SKALD Fat Scorcher Review: May Work, But Falls Short in Other Ways

What to Like About SKALD

• SKALD is similarly priced to other fat-burning supplements.
• The company provides a consumer-friendly 60-day money-back guarantee, even on open products.
• SKALD has relatively positive customer reviews on GNC (but mixed on Amazon).

Important Considerations

• Except for caffeine, the individual amounts of ingredients are not listed on the label due to a proprietary blend, making it difficult to evaluate safety and effectiveness.
• There is no information about the brand or the team's expertise.
• The company does not provide any information on third-party testing.
• The supplement's high caffeine content may pose a safety concern for some people.
• You’re required to cycle off the product every 6 weeks for 2 weeks.

SKALD at a Glance

SKALD Oxydynamic Fat Scorcher is a weight-loss and fat-burning supplement designed to increase energy, speed fat loss, suppress appetite, and boost mood safely and legally.

The creators behind SKALD are BELDT Labs, a formulator and manufacturer of products geared toward bodybuilding and sports nutrition.

SKALD was designed to replace other stimulant-based weight-loss products known as ECA stacks that were banned in 2004 by the FDA due to the safety risk they imposed. (1) The ECA stack stands for ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin. This stimulant combination was popular in the 1990s and early 2000s for weight loss and bodybuilding.

SKALD instead used white willow bark, caffeine, and bitter orange fruit extract in their formulation to naturally mimic the effects of ECA stack. However, due to ongoing safety concerns, BELDT removed the bitter orange fruit extract from its ingredient label.

How to Take

Each bottle contains 60 capsules. BELDT recommends taking 1 SKALD capsule on an empty stomach about 15–30 minutes before breakfast and then, as an option, taking an additional one 5–6 hours after. Once you see how you respond to SKALD, the company states you can take an additional capsule in the morning, bringing your total dose to 3 capsules daily.

Research on SKALD’s Ingredients

Most ingredients in SKALD have randomized clinical trials to show efficacy for helping weight loss and fat burning. However, the ingredients the company claims improve breathing mostly rely on folk medicine, and no clinical trials show they’re beneficial. Additionally, the ingredients in this supplement are part of a proprietary blend, so we don’t know the exact amounts of each ingredient and whether they are in adequate doses.

Below we’ll break down each of the ingredients in more detail.

White Willow Bark

White willow bark is extracted from the willow tree. Studies show that willow bark extract may act as an anti-inflammatory to help relieve joint and back pain. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, white willow bark has been widely used to help improve exercise performance and achieve dietary goals. However, no research shows that white willow bark can aid in weight loss directly. (2, 3)

White willow bark extract contains an aspirin-like compound (salicin) that may enhance the energy-stimulating and fat-burning activities of ephedrine and caffeine, designed to mimic the effects of the ECA stack, which was initially intended to help with weight loss and energy stimulation. (4)

Caffeine Anhydrous

A daily serving of SKALD contains 220 mg of caffeine (equivalent to over 2 cups of coffee). Research supports caffeine to promote reductions in weight, BMI, and weight loss and help with weight maintenance. (5, 6) Additionally, a study shows that consuming caffeine may acutely suppress appetite if ingested between 0.5 to 4 hours before a meal. Still, more research is needed on this effect. (7)

Green Tea Leaf Extract

Green tea extract contains caffeine and catechins, which may help with energy and weight loss. Catechins belong to a group of antioxidants called polyphenols, which studies have shown can block fat absorption. (8)

Other studies pointed out that catechins and caffeine may synergistically help you burn more calories and body fat. (9)

Juniper Berry (Juniperus Communis Extract)

Juniper berry is the seed cone from the juniper tree, which grows in parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. The makers of SKALD claim that juniper berry is meant to mimic the effects of DMHA (dimethylhexylamine, also known as Octodrine), an amphetamine-like stimulant marketed as a pre-workout and fat burner. However, no research can confirm this.

While there is some emerging research on juniper berry’s health benefits, including it being an anti-inflammatory, there are no studies on its benefits associated with weight loss, energy, or exercise performance.

Elecampane (Inula helenium)

Elecampane is a sunflower-like flower from the aster family, originally grown in Europe and Asia. Elecampane root powder has been used in traditional medicine for respiratory conditions. It may have antioxidant properties, but very little modern-day research supports its use to help you breathe better, as the makers of SKALD claim. (10, 11)

Mullein (Verbascum Thapsus)

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is a medicinal plant considered to loosen and remove the excess mucus in the respiratory tract, improve respiratory function, and reduce inflammation. It has been growing commercially in recent years for its ability to provide benefits. However, much like elecampane, there isn’t much modern-day research demonstrating its ability to treat respiratory issues. (12)

N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine

N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid that acts as a building block for the brain chemicals responsible for making us feel good and alert. Studies have shown that supplementing with L-Tyrosine enhances cognitive performance and alertness and supports mood during stressful situations. (13, 14)

There are no studies that show L-Tyrosine directly promotes weight loss. However, in theory, if it does help alleviate stress and support mood, it may result in reduced food intake and stress eating, leading to weight management support.

