All about fat burners: advantages, disadvantages and tips for use

Fat burners are often presented as miracle supplements that you just need to take and your excess fat will disappear in one fairy tale. And so the misconception arises that fat burners burn fat just like that, by themselves. But that's not actually the case, of course.

Fat burners are functional supplements, but they are still JUST SUPPLEMENTS, and they definitely don't work just like that - in order for their use to have any effect at all, you need to have the right calorie intake in the first place, engage in regular physical activity, get enough rest, and so on. A burner is more like a cherry on the cake after all the work you have to do yourself first. Let's talk more about burners, as one of the most controversial groups of supplements, today.

Article content:

• Theoretical window - how do fat burners work and what are they?
• What are the most common substances found in fat burners?
• How to choose the best fat burner?
• Top 5 fat burners according to Bodybuilding.com

Theoretical window - how do fat burners work and what are they?

Fat burners are supplements that can slightly increase metabolic rate, possibly increase fat oxidation during training, or increase body temperature, and due to these effects they can be useful in fat reduction. Some fat burners can also slightly suppress feelings of hunger. Again, however, we must point out that it is necessary to first have a proper diet, training and enough rest.

If these things aren't working properly, even the best fat burner in the world won't save you. A fat burner is more of a crutch that can actually help you take off the last few pounds at the strategic moment, but it's definitely not a supplement that will do all the work for you.

There are a number of substances that conclusively cause the above effects, on the other hand, many supplements labeled as a "burner" have substances in their ingredients for which there are no relevant studies to confirm that they actually have the properties in question. Therefore, it is definitely important to read the ingredients carefully and only buy products that really contain active ingredients. Burners can be easily divided into single-species and complex.

The term single-species usually refers to a product that contains only one active ingredient - for example, CLA, L-carnitine or synephrine. A complex burner then contains several active ingredients in one pill, whose effects work synergistically and so are usually considered 'stronger'. Most complex burners also contain caffeine, so they can help delay fatigue and boost your athletic performance.

Burners are one of the supplements that are very suitable (dare we even say necessary) to cycle. It is reported that the burner works as a fat burning aid for about 4-6 weeks, after which the body adapts to it and becomes resistant to its effects. Therefore, after a while you need to stop the fat burner for a few weeks or change the product. Also be careful with high doses. Most products are designed to give you the right doses of different ingredients to maximally support fat loss.

But that doesn't mean that the higher the dose you take, the more results you'll see or that you'll achieve them faster. Every fat burner (whether complex or single dose) contains a recommendation from the manufacturer that is VERY good to follow. It's always better to start at a lower dose, monitor your body's response, and strategically increase it over time if needed or if you have higher goals. However, under no circumstances exceed the recommended doses listed on the product packaging.

What substances are most commonly found in burners?

In addition to the division into single-species and complex, we can also divide burners into those that contain stimulants and those that do not. In addition, most thermogenic products contain caffeine, green tea extract or guarana. Burners are usually formulated in such a way that the substances contained in them stimulate the hormonal reactions in the body, help the use of fat for energy production and promote its breakdown. Most often in fat burners you can see the following substances:

Caffeine

As already mentioned, caffeine is one of the most common substances you can find in a fat burner. Caffeine in the body increases the breakdown of fatty acids found in adipose tissue. Once the fatty acids are broken down, they enter the bloodstream and our body can burn them and generate the energy needed for training and other activities. Thus, caffeine helps to increase the metabolic rate and aids the use of fat for energy production.

At the same time, caffeine is a powerful CNS (central nervous system) stimulant, which can boost our concentration, athletic performance, stamina and strength, which all athletes, not just those who are in a weight loss program, will appreciate. It can also be taken on its own, or choose a more pleasant form in the form of a good cup of coffee. However, beware of high doses - if you are taking a burner and a pre-workout, be careful because too high a single dose of caffeine can have very negative effects (headaches, nausea, dizziness, heart palpitations, etc.).

Synephrine

Another substance that you will encounter in any burner is synephrine. It is present in almost every complex burner, but it can be taken as a separate substance. Synephrine is a compound that appears in citrus fruits, for example. In the body, it has an effect on dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline, which can also affect fat burning. It can also stimulate metabolic rate by being able to increase lipolysis and basal metabolic rate.

Synephrine is an ephedrine-like substance, which raises some confusion around its safety. In fact, it is often confused with dangerous substances, most often the aforementioned ephedrine. However, most real studies agree that synephrine, when taken in reasonable doses, is perfectly safe and a great choice for promoting fat burning and increasing thermogenesis. If you combine caffeine and synephrine, their effect is synergistic and logically stronger. That's why this combination is often recommended as such a simple and very effective starter pair for boosting fat burning.

EGCG - green tea extract

One of the integral ingredients of any fat burner is also EGCG, or green tea extract. Green tea itself and green tea extracts have been shown to have the abilities to activate fat burning in the body. These effects are further enhanced by caffeine, which is also a component of green tea. Green tea is therefore another substance that falls into the category of stimulants that can be found in fat burners. In addition, green tea and its extract have antioxidant and diuretic abilities.

L-Carnitine

Carnitine is one of the most controversial supplements ever. Many people expect something completely different from it than what carnitine actually does. This is why it is often labeled as "useless", "non-functional" or "useless". But this is not true at all. Carnitine is a very handy supplement, but you need to know what it's actually for, when to take it and who it's most useful for.

