Fat burners are very popular in modern world. In this article we’ll talk about different types of fat burners and how they work.
Fighting excess weight is an actual problem for many people and every second visitor of the gym has the motivation “I want to lose weight”.
Sports fat burners for women and men
Strictly speaking, the name “fat burner” is incorrect. None of the approved drugs directly breaks down fat deposits.
The process of breaking down fats – lipolysis – is quite complex, and we will not describe it in detail. In short, excess body fat is processed by the body in conditions of a lack of energy from food. That is, a calorie deficit.
This means that in order to lose weight, you must spend more energy than you receive or eat less calories than you spend. From these two principles, in general, you can see how sports fat burners work – either increase energy expenditure, or block hunger or the absorption of nutrients.
Types of sports fat burners:
thermogenics
appetite suppressants
calorie blockers (fats or carbohydrates)
lipotropics
Thermogenics
Thermogenics are substances that increase body temperature, thereby increasing calorie expenditure. If you decide to purchase the occasional sports fat burner, there are likely to have nervous system stimulants such as caffeine, yohimbine, and synephrine.
Caffeine is perhaps the most familiar CNS stimulant: it is found in coffee, cocoa, tea, Coca-Cola, mate, guarana. It stimulates the release of adrenaline, which means an increase in blood pressure and body temperature. Caffeine increases endurance, allows you to concentrate on the training process and the desired result.
Yohimbine is considered the “light version” of caffeine. In terms of the mechanisms of influence on the human body, it is similar to caffeine, but initially it was used as an aphrodisiac and a remedy for erectile dysfunction. In addition, it has a mild antidepressant effect, that is, improves mood.
Synephrine is isolated from bitter oranges – oranges. But it is also found in other types of citrus fruits. Sports nutrition manufacturers present synephrine as a safe and non-toxic alternative to ephedrine, a CNS stimulant banned in most countries.
Since the mechanism of all thermogenics is approximately the same, then the side effects from them are similar. These are tachycardia, increased blood pressure, sweating, heartburn and other digestive problems, excessive agitation and anxiety. Thermogenics should not be taken in the afternoon to avoid insomnia.
In addition, tolerance develops to stimulants of the nervous system over time, it is necessary to increase the dosage, which may cause side effects. Together with physical activity, it is simply harmful to the body, especially to the heart. And with an increase in tolerance the fat burning effect decreases.
Appetite suppressants
Appetite suppressants – anorectics – act on the hunger and satiety center, allowing you to feel full from less food. Therefore you do not suffer from hunger in between meals. The most effective drug is Sibutramine, which is used to treat obesity. At one time, fluoxetine was used to suppress appetite by athletes, which, strictly speaking, belongs to antidepressants.
But both of them are prescription drugs in many countries. Other anorectics, similar in action to amphetamine, like itself, are prohibited from circulation.
It is also worth mentioning here that the line between tegmogenics and appetite suppressants is rather blurred – the center of hunger is strongly associated with serotonin and adrenaline. So, caffeine also suppresses appetite to some extent, and fluoxetine has a mild stimulating effect. This means that the side effects of anorectics will be similar to the side effects of CNS stimulants – high blood pressure, excessive nervous excitement, anxiety and insomnia, tremors and tachycardia. The danger and harm of these fat burners also lies in the fact that often people who take these drugs for a long period of time without a doctor’s supervision, eating behavior is disturbed, which leads to serious gastrointestinal diseases, insomnia and general anxiety.
Thus, appetite suppressants are not really sports fat burners for weight loss, but rather medical ones. They are used to treat obesity and strictly under the supervision of a physician.
Calorie blockers
Calorie blockers interfere with the absorption of fats and carbohydrates in the digestive tract, respectively. The enzymes lipase and amylase lose the ability to break down food and are simply removed from the body. The most popular drugs are Xenical and Metformin.
They are effective for weight loss, however they may cause stomach upset. In addition, the intake of nutrient blockers leads to a state of hunger, which interferes with an effective training process.
These drugs are taken with virtually harmless medical supervision to minimize the harm from this type of fat burner.
Fat burners effective under stress
Lipotropics are substances that stimulate the processes of fat breakdown at the cellular level. They facilitate the release of fats from deposits and transport them to the site of breakdown during exercise.
Lipotropics
Omega-3, although its fat burning effect is not the most popular among athletes. For weight loss, its ability to regulate metabolism and reduce insulin sensitivity is important.
Linoleic acid is another fatty acid involved in energy metabolism and the breakdown of body fat. Although its effectiveness is often questioned, linoleic acid can often be found in fat burning complexes.
Choline or Vitamin B4. Participates in the synthesis of acetylcholine – a neurotransmitter, ensures the functioning of the nervous system, the permeability of neurons and the required speed of nerve impulses, which is important for intense sports.
Betaine is a vitamin-like substance derived from choline. Promotes the breakdown of fats, and also increases muscle endurance. Reduces the risk of sharp pain in the liver, which appear during cardio training.
Melatonin is a sleep-regulating hormone. Its effect on weight loss is indirect, the main effect of melatonin is to normalize the rhythms of the body. Meanwhile, trainers and sports nutritionists agree that both healthy sleep and the stability of sleep and wakefulness are important for losing weight, so you should try the “sleep hormone”.
L-carnitine is perhaps the most effective sports fat burner. It accelerates the transport of fatty acids to the site of their breakdown during exercise. In addition, it has a pronounced anabolic effect, which has a beneficial effect on muscle mass. It also improves endurance and stress tolerance. L-carnitine is considered a sports fat burner for girls, as it is effective in such “typically female” sports as dancing, running and aerobics.
All lipotropics are safe fat burners, since side effects appear when the dosage is significantly exceeded. When used normally, they cause blood pressure and heart problems, fever, irritation and insomnia. Most of them have a positive effect on other human organs and systems.
The disadvantage of lipotropics is that they are effective only in combination with sports. That is, it will not work if you do nothing.
Other Slimming Drugs
Diuretics can be considered as slimming products, however, the weight loss occurs at the expense of water. And their danger is in dehydration of the body and high load on the kidneys. So these are not fat burners at all.
So what’s the best sports fat burner?
If we talk about the effectiveness and minimization of harm from side effects, then we would recommend the fat burner L-Carnitine. It not only helps you lose weight, but it also strengthens your joints, improves the functioning of the nervous system, and generally invigorates you for training. As a sports fat burner and general health supplement, L-Carnitine is equally suitable for women and men.
We would also like to remind you that for effective weight loss, it is worth paying great attention to a balanced diet and physical activity: a combination of aerobic training and strength training. A high-quality and durable result can be achieved by combined approach.