This time we bring you a slightly different review. Instead of reviewing each supplement individually, we bring you a direct comparison between two fat-loss products. And this time, the face-off is between Hydroxycut and Skald.
How they perform, which is better, and whether they are worth your attention, you can find in a thorough review below. Let’s see what they have to offer!
Skald vs Hydroxycut Summary:
Neither Skald nor Hydroxycut came out on top as a clear winner. To tell you the truth, they both seem underwhelming. We expected a lot more.
Hydroxycut has the advantage due to its lower price and better caffeine dose. But, as we said, that’s about it.
Both Skald and Hydroxycut hide their dosages in proprietary blends, which is never a good thing. And from what we can see, most of the ingredients seem noticeably underdosed. Not to mention that some ingredients have potential side effects, and their exact dosages aren’t even stated on the label.
In our opinion, you can easily find better and safer weight loss products on the market.
What do we recommend?
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Product Overview
Skald
Skald, also known as Skald Oxydynamic Fat Scorcher, is a thermogenic fat burner by BELDT Labs. These fat loss pills boost the whole weight loss process, help you control appetite, increase energy, and also support respiration.
But, is all of this enough to outperform Hydroxycut, one of the Americas’ best-selling weight loss brands?
*Related: Our Full Skald Review
Hydroxycut
Hydroxycut proudly highlights that it is America’s #1 selling brand when it comes to weight loss supplements. Does this automatically mean it is also one of the best products out there? We are yet to find out.
It’s important to note that there are various Hydroxycut versions available, so their formulas vary to a degree. This makes the direct comparison with Skald a little more challenging, so we had to decide on a specific version.
Hydroxycut comes in four different forms. These are:
- Pro Clinical Hydroxycut
- Hydroxycut Gummies
- Hydroxycut Drink Mix
- Hydroxycut Hardcore
Out of these four, Hydroxycut Hardcore seems like the most potent one. And as such, we thought it is fair for it to represent the Hydroxycut brand as a whole. So in this review, we compared Skald to Hydroxycut Hardcore. Have in mind that other Hydroxycut products may perform differently.
Without further ado, let’s see what Skald and Hydroxycut have to offer.
Ingredients
Skald
Skald has a pretty lengthy ingredient list. It contains a total of 9 different ingredients. These include:
- Caffeine Anhydrous (110mg)
- Juniper Berry Extract (Juniperus Communis)
- Green Tea Extract (Catechins)
- N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine
- White Willow Bark
- Elecampane (Inula helenium)
- Mullein (Verbascum Thapsus)
- BioPerine ( Black Pepper Extract)
These ingredients work together to improve fat burn, boost energy and elevate the mood. Also, some ingredients (mullein and elecampane) supposedly improve cardio capacity. However, no credible evidence supports their benefits.
Other than that, how good does the formula look?
Not that great.
First of all, the formula contains a proprietary blend, which means the manufacturer hid the dosages. Other than the caffeine, we cannot see how much of each ingredient there is.
As is often the case with proprietary blends, manufacturers use this approach as an attempt to get away with low dosages and ineffective formulas. And unfortunately, it seems this is the case with Skald too.
For example, green tea catechins are effective fat-burning compounds in dosages of 400-500mg. Since Skald contains a proprietary blend of 356mg, there is no way the dosage is high enough. The same likely goes for the rest of the formula too.
Hydroxycut
Just like Skald, Hydroxycut has proprietary blends too. However, it seems slightly more transparent with the dosages.
The formula is divided into 3 main categories, of which each contains different compounds. These are:
- Pyroxyclne Anhydranine Blend (370mg)
- Yohimbacore Robusta Blend (256mg)
- 1,3-D-Norepidrol Blend (130mg)
Let’s start with Pyroxyclne Anhydranine Blend. It contains Caffeine Anhydrous, L-Theanine, and Cayenne pepper.
Out of the three, only the amount of caffeine is stated (270mg). As we all know, caffeine positively influences physical and cognitive performance. Also, it has some fat-burning effects.
However, its benefits depend on the individual. Over time, people tend to build caffeine tolerance and require greater dosages. For regular consumers, 270mg of caffeine in Hydroxycut seems OK.
- L-Theanine in Hydroxycut serves to counter the negative effects of caffeine. While caffeine stimulates the system, L-Theanine has a soothing effect.
While most of the Hydroxycut ingredients are pretty standard for fat-burning supplements, some of them raise our concerns.
We are talking about Yohimbine, which may be problematic. It comes alongside Green Coffee Extract in Yohimbacore Robusta Blend. Although it is an effective fat-burning compound, Yohimbine may cause adverse side effects. The fact that its dosage is hidden in a proprietary blend makes the whole situation more problematic. Since we cannot know how much Yohimbine Hydroxycut contains, we advise caution.
As far as the rest of the formula goes, Hydroxycut contains a mix of amino acids, of which the most notable is L-Tyrosine. L-tyrosine is a precursor of dopamine and noradrenaline, and may be beneficial for mood and dealing with stress.
However, the recommended dosages are at least 500mg, which means that the 130mg of Norepidrol Blend can’t contain a sufficient dose.
Potential Side Effects
Both Skald and Hydroxycut contain caffeine. For most people, this shouldn’t be the issue. However, some people may experience minor side effects due to high caffeine content. Hydroxycut contains a much larger caffeine dose than Skald, so keep that in mind if you are sensitive to stimulants.
Possible caffeine side effects are insomnia, headache, increased heart rate, anxiety, and restlessness.
Other known substances that may cause negative side effects are Black Pepper Extract (Piperine) in Skald and Yohimbine in Hydroxycut. Over time, Piperine can greatly increase intestinal permeability, so be careful with long-term use.
On the other hand, Yohimbine in Hydroxycut can cause anxiety and adversely act with other compounds.
How to Take Them
Skald
To assess tolerance first, start by taking 1 Skald capsule. Take it on an empty stomach, 15-30 minutes before breakfast. Additionally, you can take another capsule, 5-6 hours later.
Once you have established you tolerate Skald well, you can take an additional 1 capsule in the morning.
After every 6 weeks of use, take a break from Skald for at least 2 weeks.
Hydroxycut
To assess your tolerance to the Hydroxycut, start with smaller dosages.
On the first day of Hydroxycut use, take only 1 capsule. On the second and third day, take 2 capsules, once per day. If you tolerate it well, from the 4th day onwards, you can take 2 capsules twice a day, 30 to 60 minutes before main meals.
For best results, use Hydroxycut for 60 days in combination with proper diet and exercise
Pricing & Other Factors to Consider
On the official website, Hydroxycut Hardcore 60 capsule bottle sells for $21.99. It is also available at Walmart, Walgreens, Target, and other retailers. However, the prices vary and seem to be more expensive than on the official website.
On the other hand, Skald Oxydynamic Fat Scorcher is more than double the price of Hydroxycut. On GNC it sells for $49.99 for a 60 capsule bottle. However, there is an option to buy 2, get 1 free. This allows you to get it a lot cheaper.
Skald is also available on Amazon, although it currently seems to be out of stock.
Our Verdict
In terms of the price and ingredients, Hydroxycut Hardocre seems like a better deal than Skald. However, it contains some risky ingredients so it’s up to you to decide whether the price is worth the risk.
Nonetheless, none of them impressed us with their performance. Their formulas are underwhelming, especially when you take into consideration Hydroxycut’s reputation and Skald’s high price.
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