Cutting stacks are ideal for losing excess body fat and displaying your hard-earned muscle. While they often use a range of nutritional supplements to help you lose body fat, they also combine ingredients that stimulate further muscle growth.
As such, you may find your gym strength, endurance, and lean muscle mass increase while using a cutting stack. Below you’ll find the top cutting stacks on the market, backed by our expert health panel at Healthtrends.
Best Cutting Stack
1. Crazy Bulk Cutting Stack
Crazy Bulk Cutting Stack contains an array of complementary nutrients to help you get ripped quickly, while maintaining your hard-earned muscle. Clenbutrol provides the vital energy, while the Anvarol and Winsol encourage explosive and long-lasting muscle growth during a calorie deficit.
The Testo-Max blend also helps to retain lean muscle and boost your metabolism, long after your training session is over. For these reasons, it’s our #1 pick.
2. Legion Athletics Fat Loss Stack
Legion Athletics cutting stack provides 3 unique supplements designed to maximize fat loss from all angles. Pulse helps provide energy and strength to maximize your trainings sessions. The pre workout fat burner, Forge, helps retain muscle with HMB and burn stubborn body fat with yohimbine.
Lastly, Phoenix provides a potent thermogenic and appetite suppressant complex designed to burn body fat around the clock. With no artificial sweeteners, colors or preservatives, you can be sure every serving of Legion’s cutting stack is as pure as it gets.
3. Animal Cuts
Animal cuts is actually a single supplement, but contains 9 different pills per serving providing the ultimate cutting stack for hardcore bodybuilders. Each pill provides different benefits to help you along your fat loss journey – from appetite suppressants to increase body heat and energy.
All products are made in the USA and undergo strict regulations to ensure purity and consistency.
4. Blue Star Blade and Status Bundle for Men
If you want fast results, Blue Star Blade Status Bundle for Men can ramp up the fat burning process within 24 hours. Status helps to boost testosterone and minimize estrogen, which encourages both muscle growth and fat loss.
The fat burner blade helps increase your metabolism and energy to melt body fat like butter in a microwave.
5. Anabolic Research Cutting Stack
The Anabolic Research Cutting Stack encourages muscle growth, which contributes to a faster metabolism and fat burning. It also includes Tren-75, which promotes muscle hardening for a more cut look.
One thing that sets this cutting stack apart, is the use of a helpful appetite suppressant – which helps keep you on track when it’s tempting to deviate from your diet.
6. Pride Nutrition Anabolic Strength and Recovery Support
Pride Nutrition Anabolic Strength and Recovery Support claim to provide results almost immediately, and that it is 100% natural with no side effects. With two decades working in the industry, they are one of the best cutting stack suppliers on the market.
In addition to supporting lean muscle growth and fat shredding, they also include various nutrients to help joint recovery.
7. Femme Forme Kindle & Carb Stopper Extreme for Women
This cutting stack prevents the conversion of carbs into sugar as food passes through the gastrointestinal system. This helps support weight loss and a leaner body.
Although taking Carb Stopper Extreme alone can help reduce body fat, users report faster results if combined with Femme Forme Kindle.
8. Anabolic Pro Stack
Three separate, naturally produced supplements make up the Anabolic Pro Stack, which comes from FDA-approved laboratories.
Anabolic Pro Stack is a pure stack legal in professional bodybuilding competitions that boosts your metabolism, enabling it to burn fat rapidly. This stack also aims to reduce fluid retention.
9. Beast Sports Nutrition Super Test Bundle with Testovox
While Testovox boosts your testosterone levels, the Beast Sports Super Test dilates your blood vessels for faster and more effective delivery of oxygen to your muscles for superior growth.
It works naturally with your system, and the combination in this stack aims to support fast and long-lasting cutting for a ripped look.
10. Pre-Kaged Pre Workout and Testovox
While Kaged Muscle and Testovox have a cutting element, this stack concentrates mainly on building strong, dense, and lean muscle.
By building more muscle, and providing higher testosterone levels, this cutting stack encourages faster fat burning for effortless cutting.
How We Rank
When ranking the best cutting stacks on the market, we first looked at the ingredients. We looked for stacks that contained a combination of nutrients that simultaneously work toward multiple goals such as fat loss, appetite suppression, and muscle retention. CrazyBulk ranked exceptionally well here because it provided a mix of cutting supplements that help increase energy, boost strength, and burn fat. The second-place Anabolic Research stack wasn’t far behind, with the addition of an appetite suppressant, which helps during times when it’s tempting to cheat with a few snacks. Their muscle hardening formula is also a great benefit.