Amnoacid L-carnitine is the body's own substance and as a supplement it has been a powerful weapon of athletes of various sectors for many years, which can support sports performance, recovery and, of course, fat burning. L-carnitine can break down fatty acids so that the body can further use them for energy production. Of course, this is only true if we meet the principle of caloric deficit and other aspects necessary for fat reduction. Carnitine is usually taken with meals or before training and it is important to remember that in order for it to be truly functional, it needs to be taken long term. If you are interested in more about L-Carnitine, check out the article below.

CLA - Conjugated Linoleic Acid

CLA is another ingredient that can be very often encountered in fat burners. CLA is associated with effects in reducing hunger, the ability to boost metabolic activity and stimulate fat loss. Studies also suggest that CLA helps maintain normal cholesterol levels, which may have a positive effect on maintaining a healthy body weight. It should be noted that studies looking at the effects of CLA vary widely, and so we would not classify CLA as one of the most useful substances you can find in fat burners.

How to choose the best fat burner?

Choosing the best fat burning support product will depend on several factors - your goals, your tolerance to the active ingredients, your gender (women generally tolerate weaker products better, while men need stronger ones), etc. For example, if you're taking a pre-workout, be careful, as fat burners usually contain other stimulants, and so it can be easy to take too large a dose of caffeine at once, which can result in nausea, headache, heart palpitations or even dizziness.

A large dose of caffeine can also have a negative effect on sleep quality, which is the last thing we want as athletes, whether we're building muscle or in a weight loss program. On the other hand, many substances (synephrine, for example) act synergistically in conjunction with caffeine, i.e. there is an increase in effects. To solve this, a pre-workout decaffeinated drink, for example, can be used. It is certainly not true that the more expensive the product, the better, nor is it true that the longer the product's formula, the more effective it is. Even single-ingredient fat burners are very effective if you know how to use them strategically, and especially if you have a proper diet and workout routine. Below is a list of 5 complex burners that we consider to be of high quality and we will recommend them to you with a calm heart.

TOP 5 burners according to Bodybuilding.com

Granade Black Ops

For a long time one of the most powerful and at the same time the highest quality burners is just Black Ops from Grenade. It is great for intense workouts or HIIT. This burner has a really extremely strong composition, in one dose (2 tablets) there is even 275 mg of caffeine. Including caffeine, it contains a total of 11 synergistically active ingredients. Black Ops belongs to the "hardcore" category, which is a series of products that follows the basic version of Granade burners.

Due to its really potent formula, Black Ops is recommended especially for men, while for women (and individuals more sensitive to caffeine) it can cause heart palpitations, headaches and dizziness. We also recommend men to start at half the dose (i.e. 1 tablet), observe their body's reactions and only then increase the dose. In any case, do not exceed the recommended daily dosage, and be careful about combining it with other caffeine stimulants (e.g. a kicker). We also do not recommend taking this burner on an empty stomach. A small downside is its high price, but it's really worth it for the truly potent (and functional) formula.

Prom-in LEAN SOLUTION

Lean Solution by Prom-in is another multi-ingredient fat burner that offers a three-phase complex to support fat burning. It is one of the few products on the market to contain Acetyl-L Carnitine HCL, which is touted as the most effective form of carnitine ever. It contains a lower concentration of caffeine and stimulants, making it a suitable product for everyone - including women. The recommended dose of 3 capsules contains 99 mg of caffeine. Its price is also nice, so if you are looking for a "lots of music for reasonable money" product then Lean Solution is exactly what you are looking for.

Amix Hardcore Therm core 2.0

The Amix Hardcore Therm core 2.0 fat burner from Amix contains seven active ingredients to support fat burning. Not only can it stimulate the metabolism, but it also benefits physical and mental vitality thanks to its guarana content. It also contains, for example, piperine, which contributes to proper digestive function and stimulates metabolism. Due to its higher stimulant content, it may not be suitable for people sensitive to caffeine and stimulants in general. The disadvantage is also its high price, because for the same pennies you can get more powerful burners.

Fatall Ultimate Fat Burner

Fatall Ultimate Fat Burner from Extrifit contains 21 active ingredients with a synergistic effect on each other. The composition is therefore very extensive, but thanks to this, this product can be described as one of the best and most effective fat burners ever. The product is formulated in such a way that it not only promotes fat burning, but that you do not feel tired during the reduction program and that the reduction diet does not reduce your physical or mental performance and does not negatively affect your mood.

Interesting ingredients are, for example, rosewood stonecrop, extract from the root of the cream of tartar and as one of the few products it also contains turmeric extract. The recommended dose is three capsules with a total caffeine content of 240 mg. A minor drawback is its higher price, but it's really worth it for this supercharged content.

The most popular burners

Last, we'll take a look at the most popular burners. Indeed, the most popular burner is the "ordinary" combination of synephrine + caffeine. Our customers simply know that simplicity is power. As we already know from the previous paragraphs, synephrine and caffeine work synergistically, so their simultaneous use is really functional and the two substances complement each other perfectly.

What to take away from the article?

You probably expected from the article to find out what is the miraculous most powerful fat burner and it unfortunately. There still isn't that one miracle pill that will do all the work for us. Fat burners are very handy helpers for fat reduction. It's important to note that fat burners are not some magic pill that you just pop and they do all the work for you, it really doesn't work that way.

So, you need to think that it is ESSENTIAL to have a proper diet combined with training, because if those two parts are not working properly, even the best fat burner in the world won't save you. Today, we've covered what substances are most commonly found in fat burners and we conclude with a tip on five products you can use for your reduction.

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