Manufactured by Beldt Labs, Skald OxyDynamic Fat Scorcher claims to be the ‘world’s very first fat burner with respiratory support’. It also promises a ‘greater energy rush, fat loss and mood boost than the banned ECA stack’.
Both are pretty bold claims, and it’s our job to establish whether there’s any basis in fact or if the product is just a lot of hot air. So what are we waiting for? Let’s dive right in with the…
» See the #1 Fat Burner This Year «
Skald Formula Analysis
Here’s the first problem we have with Skald. It uses a proprietary blend – we know the ingredients but have no idea about dosages. This is a big problem within the supplement industry. There is no genuine need for proprietary blends. All it does is raise red flags – it means we have no way of knowing if the ingredients are included in clinically effective dosages or not. In short, whether they will even work. All we do know is that Skald contains 110mg of caffeine anhydrous – the same as a strong cup of coffee — as part of its total 341mg per capsule.
Fat burners typically work by targeting one or more mechanisms of fat loss, such as increasing energy expenditure, reducing fat absorption, boosting fat metabolism and/ or appetite suppression. So where does Skald stand?
Skald pledges three main benefits, saying ‘it may help’:
- Intense Energy & Fat Loss
- Respiratory Support
- Appetite Control
Let’s briefly examine each claim before going on to look at the ingredients in detail…
Intense Energy & Fat Loss
There are several ingredients in Skald that have the potential to boost energy, improve mental focus and aid fat loss, including caffeine and green tea extract. The problem is that the proprietary blend means we have no idea how much of each ingredient Skald includes. There’s therefore no way to tell if each individual compound reaches its full potential.
Respiratory Support
The idea behind respiratory support is that it improves airflow and boosts oxygen to your cells, which should allow you to push through your comfort zone and extend your workout. The ingredients behind this seem to be Mullein and Elecampane, herbs traditionally used to treat lung conditions such as asthma.
Appetite Control
Skald’s appetite suppressing qualities should allow you to move to smaller portions with no more cravings, says the literature. Theobromine stands out as the main appetite suppressor in the product, though caffeine is often suggested to have similar effects.
The Ingredients in Detail
Caffeine Anhydrous
Caffeine is a popular ingredient in fat burners as it helps to reduce fatigue, boost energy, enhance mental focus and act as a thermogenic – raising your body temperature to help burn more calories. 110mg of caffeine is no more than a strong cup of coffee. So far so good. Skald recommends you start with one capsule and then add another 5-6 hours later. So that’s already doubling the caffeine dose. 220mg of caffeine has a strong kick, so start slowly and assess your tolerance. Here’s where we have a problem with Skald: it then goes on to say you can add a THIRD capsule once you’ve assessed your tolerance. That’s 330mg of caffeine – on top of the other stimulants in this product. This is becoming dangerously close to the 400mg caffeine limit a day, as recommended by the Mayo Clinic in the U.S. Watch your alternative caffeine sources.
N-Acetyl-Tyrosine (NALT)
More commonly found in nootropics to help improve mood and mental focus, NALT has demonstrated an ability to reduce stress during times of acute stress, such as intense exercise. However, considering we only have 231mg of dosage left per capsule with another seven ingredients still to come – and you’d usually need between 500-1,000mg of NALT to be effective – it’s unlikely to do much here.
Green Tea Leaf Extract
Green tea is a recognised fat burning ingredient and included in many such products. It contains fat burning molecules known as catechins, the most potent of which is EGCG. Green tea can have impressive results and there’s a lot of research behind it, but here’s something you might not know: its effects work best if you’re caffeine naïve. That means that if you regularly consume caffeine, you may not derive much benefit from this ingredient.
» See the #1 Fat Burner This Year «
There’s another dosage anomaly with this ingredient. Significant effects have only really been noted at high doses, such as 4-500mg EGCG equivalent per day. Assuming most green tea extracts are about 50% EGCG, that’s still 2-250mg of this ingredient alone. Which takes up pretty much all the remaining space in this capsule IF you didn’t already have NALT (and the six other ingredients to come!).
Sure, taking two or even three capsules pay day allows that dosage to increase, but it’s already looking likely that most of these ingredients will not reach effective dosage. Now we understand why it’s a secret proprietary blend.
Synephrine (Bitter Orange Fruit Extract)
Hands up: it makes us nervous whenever we see synephrine included in a product. An alkaloid of bitter orange and a stimulant, it is claimed to boost basal metabolic rate, increase the calories you burn and improve lipolysis (breaking down fats for energy). Synephrine talks a good talk but doesn’t always deliver.
Studies show mixed results. But that’s not really what worries us. As WebMD reminds us, synephrine is potentially ‘unsafe’ because of its chemical similarity to ephedra, a banned substance.
Ephedra was banned in Australia and many other countries because of its impact on the heart. Synephrine, when used with caffeine, has been shown to increase the heart rate and blood pressure of healthy adults. As a result, it’s banned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
*It’s worth noting that while not banned, synephrine and caffeine are on the 2020 Monitoring Program of the World Anti-Doping Agency. WADA keeps an eye on both to ascertain any misuse in sports.
