Fat burners: effective weight loss helpers or just overrated dietary supplements?

Fat burners are one of the most controversial groups of supplements. To not. After all, many people see them as miracle pills that you just swallow and they do all the work for them without having to change your diet or exercise. But that's really not how it works, unfortunately. Fat burners are the imaginary tip of the iceberg behind all the hard work we have to do ourselves. Fat burners are not magic pills with miraculous effects, but are merely a crutch in our journey to reduce body fat percentage. Let's take a closer look at this group of supplements today.

Article content:

• Theoretical window - what exactly are these fat burners?
• So wait a minute... do these burners work or not?
• What substances are most often found in fat burners?
• Are incinerators safe?
• What can we take away from the article?

Theoretical window - what are incinerators?

Fat burners are a supplement that can act as an aid to increase metabolic rate, increase fat oxidation and energy expenditure during exercise and thus can be beneficial in weight loss. Most fat burners offer many interesting benefits, but none of them can work miracles and do not work by themselves. In fact, even the best burner can't make up for poor diet composition and zero physical activity.

A burner can only help you with a properly set diet with a properly chosen calorie deficit and at the same time adequate training load. It can help with fat burning, curbing appetite, burners can also slightly increase metabolism and thermogenesis, which can lead to a small increase in the number of calories burned. Most burners also contain stimulants (e.g. caffeine), so they can also help with lack of energy and fatigue.

So wait a minute... do these burners work or not?

Yes, burners work! You just have to know what to think of as a working burner and have reasonable expectations. Again, let's remind ourselves that a burner is an ADDITION to a properly set diet and training plan. It's also important to note that a burner is one of the supplements that should be cycled, because even the best burner in the world won't work forever. It is reported that a fat burner works as a fat burning aid for about 4-6 weeks and then 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.

Also be careful with high doses. Fat burners are designed to give you the right doses of different ingredients to maximally support fat loss. This doesn't mean that the more ingredients or the higher the dose you take, the more results you will see or that you will achieve them faster. Every fat burner contains a recommendation from the manufacturer that should be followed. It's always better to start with a lower dose, monitor your body's reaction and gradually increase it if necessary. In any case, do not exceed the recommended doses.

Along with adequate nutrition and the right supplements, you should follow a comprehensive training program that maximizes fat loss while minimizing muscle loss. It is not necessary to take a fat burner only before a cardio workout. You can also benefit from the effect of increased thermogenesis and higher burning during strength training, which is also more effective for building muscle mass and body shaping.

What substances are most commonly found in a fat burner?

There are two main groups of fat burners - those that contain stimulants and those that do not contain stimulants. Most thermogenic fat burners contain stimulants, but of course you can also find some that don't (usually single-ingredient supplements). Some of the key ingredients used in fat burners are designed to stimulate hormonal reactions in the body, aiding in the breakdown of fat and its use as an energy source. Let's now take a look together at the substances most commonly found in fat burners.

Caffeine

The main ingredient in most fat burners is caffeine, which probably doesn't need a long introduction, as it is known as the most used stimulant in the world. Caffeine is not added to fat burners by accident, as it helps to increase the metabolic rate and aids the use of fat for energy. 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. At the same time, caffeine is also a CNS (central nervous system) stimulant, which can boost our concentration, athletic performance, stamina and strength, which comes in handy during weight loss workouts! However, caffeine is far from being the only ingredient in popular fat burners and when combined with some other active ingredients, it becomes even more effective.

EGCG

The second component found in most fat burners is green tea extract - called EGCG. Green tea and green tea extracts have been shown to activate thermogenic fat burning activity in the body. These effects are further enhanced by caffeine, which is also a component of green tea. Green tea is primarily used as a stimulant, which also has antioxidant, diuretic and fat-burning properties, which is why it is very often used as an active ingredient in fat-burning supplements.

