Social media has a way of making trends go viral, and the ice hack diet is no exception. This diet promises effortless weight loss through the consumption of a supplement and drinking ice water before bed. However, experts in the field are raising doubts about the validity of these claims.
What is the Ice Hack Diet?
The premise of the ice hack diet is that a lower body temperature leads to better fat metabolism. Followers of this trend drink ice water to lower their body temperature and take a supplement called Alpilean. This supplement contains six substances, some of which have known health benefits, but little research has been done on their effectiveness for weight loss.
The cost of a 30-day supply of Alpilean is $59.00, with additional charges for shipping and handling. Discounts are offered for purchasing multiple bottles at once.
How Does the Ice Hack Diet Work?
The ice hack diet revolves around the idea that maintaining core body temperature requires energy, which in turn boosts metabolism. The diet suggests that consuming ice or very cold water, along with the supplement, regulates body temperature. According to the Alpilean website, each substance in the supplement targets inner body temperature. These substances include golden algae, dika nut, drumstick tree leaf, bigarade orange, ginger, and turmeric.
Despite the company’s claims, research supporting the effectiveness of these substances is limited or nonexistent.
Does the Ice Hack Diet Actually Lead to Weight Loss?
While some social media influencers claim to have lost weight with the ice hack diet, experts state that there is no evidence to support these claims. Additionally, the diet raises concerns about the quality, purity, and accuracy of dosing of the unregulated supplement.
Nutrition consultant and dietitian Jen Messer explains that although there is a theory that consuming cold water or ice can boost metabolism, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim for weight loss. Studies on the topic have yielded inconclusive results. Messer advises focusing on a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and overall lifestyle habits as more effective ways to manage and optimize metabolism.
