We often see them in wellness or in various supplement shops and for those of us who seek to shed off some weight, a fat burner seems like the answer to our quest. But what is it exactly and how does it work? First off, this is not a silver bullet for all your extra weight, because if it is then people wouldn’t bother to go to the gym and almost everyone you see will be ripped as a rope.
Here are some basic answer as to what is the nature of the fat burner supplement:
What are they?
Categorically, fat burners are supplements that promote the body’s ability to burn fats. They work differently and many of these supplements trigger a combination of ways of how the body eliminates excess fat. This is because many of them mix different ingredients in an effort to maximize their ability in burning fat effectively. With a plethora of products in the market, it can be daunting to choose the right one for you. You can save time and money by going over resources that describe and take an in-depth look at each product.
You may also want to know that most of these supplements contain the following ingredients:
Caffeine
This is a common fat burner component and it’s also the most accessible source to initiate our body’s metabolic response. Caffeine increases the catecholamine level in your blood, responsible for burning stored fats. This increases your metabolic rate, consequently your energy.
L-Carnitine
L-Carnitine is an essential fat burning component because it is responsible for bringing fatty acids to the mitochondria where they are used as fuels. Athletes prefer them because it spares carbohydrates which aids in their aerobic endurance.
Green Tea
Anti-oxidants like catechins found in green tea are responsible for fat loss. It also has polyphenols that help your liver process fat.
How Does It Work?
If fat burners only aid the body in its process to burn fats or hinder fat absorption, then how does the body eliminate fats at all? Here are some of the processes where these supplements do their work and activate these responses to the body:
Thermogenesis
This is the metabolic process wherein the body produces heat by burning your body fats. This can be triggered through exercise, diet, and the temperature of your surroundings. It increases your calorie burn which helps in weight loss.
Lipolysis
This is where the fats or lipids are broken down into free fatty acids and glycerol. Fats are stored in our adipose tissue located outside our organs. These fats act as stored energy and are used when the body is low in glucose. The burning of these fats can be triggered through exercise or other physical activities.
Proper Diet is Necessary
As mentioned above, if these products can answer the obesity problem in the country then why is still there a crisis? The answer is because, in the battle for our optimal weight, our diet covers 70 to 80 percent of it. Exercise takes care of up to 20 percent of it and the last 10 percent is where we draw the fat burner’s benefits. This shows that having a proper diet is still an essential factor in the pursuit of our body goals.
Like everything with bodybuilding and wellness, the law of diminishing returns applies. There is always a tipping point where the benefits of the supplement hit a ceiling and you won’t be gaining anything from them. So it’s important to read the label and only take the necessary amounts to get your desired results.
