach, but to also whoever is in charge of your sports drug testing.
- It's possible your heart will start racing when you take this product. Racing heart rates does not mean you are burning fat.
If you have ANY health issues, show the ingredient list to your pharmacist and specifically ask them if its safe for YOU to use. There are many ingredients in Grenade Thermo Detonator and they may interact with medications you take or health issues you have.
Does It Work?
Grenade Thermo Detonator has no published clinical studies in humans to show it works in humans. The supplement has a lot of stimulants. See the side effect section above before trying.