Effects of repeated use of a commercial topical lotion on subcutaneous fat thickness in resistance‐trained male athletes

This study tested whether subcutaneous fat loss is enhanced via application of a popular topical fat loss lotion. Twenty resistance‐trained men (mean ± SD age of 26.3 ± 6.3 years and weight of 86.8 ± 11.1 kg) had a topical fat‐loss lotion containing Coleus forskholii, Silybin, Eucommia ulmoides leaf, Paullinia cupana seed, caffeine, and black pepper essential oil applied twice daily for 8 weeks to the front and lateral thigh of one of the participant's leg, and a placebo control lotion was applied to the same sites on the other leg. After 8 weeks, there were no significant differences between the placebo and treatment legs for the change in subcutaneous fat thickness of the front thigh (p = 0.73) or for leg fat percentage (p = 0.52). However, there was a slight, yet significant difference in the change in subcutaneous fat thickness of the lateral thigh favoring the treatment leg (−0.42 vs +0.75 mm, p = 0.029), but with this difference disappearing depending on the statistical tests being used. Only 2/19 participants perceived a difference in fat loss in response to each condition. Although the topical lotion tested here resulted in statistically significantly greater subcutaneous fat loss at the lateral but not front thigh, this effect was very small, contingent upon the statistical test being used, and unperceivable by the participants themselves.