Published 18th April 2023
Pros
Cons
Thermogenic Carnitine Base (L-Carnitine) - 2,000 MG
L-carnitine is an amino acid derivative, one of the core building blocks of protein, and a vital nutrient that our body needs to work properly. It is produced naturally by most mammals, so it can be obtained in your diet from a variety of different meat and animal products.
The primary purpose of this particular amino acid derivative is to improve the body's rate of burning stored fat cells and increase the metabolism of fatty acids, to convert both into usable energy much more efficiently.
This would, in theory, allow you to torch fat and experience extremely effective workouts all at the same time. It can then even offer benefits beyond promoting weight loss as well, such as promoting optimal brain function and boosting the health of your heart.
It can also regulate your blood sugar, blood pressure, blood lipid, and insulin levels, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and help to treat type II diabetes, liver disease, metabolic disease, depression, and some other issues.
With 2,000 mg being the maximum dosage of carnitine that is considered safe, Volcarn 2000 actually uses the most powerful dosage it can safely get away with.
There are, unfortunately, a number of issues with carnitine supplementation in general that need to be addressed.
For starters, while carnitine is widely promoted for its ability to help you burn more fat cells, there are a lot of questions regarding how effective it actually is for producing more fat burning.
In fact, there are many studies which suggest that the amount of carnitine an average person gets in their diet will already produce the maximum effects it can have on your fat cells. This would mean that taking any more carnitine in supplement form is pointless.
Then, there are the negative side effects that have been linked to people taking large doses of carnitine. This includes it causing gastrointestinal discomfort, narrowing the carotid arteries of metabolic syndrome sufferers, and causing people to develop a "fishy" smell (1).
This means, as Volcarn 2000 contains the very top end of the safe dosage of carnitine and uses it as the formula's main ingredient, taking the supplement potentially puts you at great risk of experiencing these side effects, without actually guaranteeing you will be losing weight faster.
Gamma-Butyrobetaine Ethyl Ester Chloride - 25 MG
Gamma-butyrobetaine ethyl ester chloride is a molecule that occurs naturally in the human body and is a precursor to the production of l-carnitine. This means it will be able to offer the same benefits as regular carnitine supplementation, it just achieves them in a different way.
Much like with carnitine, the dose of gamma-butyrobetaine ethyl ester chloride (also known as super carnitine) present in Volcarn 2000 is again within the optimal range. That said, this time it is at the very bottom end of the recommended daily dosage of 25 to 50 mg (2).
There are again a few problems with its inclusion though. Firtsly, as Volcarn 2000 already contained the maximum suggested dose of carnitine, enhancing your natural carnitine production as well will push you above the safe levels.
Then, gamma-butyrobetaine ethyl ester chloride has been linked to a number of side effects of its own. This includes excessive sweating, nausea, vomiting, an upset stomach, heartburn, diarrhoea, and even seizures.
This means taking Volcarn 2000 puts you at an even greater risk of experiencing side effects than we already thought, while still not being able to guarantee it will notably increase fat burning or weight loss.
Other Ingredients
Beyond its two active ingredients, Volcarn 2000 also contains a range of "other ingredients". While you have water to make up the bulk of the liquid supplement and natural flavors to create the taste, each of the other ingredients in this list serves its own unique purpose.
Phosphoric Acid
Phosphoric acid is a colourless and odourless solid compound made from phosphate. It is added to foods and supplements as it can improve their taste, but it has also been seen to cause side effects in rare instances as well, which includes irritating the lungs and cracking the skin (3).
Potassium Sorbate
Potassium sorbate is an odourless and tasteless salt of potassium that is added to supplements as a preservative, to help make them last longer. It can sometimes cause allergic reactions like hives, itching, swelling, and tingling, although cases of this are extremely rare (4).
Stevia Leaf Extract
Stevia leaf extract is a natural, low calorie sweetener that is often used instead of artificial sweeteners or traditional sugar, as it can sweeten a product without spiking your blood sugar levels or leading the weight gain or fat storage.
There is even a small amount of evidence to suggest that it is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and may be able to offer a number of health benefits of its own, such as boosting brain, kidney, liver, and pancreas functions.
However, there is also proof that it can be toxic and may even cause infertility and a few other health issues in rare instances. This unfortunately means that it is very possible that stevia leaf is actually putting your health at risk just to make the supplement taste a bit better (5).
Sodium Benzoate
Sodium benzoate is a sodium salt that is used as a preservative and has the same selling points and drawbacks as potassium sorbate. The two as used together as both have been shown to be far more effective when they are used in conjunction with at least one other preservative (6).
Monk Fruit Extract
Monk fruit extract is a zero calorie sweetener that is said to be up to 250 times sweeter than sugar, while also having antioxidant properties. This means not only can it help to produce a sweet drink that has zero artificial sweeteners or sugar, but it can also benefit your health as well.
It is said to promote fat loss, reduce inflammation, prevent oxidative damage, help regulate blood sugar levels, and treat diabetes and various other health conditions.
While it is quite a new type of sweetener that has not been extensively studied, there have not been any reports of side effects. So, while it is not guaranteed to deliver all of the benefits we mentioned above, it should do the job it was included for, without causing any issues (7).