Let’s face it, most sequels are awful.

Jurassic Park… Star Wars… Princess Bride… I could go on.

And when supplement companies release sequels to their own products, usually it doesn’t bode well either.

Today I’ll be looking at the latest supplement to try this tactic, as Dr. Jim Stoppani’s new fat burner SS8 is reviewed and put through my deliberately harsh supplement rating system to decide whether it’s a worthy improvement on the original (Shred JYM).

They’re very confident in the new product, too, hailing Super Shredded 8 (SS8) as “the best fat burner the fitness industry has ever seen.”

High praise indeed.

So are we looking at a rare instance of a sequel improving upon the original? Or are Jym Supplement Science believing their own hype? It’s time to find out, in my comprehensive JYM SS8 review!

Wait… SS8 Is The First New JYM Product For 5 Years?!

There’s no denying that Dr. Jim Stoppani had a massive impact on the supplement industry when he launched JYM Supplement Science back in 2014.

The supplement world was a mess at the time, dominated by poor-grade products and untested ingredients.

And yeah, there was a small handful of solid brands using clinically dosed ingredients and doing things the right way, but JYM did it on such a massive scale that it put the entire industry on high alert.

They declared that consumers would no longer accept under-dosed formulas, nor would they settle for proprietary blends or bulls**t marketing claims. JYM really changed the game for the better, and we can see the benefits nowadays because many other reputable brands have adopted a similar approach.

One of the hidden advantages to going down this road is that, except for a minor ingredient change to Pre JYM in 2017, the Doc hasn’t needed to add anything to his line-up for a what seems like a lifetime (remember the old saying about doing it right the first time?).

As such, Super Shredded 8 is the first full-fledged new JYM supplement to be released since 2016!

Jim has stated that he intends for SS8 to be sold alongside his old fat burner (Shred JYM) rather than replace it. We will discuss that further down the page, when I compare the two side by side.

JYM SS8 Vs Shred JYM

I can’t give you a comprehensive SS8 review without first comparing it to Shred JYM…

Looking at the picture above, you can see that the new Super Shredded 8 Fat Burner is like a charged up version of the original product, and it includes many of the same ingredients.

The caffeine blend has been changed from regular caffeine anhydrous to ZumXR and had the dose boosted from 200mg to 300mg. Green tea extract rises from 500mg in Shred JYM to 555mg in SS8 (has the exact same dose of “active” compounds, though). Synephrine is removed entirely, and we have the inclusion of AdrenaJYM (more on that below).

Oh, and then there’s the new price…

Shred JYM (still available here, btw) costs around $30 for a tub containing 40 servings. SS8 will set you back $60 for 30 servings.

Welcome to the real world, folks.

When questioned about the big price hike, Stoppani said that it’s due to the quality of the “extra advanced ingredients” in SS8, and the fact that customers also get a copy of his popular Super Shredded 8 workout program e-book.

We’ll get into all of that below.

JYM SS8 Fat Burner Review

So is it really “extra advanced”?

Sadly not.

What we have here is a very solid product, certainly a higher grade than most of its competitors, but it’s not a miracle pill.

Plus, unlike other supplements which have been 100% proven to yield significant training improvements (creatine, citrulline, betaine) there are no substances which can produce significant fat loss results.

(No legal ones, anyway!)

That doesn’t stop supplement companies from hyping them up, of course. See this video from the Doc regarding the ingredients of SS8:

Unfortunately, it’s little more than a hype-fest and many of the claims made are not true.

Jim states that one of the reasons SS8 is such an effective fat burner is because the caffeine in the product will create a much higher calorie burn for the trainee.

Sure, caffeine does have a positive effect on the number of calories you burn, but we’re talking about a minuscule improvement. Studies clearly show this increase is nowhere near large enough to be a considered a defining weight loss marker, so while I love caffeine for its performance benefits, it doesn’t deserve its reputation as a so-called “fat burner”. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Another thing you need to know is that even this slight increase in net calorie burn hinges on the user being caffeine naive, which most people are not. (6)

The same thing rings true for another big SS8 ingredient – green tea extract.

By including a massive 555mg in each serving, JYM have gone “all in”.

