Synephrine (Bitter Orange Extract)

Synephrine is an alkaloid commonly found in fat burning supplements. It is commonly listed as “Bitter Orange Extract”, as it is naturally occurring in some citrus fruits. It was used in traditional Chinese medicine and seems to be a modern day Ephedrine, although less potent.

Uses of Synephrine

Studies show that Synephrine, when taken pre-workout can increase fat oxidation. That is most likely why you’ll find Synephrine in many thermogenics. You may also find it in pre-workouts, as there is at least one study showing it to be beneficial for muscle endurance (alone and when combined with caffeine).

If you’re planning on using Synephrine, you MUST have your diet and exercise in check. This may only help to some small degree.

Interactions with Synephrine

You’ll usually find Synephrine paired with other fat burning ingredients, although it can be taken by itself. Some research is done with Caffeine with favorable results. Some other ingredients you’ll find paired with Synephrine are Grains of Paradise, Hordenine, TeaCrine, Caffeine and Yohimbine HCl.

Side Effects of Synephrine

Synephrine when combined with Caffeine might increase the risk for high blood pressure, fainting, heart attack, stroke, and other severe side effects.

It may also trigger headaches, migraines, and cluster headaches in some people.

Recommended Synephrine Dosage

To start, be sure to check the label of the supplement containing Synephrine. If it is labeled as “Bitter Orange Extract”, check to see what it is standardized for. If it says 100mg of Bitter Orange Extract and it is standardized for 25% Synephrine, that means that there is 25mg of Synephrine per serving.

One human study showed that 50mg of Synephrine will actually increase your resting metabolic rate without increasing your blood pressure.

We recommend 30-50mg of Synephrine.