Next, we looked at fillers. Pride offers an excellent supplement and caters to those who do not want any fillers or additions to the natural supplements they are putting in their bodies. Company reputation was also important to us. New companies weren’t ruled out and scored well if they had established a good reputation. However, the results of cutting supplements tend to be seen over time, so proven products were likely to jump ahead of newer ones in our rankings.
Lastly, we looked for supplements that helped boost testosterone. Blue Star Blade and Status Bundle for Men ranked well here as the ingredients found in Status help supercharge testosterone production. It also helps to lower estrogen, providing a better testosterone to estrogen ratio. For the women, we provided a different option, Femme Forme Kindle & Carb Stopper Extreme for Women, which helped support women’s bodies and metabolisms without enhancing testosterone production too much.
Benefits
Cutting stacks can boost levels of testosterone, which can help to reduce body fat. Testosterone is a natural hormone that the male body produces that helps to build muscle, strength, and encourage risk-taking. Many researchers also believe that higher levels of testosterone can help promote lower levels of body fat.
One study examined the link between testosterone and body fat in 100 obese men. There were two groups: a control group and a group who supplemented with testosterone. For the first ten weeks, participants were put on a low-calorie diet. Following this, they ate at maintenance for 46 weeks. 82 out of 100 finished the trial, and all participants lost weight.
However, the group that received testosterone, lost their weight almost exclusively from body fat (1). This goes to show how powerful testosterone is in terms of preserving muscle and eliminating body fat.
Cutting stacks can promote physical activity. One of the primary aims of cutting stacks is to provide you with the energy required to engage in high-intensity exercise. One study carried out by the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center (AHWC) at the medical campus investigated whether diet or exercise was more important to maintain weight loss.
Researchers, not so surprisingly, found that exercise makes a significant contribution to weight loss (2).
Cutting stacks help support aerobic training. By supporting aerobic training, cutting stacks allow you to vary your training regimen, so you don’t need to put unnecessary stress on particular areas of your body. Cardiovascular training can help supply vital nutrients, blood, and oxygen to muscles honed during weight training to help them recover and grow. Aerobic exercise can also significantly assist weight loss and contribute to your cutting goals.
One study focused on aerobic exercise in sedentary and obese men and women showed that aerobic exercise encouraged significant weight loss for both genders over the trial period of 10 months (3).
Cutting stacks help maintain lean muscle mass during a calorie deficit. While some athletes want to lose weight during the cutting phase, many just want to lose fat while keeping their hard-earned muscle. Cutting stacks help to support muscle growth during a cutting phase, while also helping to reduce fat levels.
Seventeen males who engaged in resistance training received either a branch-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplement or a placebo. Researchers placed both sets of participants on a reduced-calorie diet. At the end of the experiment, the control group lost lean mass, body mass, and strength, whereas the BCAA group lost fat but maintained lean mass.
There was also no reduction in measurements of strength. The researchers concluded that BCAA supplementation while resistance training on a reduced-calorie diet can help to retain lean mass and skeletal muscle performance, while still supporting fat loss (4).
Cutting stacks allow for safe and rapid fat loss. It is crucial that any supplement you use is effective, safe, and does not cause harm to your body. Cutting stacks consist of supplements that are subject to rigorous testing to ensure they are safe for human consumption. Although there are regulatory standards, research studies also investigate the effects they may have on your bodily systems.
Many cutting stacks contain thermogenic ingredients that can boost metabolism, encourage fat burning, and suppress appetite, while also increasing negative markers in the body like blood pressure.
One study involving two groups of 5 participants set out to determine the safety of these types of supplements. One group received a thermogenic supplement, while researchers gave the other group a placebo. Results showed there was a significant increase in resting metabolic rate in the group that ingested the thermogenic supplement, compared to the placebo.
To verify the supplement’s safety, the researchers also measured blood pressure and heart rate. While there was an increase in blood pressure in the thermogenic group, it was still within normal clinical values. There was no adverse effect on the participants’ resting heart rates, and the investigators concluded that the supplement was safe for consumption (5).
