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Bitter orange

Scientific names: Citrus aurantium, Citrus amara, Citrus bigarradia, Citrus vulgaris

Family: Rutaceae

Alternate names: Aurantii Fructus, Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, Aurantii Pericarpium, Aurantium, Bigarade, Bigarade Orange, Bitter Orange Flower, Bitter Orange Peel, Chao Zhi Ke, Chisil, Citrus Aurantium Fruit, Extrait de Zeste d'Orange, Fleur d'Orange Amère, Flos Citri Auranti, Fructus Aurantii, Fructus Aurantii Immaturus, Green Orange, Kijitsu, Marmalade Orange, Meta-Synephrine, N-Methyltyramine, Naranja Amarga, Neroli Oil, Norsynephrine, Octopamine, Octopamine HCl, Orange Amère, Orange de Séville, Orange Peel Extract, Orange Verte, Seville Orange, Shangzhou Zhiqiao, Sour Orange, Synephrine, Synéphrine, Synephrine HCl, Synéphrine HCl, Synephrine Hydrochloride, Zeste d'Orange Amère, Zhi Ke, Zhi Qiao, Zhi Shi

Actions: Adrenergic, Antidiabetic, Anti-inflammatory, Antineoplastic, Antiviral, Cardiovascular, Insecticidal, Metabolic, Muscle, Neurologic, Photosensitising, Weight loss

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Scientific names: Citrus aurantium, Citrus amara, Citrus bigarradia, Citrus vulgaris

Family: Rutaceae

Actions: Adrenergic, Antidiabetic, Anti-inflammatory, Antineoplastic, Antiviral, Cardiovascular, Insecticidal, Metabolic, Muscle, Neurologic, Photosensitising, Weight loss

View all 15 products

Background

Bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) is a fruit-bearing tree native to Asia. It contains an active ingredient called synephrine that is similar to ephedra.

In 2004, the FDA banned ephedra due to serious effects on the heart. Since then, many weight loss and bodybuilding products have used bitter orange and caffeine in its place. Bitter orange contains many chemicals that affect the nervous system. These chemicals might cause heart problems in healthy adults.

Bitter orange is used for obesity, athletic performance, and many other purposes, but there is no good scientific evidence to support its use.

Bitter orange (synephrine) is considered a banned substance by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Don't confuse bitter orange with other orange species such as sweet orange and bergamot.

Safety Safety definitions

When taken by mouth: Bitter orange is likely safe when eaten in the amounts found in food. But bitter orange is possibly unsafe when taken in the larger amounts used as medicine. Bitter orange, taken by itself or with stimulants such as caffeine or caffeine-containing herbs, might increase the risk for high blood pressure, fainting, heart attack, stroke, and other serious side effects. There are also reports that bitter orange can trigger headaches in some people.

When applied to the skin: Bitter orange essential oil is possibly safe. The oil can cause sensitivity to the sun. Wear sunblock outside, especially if you are light-skinned.

When inhaled: Bitter orange essential oil is possibly safe when inhaled as aromatherapy.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy: Bitter orange is likely safe when eaten in the amounts found in food. But it is possibly unsafe when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts during pregnancy.

Breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if bitter orange is safe to use when breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Headache: Taking bitter orange might trigger headaches, including migraines and cluster headaches.

High blood pressure: Taking bitter orange, especially together with caffeine, might increase blood pressure in healthy people. Avoid using bitter orange, especially in combination with stimulants such as caffeine, if you have high blood pressure.

Glaucoma: Bitter orange might worsen glaucoma. Avoid using it if you have this condition.

Heart disease: Taking bitter orange, especially together with caffeine or other stimulants, might increase the risk of serious side effects in people with a particular heart problem called "long QT interval syndrome".

Irregular heartbeat (heart arrhythmia): Taking bitter orange, especially together with caffeine, can increase heart rate in healthy people. Avoid using bitter orange, especially with stimulants such as caffeine, if you have an irregular heartbeat.

Surgery: Bitter orange acts like a stimulant, so it might interfere with surgery by increasing heart rate and blood pressure. Stop taking bitter orange at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Effectiveness

Effective Effectiveness definitions

There is interest in using bitter orange for a number of purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Dosing & administration

Bitter orange is available in supplements and topical oils. Supplements containing bitter orange are often marketed for athletic performance and weight loss. The active chemical in bitter orange, synephrine, can cause serious side effects, and products containing this ingredient have been shown to contain amounts much higher than what is listed on the product label. They've also been found to contain many other synthetic stimulants that are banned in supplements.