Not being happy with your weight is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s actually much more common than you’d think, yet many people struggle to find the motivation to do something about it.
They’ve tried time and time again, but continue to fall short. Whether it’s having a tough time sticking to your exercise routine, struggling to maintain a healthy diet, or simply lacking the inspiration, there will always be help out there.
The truth is, sometimes all you need is a little boost to get the results you desire. While many companies claim to provide that boost, many wind up falling short of that satisfaction. We’ll be taking a hard look at Hydra Shred Powder by Sparta Nutrition to analyze if it’s worth your time or not. Does Hydra Shred measure up to other fat burners, like Slimvance or Skald? What are the pros and cons of Hydra Shred? What are their ingredients?
Let’s get started.
What is Hydra Shred?
Hydra Shred is a fat-burning thermogenic supplement, meaning it will stimulate your metabolism by producing heat. Created by Sparta Nutrition, Hydra Shred Powder prides itself on five principles:
- Accelerating the fat-burning process
- Providing a boost in energy and mental focus
- Shut down your appetite and cravings
- A healthy weight-loss option
- A great taste that won’t disappoint
Each serving will be packed with Dual Release Technology, meaning you’ll receive both an instant effect and a sustained 6-hour release to keep the effects going. They claim that shredding fat has never been easier, but we’ll see about that.
Breaking Down The Ingredients For Hydra Shred
Looking at the ingredient label, the average person would quickly get lost. They’ve included a wide range of different ingredients — 16 to be exact — to support their claims, but that doesn’t always mean they chose the right ingredients.
Let’s take a look at the long list of ingredients used in Hydra Shred Powder:
L-Carnitine Tartrate – 1,000mg
This is a form of L-Carnitine commonly known for its rapid absorption rate. It helps relieve sore muscles and aids in recovery after exercise. In addition to that, L-Carnitine will transport fatty acids to the mitochondria to be burned into energy.
Recommended Intake: 1,000-2,500mg per day
Acetyl-L-Carnitine – 250mg
Another form of L-Carnitine, this one is commonly referred to as ALCAR. It’s most-known for its effects on the brain and many believe it to be helpful to those with neurodegenerative diseases. Of course, it will also have the effect of transporting fatty acids into the mitochondria of the cell where it will be burned for energy.
Recommended Intake: 600-1,500mg per day
Garcinia Cambogia Extract – 125mg
Extracted from the tropical fruit Garcinia Cambogia, one of its active ingredients is hydrochloric acid (HCA). It blocks an enzyme that produces fat in the body, while also raising your serotonin — which will make you feel less hungry throughout the day. More research is needed to confirm the weight-loss factor of this fruit.
Recommended Intake: No more than 1,000mg per day
Green Tea Leaf Extract – 100mg
Extracted from dried green tea leaves, those who consume green tea leaf extract will receive three main benefits — catechins, caffeine, and epigallocatechins-3-gallate (EGCG). It’s packed with nutrients, antioxidants, and the caffeine to give you that energy boost we all need.
Recommended Intake: 350-500mg per day
TeaCrine – 75mg
TeaCrine, which is a form of Theacrine, will play a similar role as caffeine in the body. It will stimulate the central nervous system, but won’t have any effect on blood pressure — like caffeine does. Some studies prove it to reduce pain and swelling.
Recommended Intake: 100-250mg per day
Vanillin – 50mg
Extracted from the vanilla bean, vanillin has largely been used as flavoring in food — especially ice cream. It’s considered a polyphenol, meaning it’s high in antioxidants and can help those with neurodegenerative diseases. You likely consume it often without knowing it.
Recommended Intake: Not known, but there aren’t any major side effects to worry about
Banaba Leaf Extract – 30mg
Banaba, also known as the Lagerstroemia plant, is most used for its anti-diabetic properties. It will help reduce glucose levels in the blood. Some studies prove it to help with weight loss, body fat mass, and a greater reduction in waist and hip circumference.
Recommended Intake: 30-50mg per day
Grains of Paradise – 25mg
The fruits and seeds of the Aframomum melegueta plant, also known as Grains of Paradise, are commonly used in the production of beer, wine, spirits, and vinegar. There is insufficient evidence supporting its effectiveness, but it is used as a stimulant and carminative.
Recommended Intake: Not known, but there aren’t any major side effects to worry about
Caffeine Anhydrous – 25mg
We all know what caffeine is. Despite its unique name, caffeine anhydrous is simply dehydrated caffeine. This ingredient can be found in many weight loss supplements, such as Lipo-6 Black Ultra Concentrate and Animal Cuts. Since it is dehydrated it does mean it will be more concentrated than normal caffeine, but it will have the same effect — just at a lower dosage.
Recommended Intake: 50-100mg per day
Theobromine – 25mg
Theobromine is commonly found in chocolate. It can be beneficial to a healthy heart, provide energy when you need it most, boost brain function temporarily, protect your teeth, improve your mood, and reduce inflammation. It’s one of the many things we love about chocolate — aside from it tasting so good.