Cutting stacks provide a range of beneficial ingredients in a convenient format. Cutting stacks give you nutrients to boost energy and endurance, build muscle, maintain lean mass, and burn fat – all at the same time. You can ingest everything you need in just a few seconds, making it extremely convenient.
Side Effects
Cutting stacks may raise levels of aggression. Many cutting stacks raise levels of testosterone, which is associated with increased aggression (6). While this may be a positive effect in terms of helping during a training session, it’s important not to take too much so that it doesn’t get out of hand. Normally, the body produces hormones to counteract usual levels of testosterone, but it may not produce enough to counteract increased levels due to supplementation.
Cutting stacks may increase your heart rate. Many stacks utilize the metabolism-boosting effect of caffeine, which could increase your heart rate. You should be aware of this potential side effect, as exercise further pushes up your heartbeats per minute. This is particularly important if you have a pre-existing heart condition, but is also worth noting even if you are fit and healthy.
Cutting stacks may reduce estrogen levels. While stacks tend to increase testosterone levels, they can also decrease levels of estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone that your body produces naturally, and females have much higher concentrations in their bloodstream than males. A study with 17 female participants found that estrogen can increase fat storage in certain areas of the body (7).
While the reduction of a hormone that may encourage fat retention is positive in terms of cutting for muscle definition, it may not be a benefit for other bodily functions. Too little estrogen in men can cause a drop in libido and achy joints. Estrogen also helps to support the female reproductive system.
If these factors are important to you, consult a physician before starting to take a cutting supplement. Adolescent girls should also never take cutting stacks that reduce estrogen.
Cutting stacks may contribute to an allergic reaction. A rare, but potentially serious, side effect could be an allergic reaction to one of the additives. Always check the ingredients of each supplement that is in your cutting stack.
Excess testosterone in cutting stacks may cause abdominal pain and contribute to liver damage. Some anecdotal reports suggest that people have felt abdominal pain after undergoing multiple courses of a testosterone booster (8). This may be due to the body not being used to the supplements and not agreeing with one or more of the ingredients.
One study in Saudi Arabia actually found a link to testosterone supplements, stomach pain, and acute liver damage (9). However, the findings are not enough to prove a connection, and many people continue to use testosterone supplements as part of their cutting stack with no adverse effects.
Cutting stacks may cause rapid weight loss if not used in conjunction with a calorie-controlled diet. Some people confuse cutting with significant weight loss and eat very little when in their cutting phase. This can cause a whole host or hormonal and mental issues down the line.
The process is not about reducing the amount you eat, but rather providing your body the fuel it needs to continue to grow, while at the same time reducing unnecessary levels of fat. You should always follow a healthy diet and eat enough to maintain a healthy weight.
You will lose weight while cutting, but you should still eat well and ensure your body gets the vitamins and nutrients it needs to perform well in your workouts and maintain vital functions.
Recommended Dosage
Cutting stacks should be cycled every 4-8 weeks. Some supplements suggest using one element of the stack before training and then another part post-workout to maximize results. During this period, your body is receiving nutrients aimed at cutting body fat, and it is important not to miss days of taking the stack. Missing days reduces the effectiveness of your stack, and you may not achieve your desired results.
It’s very important to not exceed the daily recommended dose of your supplements as taking too much can cause serious side effects, especially if the supplements contain any sort of stimulants.
FAQ
What is the definition of a cutting stack? A cutting stack is a combination of beneficial ingredients, design to support and fat loss and muscle retention during a calorie deficit.
What is the best time of day to take my cutting stack supplements? Most cutting supplements are best taken in the morning to provide the extra energy that’s needed for the day ahead. However, you should always read the instructions, as some supplements in your stack may be for post-workout ingestion to help with recovery and to aid muscle growth. If the cutting stack contains any sort of stimulant, you should avoid taking it before bed.
Do cutting stack supplements comply with FDA regulations? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates over the counter and prescription medications but does not govern supplements. However, should there be evidence that a particular supplement is unsafe, the FDA possesses the authority to remove it from circulation and ban the manufacturer from selling it to the public.
Many supplement producers attempt to adhere to FDA level standards to ensure they are creating high-quality products that are safe for human consumption. Some manufacturers even work with FDA-approved labs, confirming their dedication to hygiene and safety standards.
Do cutting stacks contain genetically modified ingredients? Each manufacturer of cutting supplements has its own method of production, and you should check if they have genetically modified ingredients. Although many producers use synthetic creation techniques, it is rare to see genetic modifications in the ingredients of cutting stacks.