Supplement companies often tout the fat burning benefits of green tea extract on their sales pages, but the actual research to support those claims is paper thin. Jim says it was included in SS8 because it will “have a positive effect on metabolism, leading to greater weight loss” (the same reason it’s included in most other fat burners). However, a comprehensive 2009 study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed this is not the case – in fact, it has absolutely no effect on resting metabolic rate. (7, 8, 9)

Green tea extract does have other health benefits (it’s packed with antioxidants), but it’s not a fat burner. (10)

We’re going to get into all of the other ingredients below, and there are some good ones, but I wanted to start with these two because they often receive the most hype.

As you can see, the fact that we are already uncovering bulls**t demonstrates just how wobbly the foundation of fat burner supplements really is.

JYM SS8 Fat Burner – Ingredient Breakdown

Now it’s time to run through each ingredient and reveal what they do, as well as seeing if the dose is enough to yield the potential results on offer.

Let’s start with the big one.

300mg Caffeine

I love caffeine. It’s awesome.

It can improve energy output, create greater mental focus, cause you to burn (slightly) more calories throughout the day, and it even has some useful strength benefits. (6, 1, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

Interestingly, SS8 uses ZumXR caffeine as opposed to traditional caffeine anhydrous. This alternate form of caffeine is preferred for its extended release of energy. That means SS8 won’t give you an instant energy kick, but will instead spread the load over 8 hours (see graoph above). ZumXR is certainly innovative, and I love that, but TeaCrine remains king of slow-release caffeine (for now) because there’s more research to support it. (16, 17, 18,19)

Dose: We need a minimum dose of 167mg to unlock the majority of caffeine’s training benefits, with a top end serving of 400mg being required to tap into the strength training benefits it offers. Super Shredded 8 delivers 300mg which is perfectly fine.

500mg l-Tyrosine

Here’s another great ingredient!

This one works as a precursor to dopamine, meaning we can train harder.

The combination of l-tyrosine and caffeine works for Super Shredded 8 in much the same way as it does for the awesome AML Pre Workout, with the idea being that caffeine helps you put that increased dopamine production to work, leading to more calories being burned throughout the day. (25)

Dose: Ideally you want 1 gram of l-tyrosine for maximum results. SS8 provides 500mg which is short of the mark, but still enough to unlock noticeable improvements with continued usage.

400mcg Chromium

Consider chromium “the next big thing” in the fat burner world.

This ingredient has links to appetite suppression, and specifically a reduction in carbohydrate cravings, so it’s a marketing dream (“this will curb your cravings and reduce your calorie intake!”). (20)

But while the info above is 100% true, there are 3 important things you gotta know about chromium supplementation:

1. If you don’t have a chromium deficiency, you don’t need it (no benefits).
2. For those of you who genuinely do have a chromium deficiency, a clinical dose is 1000mcg.
3. Some companies like to make a claim that chromium can positively impact glucose metabolism. The experts at Examine.com confirm this is false.

Dose: 1000mcg would be perfect, but it’s still a nice move by JYM to use this underrated ingredient, and the dose of 400mcg may be enough to help curb cravings a little bit throughout the day.

1.5g Acetyl-l-carnitine HCL

If you’ve used a fat burner before, chances are you’re familiar with Acetyl-l-carnitine.

This ingredient was extremely popular in the mid-80s, and it has continued to thrive in the supplement industry despite being thoroughly debunked as a “fat burner” in the early 1990s. (21)

But while the actual fat loss effects of ALCAR are next to zero, there is some evidence showing that it can delay the onset of fatigue. So if we realllly want to bill it as a “fat burner” we could argue that this ingredient works by helping you train a little bit harder and burning more calories (a.k.a. clutching at straws!). (22)

ALCAR has undergone a resurgence in popularity in recent years, with lots of companies now using it in their pre workout formulas for its cognitive benefits. (23)

Dose: You’ll need a between 630-2500mg to tap into the cognitive benefits on offer here. JYM SS8 falls right in the “sweet spot” with a 1500mg dose, so you’ll feel unlock the “mental focus” benefits for sure.

555mg Green Tea Extract

Green tea extract does NOT speed up your metabolism.

There, I said it.

There are studies which literally prove this, but supplement companies continue to push green tea extract as a fat burner nontheless. STOP IT. (7, 8, 9, 10)

Dose: The 555mg found in SS8 is much higher than you’ll find in most other fat burners, but the main thing you’ll gain from it is an energy boost (because GTE contains caffeine).

50mg Cayenne Pepper

Speaking of nonsense, I bring you cayenne pepper.

Spicy foods are often labelled as fat burners for their ability to increase the thermic effect of food. This is the number of calories your body burns trying to break down the food itself.