Recommended Intake: 50-300mg per day
Dicaffeine Malate – 25mg
Dicaffeine Malate is a form of caffeine anhydrous. It combines two caffeine molecules to a malic acid molecule. While some claim that the combination will prevent the upset stomach many people experience with caffeine, more research is needed to confirm.
Recommended Intake: 50-100mg per day
Yerba Mate – 25mg
Yerba mate has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. It is said to be a drink that provides the strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea, and the enjoyment of chocolate. It’s extracted from the Ilex Paraguariensis tree in South America. Yerba mate provides antioxidants, energy, and helps you lose weight.
Recommended Intake: Not known, but there aren’t any major side effects to worry about
Guarana Seed Extract – 25mg
Guarana, a Brazilian plant commonly referred to as Paullinia cupana, is a powerful antioxidant that also provides a variety of different stimulants including caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. It can also help you learn better and focus more.
Recommended Intake: 50-75mg per day
Green Coffee Bean Extract – 25mg
Featured on The Dr. Oz Show, green coffee beans have received a lot of attention from coffee lovers in recent years. They come from coffee beans that have yet to be roasted and research shows them to contain antioxidants, have weight-loss properties, and lower blood pressure.
Recommended Intake: 100-200mg per day
Cirsium Oligophyllum – 25mg
Cirsium Oligophyllum is a perennial plant found in the thistle family. Some studies suggest it to be a thermogenic and help with weight loss, but more evidence would be needed to confirm that claim. Most studies have only been performed on rats.
Recommended Intake: Not known, but there aren’t any major side effects to worry about
Cocoa Seed Extract – 25mg
It is said that the Maya civilization was the first to use cocoa, meaning it’s been around for a while. If you like chocolate, you like cocoa. It is a powerful antioxidant and carries anti-inflammatory properties, while improving blood flow and brain function.
Recommended Intake: Not known, but there aren’t any major side effects to worry about
Hydra Shred Dosage, Packaging, & Pricing
If you like anything tropical, you’ll really enjoy the Hydra Shred Powder packaging. They come in six different flavors — Guava, Strawberry Kiwi, Dragon Fruit, Honeydew Melon, Mango Nectar, and Pineapple — with each flavor having a different-colored tub. You’ll see a lot of pink, yellow, green, and orange, depending on which ones you choose.
Each tub will come with 60 scoops inside. They instruct you to either take one or two scoops per serving (the dosages listed above are for one scoop). It can be added to water or a smoothie of your choice.
Trying to find this fat-burner might be a little difficult as they go out of stock often. I found it available for $50 at www.mysupplementstore.com, but they were limited on flavors. If you stick to the 60-serving suggestion, the two-month investment will be well worth it.
Pros vs. Cons
Anytime you get a supplement with as many ingredients as Hydra Shred, you’re bound to come across both benefits and pitfalls to the product. You’ll want to highly consider these before making a purchase, especially since not all supplements are created equal.
Let’s browse through the pros and cons of Sparta Nutrition’s Hydra Shred Powder.
Pros
- No proprietary blend like most fat-burning powders
- Properly detail the dosage of each ingredient
- Six unique and highly-liked flavors
- Has a lot of caffeine to give you that energy boost
- Uses a lot of natural ingredients found in or made from plants
- Not too expensive for a two-month supply
Cons
- Some people have complained about the taste, which is supposed to be one of their staples
- Very hard to get your hands on
- Can use more TeaCrine, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Garcinia Cambogia Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Theobromine, and Green Coffee Bean Extract
- A lot of the ingredients don’t have a lot of evidence supporting weight loss and fat-burning
Hydra Shred Claims vs. Reality
Earlier in this review, we touched base on the five major principles Hydra Shred Powder stands for. Those were an improved fat-burning process, boost in energy and focus, limiting appetite and cravings, weight-loss solution, and taste quality.
I like the additions of L-Carnitine Tartrate, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Garcinia Cambogia, and Green Tea Leaf Extract. These ingredients will help stop the production of fat, while also helping to convert fat into energy.
Caffeine is present in a variety of ways including Dicaffeine Malate, Caffeine Anhydrous, TeaCrine, Green Tea Leaf Extract, and Guarana Seed Extract. The dosages of each ingredient are rather low, but that’s a lot of different caffeine types. You’ll get the energy, but there are easier ways.
The use of Cocoa Seed Extract, Theobromine, and Yerba Mate are good choices. They’ll help provide a source of antioxidants and energy.
As far as the taste, most reviews are good but some consumers have complained that they are better off watering it down. It could just be a preference that some share, but some have certainly been disappointed in the flavor.
Final Verdict For Hydra Shred
Overall, Hydra Shred Powder by Sparta Nutrition will likely deliver on its claims for most people. A lot of the ingredients have low doses, so some people might not receive any benefits from some of the ingredients.
The use of 16 ingredients also seems unnecessary, at least for my liking. They don’t need that many different forms of caffeine and some of the ingredients have sluggish results from trials or studies — if any.
There are better brands out there that make use of better ingredients, but some people might gravitate to Hydra Shred for the flavors. I wouldn’t expect too much from this powder, but it will be beneficial to some.