Losing weight . We've all had that goal in mind at least once.
While the path to our ideal weight is paved with healthy habits such as following a balanced diet, staying hydrated and carrying out an exercise routine, sometimes we can feel stuck in our progress.
At that moment we think: What else can we do to have an ideal weight?
The answer is dietary supplements to help us lose weight commonly known as fat burners.
But what are fat burners really? What are their advantages and possible disadvantages? How should we use them correctly? And why is it necessary to combine them with diet and exercise? You will learn all about it in this post.
What are fat burners?
First of all, fat burners are defined as those dietary supplements or other substances – such as creams or pills – that claim to have active ingredients that will help you reduce your body fat effectively.
These fat burners may contain natural active ingredients like caffeine and yohimbine, but some may contain chemicals designed to help you with your body weight loss.
What are its advantages and possible disadvantages?
The main objective behind fat burners is to help you lose both weight and size thanks to their active ingredients.
Thus, some of the mechanisms frequently used by fat burners can be the following:
- Increase your metabolic rate efficiently, helping you burn more calories,
- Limit the reduction in fat absorption from your digestive system,
- Or help you decrease your appetite so you can consume fewer calories.
Some of the most well-known components in fat burners such as caffeine, protein powder, green tea extract, soluble fiber and yohimbine have been scientifically proven to be effective in helping you with your weight loss.
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Advantages and possible disadvantages
With caffeine-based fat burners you can increase your metabolism by up to 11% (3), while green tea extract can help you with thermogenesis (4) – the process of increasing body heat to burn fat. On the other hand, supplements with protein powders (5) or fiber (6) will help you control your appetite while yohimbine can help you decrease your body fat by 2.2% (7).
However, here are some potential disadvantages:
- Caffeine will be less effective with long-term consumption
- High caffeine consumption can make you feel exhausted and anxious.
- Some protein powders contain high amounts of added sugar, which can cause weight gain.
- Excess yohimbine has been linked to symptoms such as anxiety, high blood pressure, nausea, and panic attacks.
- Some fat burners can affect your liver function (8)
How to use them correctly?
Some ways to help your fat burner are as follows:
- Set reasonable goals: fat burners won't make you lose 10 kilos in a week, it's technically impossible! But they will help you reach your goals gradually.
- Cycle fat burners: No matter how effective a fat burner is, your body will eventually get used to it. Stack it with other fat burners to keep your metabolism revved up.
- Start small: Introduce small doses of fat burners so you can see better results
- Make exercise, diet and hydration your priority
Why combine them with diet and exercise?
Fat burners can be effective, however, the concentration percentage of their active ingredients can vary.
To avoid plateaus, remember to accompany fat burners with a low-calorie diet, aerobic exercise and hydration to help your body eliminate both toxins and accumulated fat.
References
- https://www.healthline.com/health/do-fat-burners-work#effective-ingredients
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/do-fat-burners-work/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-increase-metabolism
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10702779
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5644969/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257631/
- https://doi.org/10.1080/15438620600987106
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3076034/
- https://www.phd.com/perform-smart/fat-burners-101/
- https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/5-truths-about-fat-burners.html