It won't affect your gains, just your wallet. In my opinion hydroxycut isn't any better than some of the cheap shit. I just use "fat burners" to give me a boost when I'm dieting. Low carbs and/or lack of sleep kill my workouts sometimes, so instead of drinking 2-3 cups of coffee I'll pop some "fat burners" to get me pumped. I know that with most things you get what you pay for, but I honestly don't think that it's worth the cash.