Final Verdict
XLS Medical Max Strength is a complete waste of money in our opinion. For starters, the manufacturer only tells us the name of the proprietary blend on the box – they don’t even disclose ingredients. We hate proprietary blends at the best of times, and they usually tell us ingredients. After doing some digging, it seems that XLS Medical Max Strength is just L-Arabinose and Grape Marc Extract. Do some research on these ingredients and you’ll see they’re nothing exciting. If you want to lose some extra fat, use a supplement that offers total formula transparency – not this garbage.
Our XLS Medical Max Strengths Review
XLS Medical Max Strength is one of the most popular fat burners in the UK at the moment. It is sold in stores such as Boots, although a lot of people seem to be re-selling it online too. It is not sold as a fat burner per se; it is not a bodybuilding or sports supplement. Instead, XLS Medical Max Strength is an all-purpose “weight management” supplement.
So what does it do exactly? Who has it been designed for?
According to the box, XLS Medical Max Strength is meant for the “treatment and prevention of excess weight & general weight management”. It claims to offer the following benefits:
- Reduces calorie intake from carbohydrates, sugar and fat
- Clinically proven to work
- Gentle on your “system”
Right away, we’re extremely sceptical of this product. We don’t think you should be trying to lose weight by blocking nutrients. You need complex carbohydrates and fats to live an active, healthy life! In fact, you need some fats to live full stop.
Athletes in particular should steer clear of these products – if you’re training hard then you need to be able to plan your diet out properly. The last thing you want is to be unable to digest carbs after training, or to be severely underestimating your caloric deficit.
All-in-all, we think carb and fat blockers are a terrible idea.
Yet people use them all the time.
So does XLS Medical Max Strength really work?
Is it a safe fat loss supplement?
Is there a better option on the market right now?
Check out our full XLS Medical Max Strength review below to find out! We discuss the formula in much greater detail – ingredients, doses, and side effects. We’ll look to see if the formula actually delivers on the promises. Please post your questions in the comments section at the end.
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XLS Medical Max Strength Ingredients
Let’s take a look at the XLS Medical Max Strength formula and see what’s going on here:
That’s it.
That’s all we get from the box – the name of a proprietary blend.
We aren’t even told what ingredient are in the proprietary blend!
That is absolutely ridiculous in our opinion. We hate proprietary blends which only disclose an ingredients list. Generally speaking, we only use products that list each ingredient along with its exact serving size.
But to just palm us off with a proprietary blend name that means nothing?
That’s something we just can’t accept. It shows that the manufacturers of XLS Medical Max Strength have no respect for their customers; they expect them to just believe their claims at face value and to hand over the cash.
We looked on the XLS Medical website to see if we could find any more information on this Clavitanol “active ingredient”.
We couldn’t.
THERE IS NO INFORMATION ON THE XLS MEDICAL MAX STRENGTH SITE ABOUT WHAT IS IN CLAVITANOL.
Not even a hint of an ingredient, or how it is made, or what it is derived from.
This stuff could be sugar pills, or salt pills, or caffeine, or dangerous synthetic stimulants.
The point is, we don’t know from the information we get on the box.
So is there any way to know what is in XLS Medical Max Strength?
Yes, but you have to do some serious digging to find out!
What Is Really In Clavitanol?
After doing some digging, it seems that Clavitanol is just a brand name for IQP–VV–102 – a proprietary blend consisting of L-Arabinose and Grape Marc Extract.
There is a study quoted on the XLS Medical website (which we’ll come to shortly). If you look for the actual study they’re quoting, you’ll see that they have just swapped out IQP–VV–102 for Clavitanol in the title.
The specifics of the study – dates, names, results, etc – appear to be exactly the same.
We think it’s a safe bet then that Clavitanol is this IQP–VV–102 proprietary blend.
Sadly, neither L-Arabinose nor Grape Marc Extract have ever been proven to work as fat loss aids.
We cannot find a shred of evidence showing L-Arabinose supplementation helping with fat loss. It is just a plant polysaccharide that might help with blood glucose control. Studies have shown that it reduces blood glucose post-prandially, but not that it reduces body fat levels.
We’ve not found any hard scientific proof that grape marc extract promotes fat loss. Grape marc extract doesn’t seem to have been studied very much at all. It is, after all, just the solid remains of grapes left over after pressing.
So we have a plant polysaccharide and some pressed grape leftovers.
Neither ingredient has been independently proven to reduce body fat.
Sound like a premium fat burner to you?
No, it doesn’t to us either.
Does XLS Medical Max Strength Really Work?
There is only one study quoted on the XLS Medical website which supposedly proves how well their fat burner works.
We strongly advise looking at the study yourself; it can be found here.
The study took 113 volunteers and split them into two groups; some received IQP–VV–102, others received a placebo. The volunteers were told to go home and follow a diet which had them in a 20% calorie deficit for 12 weeks.
The participants were also told to get 55% of their calories from carbs. They were given a manual to help them choose meals that met their macronutrient requirements. They were also told to gradually increase their activity levels over the 12 weeks.
According to the study, participants on IQP–VV–102 lost significantly more weight than those on placebo – 3.29kg compared to 0.83kg.
More importantly, the group on IQP–VV–102 lost a lot more body fat than the placebo group – 2.57kg versus 0.38kg.