How long should I use cutting stack supplements? Reducing body fat takes time, and you should not try to lose excess weight too quickly. You can expect to see results from cutting supplements within the first four weeks, but continue to use the supplements in your stack for up to 8 weeks. If you stop after you see initial gains, you could prevent yourself from experiencing maximum results.
Are cutting stacks appropriate for adolescents? Cutting stacks are only appropriate for adults. As the hormones of adolescents are constantly shifting, the less hormonal interference the body experiences as it develops, the better. Cutting stacks may also result in excess weight loss in adolescents with high metabolisms.
If an adolescent expresses a desire to get a leaner physique, encourage proper exercise and nutrition. If they still express an interest in bodybuilding or cutting stacks, consult a healthcare provider who specializes in adolescent athletics.
Can a cutting stack build muscle if I don’t exercise? Cutting stacks are not the most beneficial stack available for building muscle since its main focus is to reduce excess body fat. Although muscle growth is often part of the cutting phase, if your overall aim is to increase muscle mass, choose a muscle building stack that is specifically designed for that goal.
Cutting or bulking stacks are also not a replacement for a high-quality training regimen. You should always incorporate a training regime that supports your goals, rather than relying on a supplement to take the place of a healthy lifestyle.
Should I use other supplements alongside my cutting stack? You can use other supplements in conjunction with your cutting stacks, although you need to ensure they are safe. It is counterproductive and potentially dangerous to use a supplement that reduces levels of certain hormones while simultaneously ingesting another supplement which increases the same one. It’s always best to check with your physician to avoid any unnecessary harm.
Can I drink alcohol while using cutting stacks? It is not advisable or beneficial to drink while using cutting stacks since they may alter how your body processes alcohol. In addition, even moderate alcohol consumption significantly impairs the fat burning process. This is counterproductive to the goal of cutting stack usage.
Can cutting stacks result in a weight rebound after stopping cutting stacks? If used properly, cutting stacks should not result in dramatic weight rebounds. However, if cutting stacks are used in conjunction with food deprivation or restriction, you may experience natural urges to ingest significant amounts of food, which may result in weight gain.
To avoid the yo-yo weight fluctuation effect, maintain a healthy, varied diet with plenty of calories to fuel your activities, and sustain basic functions.
If I miss a dose, should I take double the next time? You should never take more than the recommended daily amount of your cutting stack supplements. Your stack encourages fat loss over a period of time, and doubling a dose after missing the previous one does not produce the same results. As these are potent supplements, always adhere to the RDI and gradually reduce fat levels, rather than trying to rush the process by taking an extra dose.
Do I need a medical prescription to order a cutting stack? A cutting stack is a supplement, not a medicine, and therefore it does not require a prescription. However, if you are starting a new training regimen or have underlying health conditions, seek medical advice before beginning a cutting regimen.
Is Rhodiola rosea safe to include in a cutting stack? Yes, Rhodiola rosea is both safe and effective to induce in a cutting stack, since it can help boost performance and endurance – according to a 2010 study. In the study, 14 trained men took a Rhodiola rosea supplement for four weeks and underwent an athletic test.
The same group then took a placebo, and the results were compared. The results with Rhodiola Rosea showed less muscle damage and lower levels of lactate, confirming that Rhodiola Rosea may increase the adaptogen ability to physical exercise (10).
Will cutting stacks affect my current medications? Cutting supplements should not affect most medications. However, they do increase the production of hormones such as testosterone, while reducing others such as estrogen. As cutting stacks alter the body’s metabolism, it is possible they can affect how your body absorbs a medication or how much medicine you require.
By consulting a healthcare provider, you can form a detailed, up-to-date understanding of how your supplements and interactions may interact. Since some cutting supplements increase blood flow, it may be dangerous to use these products if you are already on blood thinners.
Can I cut my cutting stack supplements into smaller pieces if I can’t swallow them whole? It depends on the supplement you have purchased. It is fine to cut most supplements in half to help if you have difficulty swallowing pills. However, check if the supplements need to be time-released for optimal absorption.
If this is the case, cutting the supplement into pieces may affect its function in the body. This may result in unexpected interference with its absorption, a too-rapid absorption process, or interactions with other medications.
