Supplement Review: Arnold Iron Cuts

It's time yet again for another supplement review. The subject of scrutiny today is the "3-in-1 Fat Metabolizing & Cutting Agent" called Arnold Iron Cuts, which is part of MusclePharm's Arnold Schwarzenegger Series.

Some of the purported benefits of Iron Cuts include:

• Increased thermogenesis and fat metabolizing.
• Harder looking muscles.
• It will give you that "cut" look.
• Supports healthy estrogen balance and cortisol leves.

A serving of Iron Cuts, which is to be taken either once or twice daily, consists of 3 capsules. One serving contains the following*:

• 400 IU of Vitamin D (100% DV)
• 50 mcg of Chromium (42% DV)
• "Thermogenic & Fat Metabolizer," which contains 930 mg of:
• L-Carnitine Tartrate, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Caffeine Anhydrous, Panax Ginseng Root Powder, N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine, "Thermodiamine" (98% Evodiamine), Vinpocetine, Inositol.
• "Muscle Building Maximizer," which contains 900 mg of:
• Maca 4:1 Root Extract, "AminoShield" Eriobotrya japonica Leaf Extract Proprietary Blend of 20% Pentacyclic Triterponiods, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Boron Citrate, Fenugreek Seed Extract 50% Saponins, Pumpkin Seed Extract.
• "Estrogen & Cortisol Metabolizer," which contains 383 mg of:
• Gymnerna Sylvestre Leaf Extract, Grape Seed Extract, Diindolylmethane (DM), Cinnamon Bark Powder, Banaba Leaf Extract 1% Corosolic Acid, Chromium Picolinate.

*I think I just stumbled across a new form of torture: writing out the ingredients of supplements!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Good

It's easier for me to talk about the "good" (a.k.a., likely effective) ingredients in this supplement first, since precious few are actually present.

To start, I like that Iron Cuts has some Vitamin D--100% of the daily recommended value. Vitamin D plays an important role in all sorts of important bodily functions and in preventing various diseases [1].

The fact that Iron Cuts contains Chromium is also a plus. Though not much is known about the mechanism by which Chromium works within the body, some evidence suggests that it may help regulate insulin function [2]. Insulin, of course, plays a vital role in how the body metabolizes dietary carbohydrate, protein, and fat.

Turning to the "Thermogenic & Fat Metabolizer," we can see some rather unsurprising ingredients. Green tea extract, which has a good track record when it comes to aiding fat loss and improving mental clarity, makes sense as an ingredient in a fat loss supplement; though, the reasons for its effectiveness are likely due to the caffeine found within green tea [3]. 

Caffeine anhydrous, likewise, is a solid ingredient to put in this supplement. The research seems clear: caffeine can certainly help for weight loss, mental alertness, and athletic performance [4]. While I'm not certain as to how much caffeine is actually present in Iron Cuts (the supplement facts on the bottle aren't as transparent as I'd like them to be), I'm willing to bet that the majority of the 930 mg of "Thermogenic & Fat Metabolizer" is comprised of caffeine (a safe bet given that caffeine is just about the only ingredient in the "Thermogenic & Fat Metabolizer" that's backed by solid research).

The Bad

Just about everything else falls into the "bad" (a.k.a., likely not effective) category. Now don't get me wrong, some of these "bad" ingredients aren't completely useless; however, regarding the particular function they are purported to have for this sort of supplement, many of the ingredients in Iron Cuts simply don't make the "cut" (yes, this is my attempt to make a very bad pun).

For instance, the Alpha Lipoic Acid found in the "Muscle Building Maximizer" is an antioxidant. While one might naturally assume that having an antioxidant in a supplement such as Iron Cuts is a plus, in reality, research demonstrates that antioxidants, when taken around an intense weight training session, may inhibit post workout recovery [5].

Another example of a "bad" ingredient is the cinnamon bark powder. While some research suggests that cinnamon may be effective at improving blood glucose following the consumption of carbohydrate, much of the evidence is inconclusive. Moreover, like with the Alpha Lipoic Acid, cinnamon can work as an antioxidant (a no go for workout recovery) [6]. 

I could go on and on here, but I would only bore you with the research. Suffice it to say, aside from the Vitamin D, Chromium, Caffeine, and a few other substances, many of the ingredients in Iron Cuts seem questionable at best. Most are proven ineffective at doing much of anything, while others (such as the Alpha Lipoic Acid and cinnamon bark powder) may actually be counter productive.

The Ugly

Well, to be honest, there's not much that's "ugly" about Iron Cuts. I just needed to have an "ugly" section.

The Verdict

While there are some questionable ingredients in Iron Cuts, the "good" ones may outweigh the "bad." Moreover, if you check out the anecdotal reviews on Bodybuilding.com, many people claim to have gotten great results while taking this supplement. However, when considering these anecdotal reports, we must also bear in mind that many of the people who have good things to say about Iron Cuts likely are using an intelligently designed diet and weight training routine. We also can't rule out the placebo effect.

In the end, though, the only way to find out if Iron Cuts will work for you is to try it yourself. Would I use it? No. I'd rather drink coffee, take Vitamin D, and get all of the essential nutrients that I need from my diet. But, I'm stubborn and cheap. If Iron Cuts works for you, then that's great. If it doesn't work--and it likely won't without the accompaniment of a proper diet and training routine--then I'm sorry that you wasted your money.

Like I've said before, supplements can have their place in one's fat loss/muscle building arsenal, but only once all the other lifestyle and dietary factors required for you to achieve your goals have been nailed down.