If you’re active on social media, especially TikTok, you might have encountered many weight loss hacks claiming to melt your body fat within a few days. While some work (with proper care), others can be pretty dangerous for your health.
Nowadays, a mysterious supplement named “Alpilean Ice Hack” or “Ice Hack” is making rounds online. It claims to help people lose weight without following an extensive workout routine.
But the question is: “Does this ice hack really work?” “Is it safe to take the supplement?” Well, experts believe that this trick is unregulated and unbacked by science.
So, if you want to try the ice hack diet to lose those extra pounds, wait and think twice before going this way. This guide will answer all your questions about this new TikTok hack, along with some safety considerations.
Alpilean Ice Hack: How Does it Work?
Contrary to the popular misconception, the ice hack has nothing to do with ice cubes. It only revolves around a costly dietary supplement named Alpilean capsules, consisting of ingredients from the Himalayan Alps. Hence, the name “Alpilean Ice Hack.”
Influencers trying this hack justify it with some scientific evidence, which is totally misinterpreted from its original context. The company claims these capsules play with the inner body temperature to lose belly fat. The idea is based on a 2020 Stanford University School of Medicine study.
In this study, the researchers studied the inner body temperature in America and found a decline of 0.05°F per decade since the 80s. According to Alpilean manufacturers, this decreasing body temperature is the main culprit for rising obesity in the country.
However, it’s not that simple. One of the study’s researchers, Julie Parsonnet, says that our body temperature isn’t the only reason for obesity. Instead, our sedentary lifestyles, calorie-dense diets, and intense heating and air conditioning are also significant factors to consider.
She adds that our immune systems used to be more active in the previous decades. Also, the bacteria in our bodies have changed, producing more heat than before. So, we have become taller, healthier, and bulkier for all these reasons, not just the declining body temperature.
Ingredients in the Alpilean Supplements
The Alpilean supplements are made of six organic ingredients derived from natural plants in the Thangu Valley of the Himalayas. These include:
- Dika nut (or African mango seed)
- Ginger
- Golden algae (fucoxanthin)
- Turmeric root
- Moringa leaf or drumstick tree
- Bitter orange or bigarade
These components aim to increase your inner body temperature and activate your metabolism. As a result, you burn calories much faster. However, no study confirms these properties.
According to Colleen Tewksbury, a registered dietitian, these ingredients only show minimal body temperature improvements in animals. There is nothing about human beings. In fact, a review of supplements found that bitter orange (a major ingredient in the Alpilean supplements) isn’t recommended for obesity treatment.
It’s also believed that these supplements can interact with a drug or medication you’re already taking. Although they are not high-risk, you should consult a doctor before going on the ice hack diet.
Is the Ice Hack Effective for Weight Loss?
By now, you may have concluded that the entire concept behind the ice hack for weight loss is at fault. There is no direct, concrete evidence that connects body temperature with weight.
But how is this hack working for some people? Experts believe these supplements may work because of a “thermogenic handicap.” It is when a person’s low body temperature slows their calorie burn-off, making them susceptible to obesity. So, these capsules increase their body temperature and help them burn calories faster.
Still, the recent news is that obesity and temperature aren’t related. However, if you visit the Alpilean website, you will see a Swiss study from the International Journal of Obesity published there as the basis of their weight loss supplements.
In reality, this study negates their very core idea of correlating obesity with low body temperature. According to it, our body temperature rises with weight instead of decreasing, as the company emphasizes.
Is the Ice Hack Diet Expensive?
If you still want to try the ice hack for weight loss, know it can get quite heavy on your budget. You can get these supplements from the company’s official website, but many of its variants are also sold on Amazon.
Always check the ingredients in all these products to ensure you’re getting what you need. One Alpilean capsule bottle is priced at $59 for a month’s supply, but if you buy a 90-day supply of three bottles, each would cost you $49 only. For a 180-day supply of six bottles, the price for one is further reduced to $39.
According to the company, you must use these capsules for three to six months to see the results. It will give the supplements enough time to work on your inner body temperature and help you lose the extra pounds.
How to Follow the Ice Hack Properly
So, you want to try this hack but are reluctant to go for it? Don’t worry; these supplements are usually safe and don’t cause any side effects.
Since this hack isn’t a specific diet, the company doesn’t ask the users to change their diet or exercise to melt their belly weight. That’s actually a major red flag when it comes to any weight loss plan. However, you can give these supplements a try.
All you have to do is take an Alpilean weight loss capsule with cold water daily and let the supplement show its magic during sleeping. However, if you want to achieve weight loss results faster, you can also include effective behavior modifications in your lifestyle and eating habits.
Ice Hack for Weight Loss: Is It Good for You?
The Alpiliean company seems to invest heavily in social media influencers to market their weight loss supplements. It also uses Stanford University’s research to convince more people to try them. But as you know, the reality is far from it.
Yes, there might be a connection between inner body temperature, weight, and metabolism, but these are not the only culprits behind obesity. Our lifestyle, diet, and several environmental factors also weigh in, and there is no way we can eliminate them from the equation.
Simply put, no scientific evidence backs up the Alpilean ice hack for weight loss. But if you want to try it, consult your doctor beforehand. These supplements don’t have any significant side effects, but it’s good to be on the safe side!
Sources
Footnotes:
- Protsiv M, Ley C, Lankester J, Hastie T, Parsonnet J. Decreasing human body temperature in the United States since the industrial revolution. Elife. 2020;9:e49555.
- Watanabe M, Risi R, Masi D, Caputi A, Balena A, Rossini G, Tuccinardi D, Mariani S, Basciani S, Manfrini S, Gnessi L. Current evidence to propose different food supplements for weight loss: A comprehensive review. Nutrients. 2020;12(9):2873.
- Heikens MJ, Gorbach AM, Eden HS, Savastano DM, Chen KY, Skarulis MC, Yanovski JA. Core body temperature in obesity. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2011;93(5):963-7.
- Bastardot F, Marques-Vidal P, Vollenweider P. Association of body temperature with obesity. The CoLaus study. International journal of obesity. 2019;43(5):1026-33.
References:
- The ice hack diet is going viral. Dieticians are unimpressed. USA Today. Accessed 9/23/2023.
- Ice Hack for Weight Loss: The Latest Trending Diet. U.S. News & World Report. Accessed 9/23/2023.
- Ice Hack Weight Loss: The Ultimate Alpilean Ice Hack Guide For Losing Weight Faster Than Ever. Outlook India. Accessed 9/23/2023.