Is Tribulus terrestris beneficial to include in a cutting stack? Yes, Tribulus terrestris is beneficial in a cutting stack since it can help improve muscle mass and strength. In one study involving rugby players, Tribulus terrestris supplementation helped improve muscle mass and strength over the course of a season (11).
Do I need to inject any cutting stack supplements? No, cutting stacks are taken orally.
How quickly can I see results after starting using my cutting stack? Although some products suggest you could see instant results, this is often unrealistic. Cutting phases can last up to 16 weeks, and you can expect to start experiencing significant results in the first 3-4 weeks. However, each individual is different, so results will vary.
Does my cutting stack contain illegal steroids? No, cutting stacks should not contain illegal steroids. Cutting stacks contain what are known as legal steroids, which are synthetically produced steroid substitutes created in a safe laboratory environment. Steroid substitutes give you some of the benefits of illegal steroids without putting potentially unsafe drugs into your body.
It is essential to purchase cutting stacks from a reputable supplier to ensure your supplements are authentic and legal.
Will I lose the results when I stop using my cutting stack? Cutting stacks are for use alongside a healthy, calorie-controlled diet and a disciplined fitness program. All these elements combine to help your body to grow muscle, burn body fat, and maintain lean muscle mass. After you have completed your cutting cycle, you may have muscle definition that you did not have before.
You do not need to keep taking cutting supplements to maintain these results as long as you have a healthy diet and a good training regimen.
Where should I store my cutting stack? Store your cutting stack in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. You should ensure the packages are tightly sealed after each use to protect the supplements from moisture or contamination.
Your storage location should be secure and away from children and pets. Although your cutting stack contains supplements and not prescription medicine, they are only for adult human consumption and could cause harm if misused.
Can I use my cutting stack supplements after the expiration date? Do not take any supplement from your cutting stack if it is past the expiration date. The product is likely to have lost its potency, and ingestion past the end date could cause you to feel ill. It’s best to dispose of out-of-date supplements and order a fresh supply.
Will using a cutting stack help me lose fat if I don’t eat a healthy diet? A healthy diet has been shown in many studies to support weight loss (12). As such, you should use your cutting stack supplements in conjunction with a calorie-controlled diet and alongside your normal training regimen.
While the ingredients in the supplements still attempt to contribute to fat loss, it is unlikely to help if you are eating a high-calorie diet. A cutting stack cannot replace a healthy diet. It can, however, be combined with a healthy eating regimen and a good training pattern to help you lose fat while simultaneously retaining lean muscle mass.
Should I reduce calorie intake when using a cutting stack? Many athletes drastically reduce their calorie intake during a cutting phase. However, this is unnecessary and may indicate a misunderstanding of the process as a whole. While you are trying to reduce the level of body fat, you are also attempting to maintain lean muscle mass, which means your muscles still need exercise and nutrition to grow.
Rather than drastically reducing calorie intake, try to eat a healthy diet while still maintaining your normal exercise routine. The cutting stack can help to reduce fat without the need to dramatically reduce your food intake.
Is DHEA beneficial to include in a cutting stack? Yes, DHEA can be very beneficial in a cutting stack, since it is a powerful steroid-like precursor. One 2004 study showed a 34% increase in testosterone levels in men taking a 300 mg DHEA supplement (13). It may also help boost libido, but more studies are needed to confirm this.
Will using a cutting stack lower my sex drive? Most cutting stacks contain a supplement that increases the level of the hormone testosterone, which is largely responsible for your sex drive. Instead of decreasing your libido, it is more likely to cause an increase. However, excess testosterone over time can result in a reduced sex drive, so exercise caution and use cutting stacks only as directed.
Furthermore, some athletes decrease the number of calories they consume during a cutting phase, and if they remove too many from their diet, this can cause lethargy and impair both sexual function and libido.
What essential minerals should be included in a cutting stack? Two of the best essential minerals to include in any cutting stack are magnesium and zinc because they help to boost testosterone. One 1996 study published in Nutrition, found that testosterone levels were positively associated with zinc levels in the blood (14).
Sodium and potassium can also be included to help improve exercise performance and electrolyte balance.
Recap
By using a combination of nutrients and hormones, cutting stacks can help to prolong endurance levels, increase strength, and support harder and larger muscles. This is turn, helps to ramp up your metabolism and boost fat loss over a period of time.
For Healthtrends #1 recommended cutting stack, click here.