White Willow Bark Extract
Profuse sweating seems to be a common theme in user reviews of Skald, and this ingredient, combined with synephrine and caffeine, may be the cause.
Together, they are thought to encourage thermogenesis — raised body temperature and boosted blood flow to the muscles – that helps to burn more calories.
White Willow Bark is also commonly use in herbal remedies to reduce muscle and joint pain, often described as ‘nature’s aspirin’.
Remember the earlier marketing claim that Skald delivers a ‘greater energy rush, fat loss and mood boost than the banned ECA stack?’ Funny they should mention that because it looks to us like Skald is trying to recreate the potent ECA stack of the 1990s and 2000s. The combo of Ephedra, Caffeine and Aspirin was phased out when Ephedra was banned due to safety concerns. But here we have:
- Synephrine (bitter orange extract): Chemically similar to Ephedra
- Caffeine
- White Willow Bark, nature’s aspirin.
Mullein (Verbascum Thapsus Leaf Powder)
Skald likes to boast that it’s the world first fat burner with respiratory support and this ingredient is likely to be why. Mullein, a favourite in herbal medicine, is often used to treat lung-based conditions, such as bronchitis, coughs, TB. It makes sense that it may help with breathing and have a knock-on effect to athletic performance, though there are no studies examining its use in a sporting context that we could find.
Theobromine
Here’s another stimulant, albeit mild, in this product. Theobromine increases the heart rate in a similar way to caffeine and may help to improve performance during mental tasks.
It can also lower blood pressure (but doses need to be between 250-1,000mg) and generally effective dosing is around 500mg. Again, the proprietary blend means we have no idea how much is in this product, but we can safely say it’s probably not enough.
Elecampane (Inula Helenium Root Powder)
Another ingredient that’s intended to contribute to respiratory support, Elecampane offers historical merit in treating lung-related conditions such as bronchitis and asthma, but provides no modern scientific evidence of its benefits.
Bioperine (Black Pepper Extract)
Finally, an ingredient we can rely on! BioPerine is a black pepper extract that is included in many supplements nowadays because of its proven ability to boost the absorption of other compounds, making them more effective. It would need around 20mg to reach effective dosage – which would be a smart move in any formula – but again we can’t guarantee this dosage. Can you see now why proprietary blends are the bane of the supplement industry?
» See the #1 Fat Burner This Year «
The Pros Of Skald OxyDynamic Fat Scorcher
- The caffeine should give you a decent jolt of energy and focus
- Green tea extract is proven to work… under certain circumstances
- Some good ingredients in here — if only we knew dosages
- Made in the U.S. to cGMP quality
The Cons
- Proprietary blend!
- No way all the ingredients mentioned can be adequately dosed
- Contains THREE stimulants – caffeine, synephrine and theobromine.
- Doesn’t contain any vitamins or minerals
- A bit pricey
How to Take It
Skald recommends that you take one capsule on an empty stomach 15-30 minutes before breakfast. If desired, you can then take one additional capsule 5-6 hours later.
After you’ve fully assessed your tolerance, the manufacturers sat that you may add one further capsule to the morning dose – making three capsules altogether. Do not take more than three capsules in 24 hours.
You should also cycle off the capsules for at least two weeks after six weeks of use. We recommend taking a stimulant-free fat burner during this time to allow your caffeine tolerance to lessen. Our recommendation would be caffeine-free Burn Lab Pro.
Potential Side Effects
The strongest side effects in this product will probably come from the stimulants. Too much caffeine can cause anxiety, the jitters, insomnia, nausea and more, so you’ll need to watch your total caffeine intake from all sources, especially if you intend to take three capsules a day. Avoid taking this near bedtime. Synephrine is also linked with several unpleasant side effects. You may want to avoid if you have blood pressure issues. Anecdotally, from reading the reviews, you can also expect lots of sweating!
As always, we’d recommend you discuss the ingredients in Skald with your doctor before taking.
» See the #1 Fat Burner This Year «
Final Word on Skald OxyDynamic Fat Scorcher
The supplement world is full of products that make outrageous and bold claims, without backing them up. And we’re sad to say that Skald OxyDynamic Fat Scorcher seems to be another such product.
It claims to be the ‘ World’s First & Only Trademarked Fat Burner with Respiratory Support’, for instance, but doesn’t offer any proof or information to qualify this statement that we can see.
Plus, let’s be frank, there’s little scientific evidence behind its two ‘respiratory support’ ingredients anyway.
There’s also no way that all its nine ingredients can be included in clinically effective dosages – there just isn’t enough room — so a great deal of it is just bunk. Hence the proprietary blend. As we always say, be suspicious when a product feels the need to use a proprietary blend: they’re hiding something.
The only thing that we can say for sure is that the caffeine included in Skald Oxydynamic Fat Scorcher IS likely to be effective. Assuming you start with a low caffeine tolerance. Of course, your tolerance will soon build up which is why you’ll need to cycle off it every six weeks. For that reason, we reckon most of its positive reviews are a result of its stimulant ingredients.
It’s your choice, of course, but why would you pay for a product that likely only has two or three effective ingredients – and you don’t even know what those are?! There are better fat burners to spend your money on.
» See the #1 Fat Burner This Year «