supplements

Synephrine

What is the Synephrine

Synephrine is a sympathomimetic amine commonly used for slimming purposes and extracted from the immature fruit of Citrus aurantium (bitter orange). We talk about amine because this substance contains a nitrogen atom, and sympathomimetic because it causes reactions similar to those regulated by the sympathetic nervous system: stimulants, exciters and contractors.

Property

Alternative to ephedrine

Synephrine has gained popularity at the expense of ephedrine, banned in 2004 by the FDA (Food And Drug Administration) for risks related to abuse and illegal use to synthesize methamphetamine.

In fact, ephedrine and synephrine are very similar from the chemical point of view, but while the slimming properties of the former are well known and documented, there is less evidence on the thermogenic action of the synephrine.

Slimming action mechanism

We know that synephrine interacts with B3 adrenergic receptors, located mainly in brown adipose tissue.

As is now known to most people, brown adipose tissue acts as a kind of boiler, which burns fats for the sole purpose of producing heat (its concentrations increase in the animal exposed to cold), or get rid of an energy surplus with the purpose of maintaining body weight homeostasis, given that excess fat would not facilitate escape from a lion ... Unfortunately, however, this anti-obesity fat is present in significant concentrations only in children and in some individuals; this would explain why the studies that demonstrated the slimming properties of synephrine in experimental animals have not been confirmed in randomized clinical studies.

In rats, synephrine is able to cause an increase in thermogenesis accompanied by a significant reduction in food intake and body weight. In humans, this does not seem so obvious, perhaps because the slight lipolytic activity is compensated by the inhibitory effect of synephrine on the synthesis of cyclic AMP, a molecule involved in the oxidation (use for energy purposes) of fats. Synephrine also seems unable to interact with B2 receptors, to which ephedrine is active (these receptors are considered the most important for fat reduction in humans).

According to the Ministry of Health, the intake of synephrine should not exceed 30 mg / day, corresponding to 800 mg of Citrus aurantium titrated to 4% in synephrine.

Compared to the synephrine alone, the potential slimming effects of a complete extract of Citrus aurantium that contains it in the same quantities, are much higher due to the synergistic effect of other substances, first of all the octopamine.

Synephrine in Stacks

Synephrine produces a synergistic effect with thyroxine, caffeine, ephedrine, yohimbine, theine and other sympathomimetic active ingredients, often mixed together to obtain a more pronounced thermogenetic and anorectic effect (in Italy the sale of ephedrine is forbidden, while thyroxine cannot be used for slimming purposes due to serious side effects).

Side effects

Both on its own, and even more so within these stacks, the synephrine causes a slight rise in blood pressure and heart rate; for this reason the use of synephrine is contraindicated in the presence of heart disease and / or hypertension. During pregnancy, lactation and under the age of 12, the use of products containing synephrine is not recommended.