BioPerine (Black Pepper Extract)

BioPerine is an extract from black pepper that can increase the absorption (bioavailability) of certain nutrients, including plant compounds. Specifically, this ingredient is commonly used in supplements to help increase the absorption of curcumin and other nutrients. However, no research indicates that BioPerine can help better absorb the ingredients specifically used in SKALD.

Safety Considerations

As mentioned, each SKALD capsule contains 110 mg of caffeine, bringing you to 220–330 mg of daily caffeine intake if you take 2–3 capsules daily. According to the FDA, the maximum recommended amount of caffeine is 400 mg. (15)

Consuming SKALD with other sources of caffeine (coffee, tea, supplements) may cause you to exceed daily caffeine recommendations and potentially result in adverse side effects.

Also, this supplement is not appropriate if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or known to have a history of allergies (as some ingredients, like elecampane, may cause a reaction).

Consult your physician before taking SKALD — especially if you have any known pre-existing conditions or allergies.

Pricing and Buying Options

SKALD Fat Scorcher is available on the brand’s website at the following prices:

BELDT Labs offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on all orders minus shipping and handling. You must return the used and unused bottles to receive the full refund. The company offers free shipping if you order in bundles of 3 or 6 bottles. Otherwise, a single bottle (with or without a subscription) will run you around $5 per shipment.

Additionally, SKALD is sold on Amazon and GNC for $49 per bottle. GNC gives you the option to subscribe, bringing your bottle cost down to $45.

Shop SKALD on Amazon

How SKALD Compares to Alternatives

The weight loss supplement market is crowded with many brands claiming their formula is unique and proven to work. But how should a consumer choose?

To start, it is important to understand that most weight loss supplements have not been clinically tested in their specific formulation. Their claims for effectiveness are solely based on the studies on the individual ingredients they contain. So in that respect, all brands are on equal footing.

The biggest difference between the brands is based on the following attributes:

• Ingredients: Most weight loss ingredients do not have strong evidence to indicate significant long-term weight loss. However, some ingredients have stronger evidence for short-term weight loss than others. And some ingredients don’t have much support at all. SKALD’s ingredients have some evidence for increasing energy and burning fat and very little support for other claims. There are better alternatives available, which we list below.
• Safety: Weight loss supplements usually come with considerable risks, mostly due to stimulant ingredients, allergic reactions, and medication interactions. It is not uncommon for stimulant-containing supplements (like SKALD) to cause caffeine-related side effects, but taking SKALD increases this risk because it has the highest caffeine dosage.
• Transparent Labeling: By far, this is the biggest differentiator among brands. Some brands provide the amount of each ingredient and active component, making it possible to accurately evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the supplement. Other brands, like SKALD, group ingredients into a proprietary blend and only indicate the total amount of the blend (not individual ingredients) — making it impossible to evaluate the supplement with any certainty. When it comes to weight loss supplements, we recommend avoiding proprietary blends. Two of the alternative brands we recommend below have transparent labels.
• Third-Party Testing and Certification: This helps to verify that the supplement contains what it says it does and is not contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, and bacteria. SKALD does not provide any information in this area. When we tried to contact their customer service, we were not offered any evidence. Both SKALD alternatives we list below have third-party testing and provide certificates for composition.
• Brand Reputation: Very little information is provided about SKALD as a company and the team involved with product formulation. We advise you to purchase supplements where more is known about the brand and the people behind it. In addition, SKALD has glowing consumer reviews on its website (average 5-star rating), but not a single 1-star or 2-star review. If you compare the reviews of SKALD on Amazon (average rating 3.4) and GNC (average rating 4.3), you will quickly find negative reviews that tell a different story.

Based on these factors, here is a summary of how SKALD compares to two stimulant-containing alternatives:

How to Choose

• Option 1 – Stimulant-Containing Supplement: SKALD falls short when it comes to transparent labeling, third-party testing, and brand reputation. Transparent Labs and Legion offer better alternatives. Legion is slightly less expensive, requires you to take it only once a day, and has a better return policy, so it may be a good place to start. In addition, Transparent Labs and Legion have different formulations, so experimenting to see which one your body responds to better makes sense as well.
• Option 2 – Stimulant-Free Fat Burners: If you want to avoid the side effects of caffeine, both Transparent Labs and Legion offer fat burner options without caffeine. See our comparison of stimulant-free weight loss supplements here.
• Option 3 – Try a Glucomannan Supplement: Glucomannan is a water-soluble fiber that creates a feeling of fullness and reduces appetite. Some studies show that it leads to short-term weight loss. If you want to try this mechanism of action, see our comparison of glucomannan supplements here.
• Option 4 – Try Intermittent Fasting: If you want to avoid a supplement altogether but need to break through your weight loss plateau or need extra help to achieve your weight loss goal, intermittent fasting is a proven option.