While there definitely is a spike, what they don’t tell you is that we’d need to eat LIKE AN ELEPHANT for it to be useful.

Dose: Like the previous ingredient, the dose here is higher than you’ll find in most competing products, but that’s not the problem. The problem is doesn’t work.

5mg AdrenaJYM

This is Dr. Stoppani’s own patented form of yohimbine (4.5mg regular yohimbine & 0.5mg alpha yohimbine).

Some people are very sensitive to this ingredient, so the addition of a more potent form is a risky move which might result in you unleashing holy hell on your toilet.

So there’s that.

It’s also an aphrodisiac, so if your wife thought you were kinky before, things could be about to reach a whole new level! (25)

Studies which demonstrate positive fat loss results with yohimbine supplementation used doses of around 0.2mg per kg body weight (14mg or a 150lb person, 18mg for a 200lb person, and 22mg for a 250lb person). (26)

Dose: At 5mg SS8 is higher than most competing products, but the research on yohimbine isn’t conclusive yet and it appears to only have a beneficial effect on fat loss at very high doses .

JYM SS8 Fat Burner – The Final Verdict

I’m giving this product 2 stars, and here’s why.

Super Shredded 8 succeeds in its mission to become “the best fat burner on the market”, because the ingredient profile here is significantly better than any of its competitors.

However, is it even a compliment to be #1 in a supplement category which is so tainted by bulls**t?

It’s kinda like being voted “best Twilight movie”.

You can grab JYM SS8 here.

Who Is Russ Howe PTI?

Russ has been a personal trainer in the UK since 2002, and provided both training advice and full programs on this website since 2011.

His work has been featured in Men’s Fitness magazine, and the content on this website led to him being voted one of the world’s top 50 fat loss coaches by HuffPost.

Russ’ days are spent coaching men and women in the legendary Powerhouse Gym, and creating new content for the 109,246 followers of his popular free weekly e-mail, which you can join below!

References:

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2. Beaven C. M., et al. Dose effect of caffeine on testosterone and cortisol responses to resistance exercise. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab (2008).
3. Cook C., et al. Acute caffeine ingestion increases voluntarily chosen resistance training load following limited sleep. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab (2012).
4. Del Coso J., et al. Dose response effects of a caffeine-containing energy drink on muscle performance: a repeated measures design. J Int Soc Sports Nutr (2012).
5. Mora-Rodríguez R., et al. Caffeine ingestion reverses the circadian rhythm effects on neuromuscular performance in highly resistance-trained men. PLoS One (2012).
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13. Del Coso J., et al. Dose response effects of a caffeine-containing energy drink on muscle performance: a repeated measures design. J Int Soc Sports Nutr (2012).
14. Mora-Rodríguez R., et al. Caffeine ingestion reverses the circadian rhythm effects on neuromuscular performance in highly resistance-trained men. PLoS One (2012).
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16. zümXR®, LLC. zümXR Ingredients. http://www.zumxr.com/ingredients. Accessed May 19, 2019.
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18. Hayward S., et al., Safety of TeaCrine®, a non-habituating, naturally-occurring purine alkaloid over eight weeks of continuous use. ISSN Poster Presentation (2015).
19. Habowski S. M., et al. The effects of TeacrineTM, a nature-identical purine alkaloid, on subjective measures of cognitive function, psychometric and hemodynamic indices in healthy humans: a randomized, double-blinded crossover pilot trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr (2014).
20. Docherty J. P., et al. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, exploratory trial of chromium picolinate in atypical depression: effect on carbohydrate craving J Psychiatr Pract. (2005).
21. Decombaz J., et al. Effect of L-carnitine on submaximal exercise metabolism after depletion of muscle glycogen. Med Sci Sports Exerc (1993).
22. Sugino T., et al. Effects of Citric Acid and l-Carnitine on Physical Fatigue. J Clin Biochem Nutr (2007).
23. Vermeulen R. C., et al. Exploratory open label, randomized study of acetyl- and propionylcarnitine in chronic fatigue syndrome. Psychosom Med (2004).
24. Tumilty L., et al. Oral tyrosine supplementation improves exercise capacity in the heat. Eur J Appl Physiol (2011).
25. Ernst E., et al. Yohimbine for erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. J Urol (1998).
26. Ostojic S. M. Yohimbine: the effects on body composition and exercise performance in soccer players. Res Sports Med (2006).