Synephrine

Another common ingredient in fat burners is synephrine. Synephrine is a compound similar to ephedrine. It can help speed up metabolism by increasing lipolysis and basal metabolic rate. There is much confusion and controversy about whether synephrine is safe and what effects it has on the body, as it is often confused with other substances, including the aforementioned ephedrine. However, most real studies agree that synephrine is a safe supplement when taken in reasonable doses and is a support for burning fat and increasing thermogenesis. Its effect is also enhanced when combined with caffeine.

L-Carnitine

In fat burners we can also find myth-coated L-carnitine, to which we dedicated an entire article quite recently. This amino acid has been the secret weapon of athletes of various industries for decades to support both performance and body composition. Taken once or twice a day with meals, it can also help the body convert stored body fat into energy. This is due to its ability to break down fatty acids so that the body can use them as fuel.

Of course, this only applies if we meet the principle of caloric deficit and other aspects necessary for fat reduction. L-carnitine has also been shown to help speed post-workout recovery, and may even reduce training-induced muscle soreness.

Capsaicin

Another useful substance that can be found in burners is capsaicin. Capsaicin, is an alkaloid that is naturally found in chili peppers and is responsible for their hot taste. Capsaicin can increase thermogenesis because it naturally heats up. So, besides being a burner, the hearts of spicy food lovers can rejoice, as capsaicin can be taken in a different way other than nutritional supplements.

Other ingredients

In burners, of course, we can also find other ingredients. For example, cayenne pepper is often used, which also affects thermogenesis and combustion. Furthermore, we can also find green coffee in the content and from time to time also taurine or other stimulants.

Are burners safe?

As with other supplements, burners are a useful tool for faster and more significant results if taken in reasonable quantities. However, we should definitely not rely on them to do all the work for us. It is also important to say that we should not take them continuously.

If our burner contains caffeine or other stimulants, we should monitor our overall stimulant intake - after all, if we take two coffees, a kicker and a burner, more sensitive individuals can have big problems. Really don't overdo it with the burners, as less is sometimes more, and at higher doses you may experience chest tightness, headaches, dizziness, excessive sweating, restlessness, tremors, and more. Also, beware of taking stimulants in the afternoon as they can interfere with the quality of sleep, which is essential not only for health but also for weight loss.

Before you even start using a fat burner, be sure to do a little research and find the one that best suits your needs and preferences. Read reviews of the most popular fat burners and don't jump at the first one you see. Buy fat burners (again, like any other supplements) only from verified manufacturers and sellers. The key aspect to burning fat, whether we use a fat burner or not, is of course caloric deficit. This should be within reasonable limits.

What to take away from the article?

Fat burners are effective, but we must not expect miracles from them. They are not magic pills that burn fat by themselves. They work only if we have a proper diet and engage in regular physical activity. Fat burners are an imaginary crutch on the way to shed pounds and a slimmer body. Burners can be effective, but we must not rely on them to do all the work for us, because that is not how it works.

Sources:

Jeukendrup, A. E., & Randell, R. (2011). Fat burners: nutritional supplements that increase fat metabolism. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 12(10), 841-851. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2011.00908.x
Bogdanski, P., Suliburska, J., Szulinska, M., Stepien, M., Pupek-Musialik, D., & Jablecka, A. (2012). Green tea extract reduces blood pressure, inflammatory biomarkers, and oxidative stress and improves parameters associated with insulin resistance in obese, hypertensive patients. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.), 32(6), 421-427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2012.05.007
Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S., Lejeune, M. P., & Kovacs, E. M. (2005). Body weight loss and weight maintenance in relation to habitual caffeine intake and green tea supplementation. Obesity research, 13(7), 1195-1204. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2005.142
Ratamess, N. A., Bush, J. A., Kang, J., Kraemer, W. J., Stohs, S. J., Nocera, V. G., Leise, M. D., Diamond, K. B., Campbell, S. C., Miller, H. B., & Faigenbaum, A. D. (2016). The Effects of Supplementation with p-Synephrine Alone and in Combination with Caffeine on Metabolic, Lipolytic, and Cardiovascular Responses during Resistance Exercise. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 35(8), 657-669. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2016.1150223