Fat burners are dietary supplements or related substances that claim to burn excess fat from the body. They contain a range of vitamins, minerals, fiber, caffeine, herbs, and other plants. Some of the common ingredients in fat burners include caffeine, green tea, carnitine, conjugated linoleic acid, chromium, kelp, and fucoxanthin. However, since fat burner supplements are not FDA-approved, you cant always be sure whats inside, and they can make any claim without factual evidence to support the claims.
Here are some of the positive and negative side effects of fat burners:
Positive side effects:
- Some ingredients found in fat burners have been linked to small amounts of weight loss.
- Fiber helps control appetite, and soluble fiber can help prevent the body from absorbing fat from food.
Negative side effects:
- Allergic reactions: The ingestion of alien ingredients present in fat burners triggers the immune system, leading to allergic reactions often exhibited with skin itchiness and dry mouth.
- Digestive troubles: Fat burners suppress the appetite by exerting an anorectic effect on the body, which can trigger digestive problems like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation.
- Insomnia: The ingredients of fat burners are accused of increasing blood pressure and heart rate, which can lead to insomnia or sleep loss.
- Cardiovascular issues: Fat burners can increase blood pressure, which can lead to cardiovascular issues like chest pain, pounding, rapid heartbeat, and shortness of breath.
- Liver damage: Some fat burners contain usnic acid, which, along with green tea and guggul extracts, may cause liver damage.
- Weight gain relapse: Fat burners can cause weight gain relapse, which means that the weight lost during the use of fat burners can come back after discontinuing the use of fat burners.
It is important to note that fat burner supplements are not regulated by the FDA, and some studies have found ingredients inside that arent listed on the bottle. Therefore, before taking these supplements, it is recommended to talk to a doctor, as their ingredients may interfere with other medications you are taking, and they can be dangerous and cause severe problems if mixed with the wrong drugs.
