Therefore, if shaving off the excess pounds were as fast and straightforward as wolfing down a couple of pills, the statistics would have shown otherwise.
Nevertheless, 15% of American adults have used a weight-loss supplement at least some time in their lives – and collectively, they spend several billions of dollars a year buying them.
In recent years, products promoting fast and easy weight loss have been marketed to all age groups and a swathe of target audiences.
Then you have fat burners – another line of products that are marketed to promote fat loss. Some of these may claim to increase metabolism and contribute to weight loss.
That said, do they work? Let’s see if fat burner supplements are worth taking.
Fat Burner Supplements 101: What Are They?
Not like detoxification products or juice cleanses that promote weight loss by reducing your food intake – which achieve their goal by reducing meal frequency or removing them completely – most fat burner supplements are developed precisely to be taken with a well-thought out meal plan and an exercise regimen.
Basically, what that means is that fat burner supplements aren’t silver bullets, magic pills, or cure-alls. Fat burners will never be a suitable replacement for a proper diet and regular exercise for all the benefits they may bring.
How do fat burners help reduce weight?
Fat burners are supplements that may contain a wide array of different natural and/or synthetic ingredients. This largely depends on the brand and the manufacturer, apart from the type of fat burner supplement being consumed. These can be pills or powders.
Many of the usual essential natural ingredients fat burner supplements use are generally designed to promote bodily hormonal reactions, leading to the body consuming the fat cells and using them to power its functions. One of the more common elements of fat burners is caffeine, which raises epinephrine levels. Epinephrine is a hormone whose increased presence in the bloodstream may lead to the breakdown of fatty acids, leading to their release into the body to fuel bodily processes.
Common ingredients used in fat burner supplements may include the following ingredients:
- L-Carnitine. L-Carnitine has been shown to increase the number of fat cells burned during strenuous physical activity.
- Garcinia Cambogia. Garcinia Cambogia is derived from the Malabar tamarind, which has been claimed to inhibit the body’s ability to produce fat and reduce appetite. Garcinia is rich in hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which helps facilitate weight loss.
- Green Tea Extract. Green tea may help increase your metabolism. It is also rich in antioxidants. Often, fat burner supplements may contain green tea extract, which contains catechins isolated from the ones present in green tea.
Fat burner supplements may also include minerals, vitamins, and added sugars. Fat burner supplements tend to use a blend of natural and/or synthetic ingredients that may give your metabolism a boost and, in some cases, may work to curb your appetite.
Do fat burners work? The truth
Now that we’ve understood how fat burners work in general, the question remains. Do fat burners really work?
As we’ve already discussed, fat burner supplements were created to optimize the work that your diet, exercise, and recovery routine perform for you.
Moreover, they may help increase the amount you burn and generate as fuel, which then gives you that massive surge of energy. However, like the usual sugar rush you get from eating sweets, some of them can leave you exhausted after working out.
That’s not to mention the fact that fat burner supplements tend to contain ingredients that may influence your results. Others contain stimulants like caffeine that interfere with your body’s nervous system.
Caffeine may have some unpleasant side effects, especially when you are getting too many quantities of it. Taking a fat burner and then following it up with a couple of cups of coffee or tea will tax your body too much and force it to work harder than it has to. This leads to poor recovery from workouts faster than your body before taking a fat burner supplement.
Natural fat-burning foods
There is a school of thought that swears by using fat burners to aid in their weight loss goals, while others refrain from their usage altogether.
Here’s the thing: you don’t necessarily have to take a supplement to get the body to burn fat – all it takes is to introduce some naturally fat-burning foods and nutrients into your diet.
These natural fat-burning foods include the following:
- Turmeric. Turmeric is rich in curcumin, which is a compound that may help inhibit the effects of blood vessels that are required to build fatty tissue. Turmeric may also induce a thermogenic effect in the body. Turmeric can be added to curries, seasonings, or made into tea.
- Ginger. Ginger, like turmeric, has a thermogenic effect on the body apart from helping it improve digestion. Ginger naturally raises your internal temperature, which uses up more of your energy.
- Cinnamon. Cinnamon is rich in thermogenic properties that make it a fantastic addition to your diet.
- Garlic. Yet another internal temperature-raising food that goes well to pretty much any dish.
Conclusion: Who Needs to Use Fat Burners?
Understanding the basic principle of fat burners and fat burner supplements will help you determine whether they are the most appropriate solution for your unique needs. Just temper your expectations and understand that fat burners can never completely replace a healthy diet and lifestyle and that there may be ingredients in some supplements that are actually detrimental to your health.
However, if you find yourself struggling with losing weight, consult your doctor whether a fat burner supplement will help you get closer to your goals. The right product, paired with a well-balanced diet and regular exercise, may help complement the body’s natural metabolic processes that lead to weight reduction.
Weight loss is a process. Listen to your body, supply it with the right nutrients, and give it some time to reach your desired level. You’re going to make it.