So does that mean IQP–VV–102 really works; that XLS Medical Max Strength is a top-tier fat burner?
No!
There are several major problems with this study that need pointing out.
Issues With The XLS Medical Max Strength Study
First of all, it’s important to note that this is the only study ever carried out on this IQP–VV–102 proprietary blend (which is just L-Arabinose and Grape Marc Extract).
Secondly, the volunteers in this study were not under clinical supervision – their behaviour was not monitored. There is no way to know whether the IQP–VV–102 group was following the same diet or exercise regime as the placebo group.
Finally, several fundamental problems with the study have been identified in this commentary.
It is worth quoting one paragraph from the commentary in full:
“Neither average nor individual BMI data are presented, only the range 25–35 kg/m2. Thus, it is unclear to the reader how many people were overweight and how many were obese. As the participants were given diet plans with energy intake reduced by 20%, a 12‐week study should actually lead to weight loss from the diet alone, within a range of 6–12 kg, in both study arms. The results (3.29 kg vs. 0.83 kg) indicate, on average, that there was very low dietary and exercise adherence in the intervention group, and a lack of adherence in the control group.”
So when you actually look at the numbers, IQP-VV-102 failed to produce the kind of weight loss you would expect from a 12 week diet and exercise regime!
The placebo group clearly failed to stick to the diet; the IQP-VV-102 group just stuck to it better.
This is not a valid clinical trial in our opinion.
As far as we’re concerned, XLS Medical Max Strength is an unproven fat loss supplement. If anything, this study shows that it isn’t as effective as diet and exercise.
Who’d have guessed?!
Side Effects – Is XLS Medical Max Strength Safe?
Those of you who have read our full review up to this point know that we’re not exactly crazy about this fat burner.
We don’t think anybody is going to get any serious results from XLS Medical Max Strength.
Normally, this means a supplement is weak, and therefore harmless.
But in this case, we’re actually concerned about side effects.
We do not consider XLS Medical Max Strength a safe supplement.
The available clinical evidence suggests that L-Arabinose is safe to consume at moderate doses.
We doubt anybody is going to experience side effects from grape skin, pips, and the other leftovers that constitute grape marc extract.
If that was definitely all we got from XLS Medical Max Strength, then we’d be happy.
But we aren’t told that Clavitanol is just IQP-VV-102 and nothing else.
We aren’t given any concrete formula information on the XLS Medical website. All we know is that the manufacturer thinks a study on IQP-VV-102 counts as proof that XLS Medical Max Strength works.
For all we know, they could have added a load of caffeine on top too.
They could have supercharged IQP-VV-102 with all kinds of stimulants.
The point is, we don’t know – THEY DON’T TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT THE FORMULA!
To stay safe, you need to know what you’re consuming. We all have individual allergies, sensitivities, and dietary restrictions. You should never consume pills if you aren’t 100% certain what’s in them.
Everything we know about the XLS Medical Max Strength formula, we’ve had to piece together and infer from shaky scientific studies. This shows a real contempt for customers; just believe our claims and don’t worry about your own research.
We don’t see why anybody would risk their health for a supplement like this when there are plenty of alternatives out there willing to disclose their formulas in full!
CAUTION
Please remember:
- We are not doctors
- This is not medical advice
You must do your own research carefully before using any fat loss supplements. If you have any concerns whatsoever, you need to talk to your regular GP or another qualified health professional. Don’t start using mystery pills like XLS Medical Max Strength without medical supervision!
XLS Medical Max Strength Review Summary – Does It Work?
In our opinion, XLS Medical Max Strength is an extremely low quality fat burner.
The manufacturer doesn’t give us any information about the formula on the box. We’re just told a stupid name for the proprietary blend – a name they clearly came up with to make it sound vaguely “scientific”.
As far as the manufacturer is concerned, we don’t need to know what is in XLS Medical Max Strength. We should just believe they’re claims at face value and fork over the money.
We did some digging, and it seems highly likely that XLS Medical Max Strength is IQP-VV-102, which is just L-Arabinose and Grape Marc Extract.
Neither of these substances seem to be particularly effective at reducing body fat in humans.
If you look at the study quoted by XLS Medical, it is clear that the volunteers in both groups failed to follow their diet and exercise regime properly. If they had, they’d have all lost a lot more weight. Even the treatment group failed to lose as much weight as you would expect from a 12 week diet and exercise plan.
Nor is it clear whether the groups were even when it came to starting BMI. If the IQP-VV-102 group was significantly more overweight, then it makes sense that they would have lost more fat.
We don’t think you can draw any strong conclusions from the study quoted by XLS Medical.
As such, XLS Medical Max Strength is a totally unproven fat burner.
Does it help you lose weight?
We highly doubt it.
If you’re looking for a supplement to help you lose weight in a healthy, safe, sustainable manner, we strongly recommend avoiding products like XLS Medical Max Strength. Always opt for products that reveal the full formula on the box.
Check out our list of the best fat burners on the market today and you’ll see the difference in quality.
Instant Knockout is our current top ranked fat burner, and it's little wonder why. It always ends up ranked as #1 because it consistently delivers real results to its users!
Instant Knockout ticks practically every box you could want - increased energy levels, appetite support, increased fat metabolism and enhanced blood sugar control.
A professional supplement through and through; if it's good enough for MMA pros, it's good enough for us!
Read our full review to find out why we love it so much!
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