I was offered the opportunity to try the Zaca Recovery Patch in exchange for an honest review. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am not exactly the target for this product. It seems to be for people who party – a lot! However, I really wanted to try it for exercise and travel. Zaca is an all-natural topical patch infused with 11 different organic ingredients (Prickly Pear, Milk Thistle, B1, Lipoic Acid, B5, B3, Taurine, Lycopene, NAC, Magnesium, Vitamin C) to promote energy and “recovery.” It contains a powerful blend of antioxidants, vitamins and amino acids. It is also free of stimulants, sugars and calories. They say you will “enjoy feel-great mornings, clear-headedness and bright eyes” with the patch.
I realized after I agreed to the review that the true purpose of the patch is a hangover preventer or “cure.” I don’t have the opportunity, or desire, for the type of partying that the other amazon reviewers mentioned. I felt exhausted and ill just reading those reviews. Ha ha. That said, the patch can also be used for travel, altitude and exercise. I travel and exercise a fair bit, so I reviewed it with that in mind.
They say that you should put in on before going out and it works for 24 hours. It is pretty tiny and easy to hide. The topical patch is lightweight (~ 1 inch x 1 inch) and the texture is like gauze. You don’t even notice that it is on your skin and it does not leave any residue at all.
I tried Zaca twice so far. The first time was after a long day of travel when I was really tired. The second was after returning from my west coast trip and running a half marathon. I did feel energetic like when I have gotten B12 shots. That said, I am not sure how much was the patch and how much was placebo effect. I am planning to wear one the next time I have a few glasses of wine to see if it has an impact on the day after.
So here is my summary of pros and cons:
- Pros: All natural, inconspicuous, no residue, stays on during exercise (even hot yoga), no stimulants or calories, contains ingredients with no chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers and all ingredients come from non-GMO sources and it is free of any lactose, dairy, cholesterol, gluten, eggs, casein, peanuts and MSG.
- Cons: Not clinically tested or proven (therefore not known to be effective) and not inexpensive ($3/patch).
I am not going to go too crazy on New Year’s Eve, but I will try a patch and see if I notice anything positive when I wake up on Thursday. I may bring some patches to give to my friends who will be staying out much longer and later than me. The results of my test were a bit inconclusive. That said, given the product profile, there is nothing harmful in the product (quite the opposite), so if there is a small benefit or placebo effect, I would say it is worth giving Zaca a try.
Head over to Zaca’s website to enter to win a free pack to try. You can also follow them on Facebook or Twitter.
Please note: I was given Zaca Recovery Patch at no cost in exchange for an honest review. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.
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