Thermogenics/Fat Burners

The term commonly used with fat burning supplements is thermogenics, which as the name suggests, has to do with temperature. These supplements have been shown to increase the body's temperature enabling the body's ability to burn calories as heat; to be used as energy, there by preventing them from being stored a fat. Effective thermogenic supplements are those that contain key ingredients that create a fat burning 'thermogenic' environment by working together and in synergy. Some of these ingredients also aid in reducing appetite and spiking an increase in short-term energy. Such common ingredients are:

Garcinia Cambogia: Promotes weight loss and suppresses appetite, Increases fat oxidation and mobilization, Promotes glycogen synthesis, Increases energy levels.

Citrus Aurantium: A highly effective calorie and fat burner, Helps to burn fat and does not affect the central nervous system, Increases energy levels.

Coleus Forskohlii: Accelerates the breakdown of existing fat stores, Promotes healthy cardiovascular function, lowers elevated blood pressure, Increases levels of cellular messenger cAMP(cyclicadenosine monophosphatpe) that in turn accelerates the breakdown of existing fat stores.

Guarana Extract: When combined with other ingredients it helps to boost their effect, Has been used for centuries to reduce fatigue and to increase energy levels.

Green Tea Extract: When combined with the other ingredients it helps to boost their effect to burn fat, Has been used for centuries to reduce fatigue and to increase energy levels lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Mucuna Pruriens: Improves cognitive function alleviating depression and improving a sense of well being, Helps to naturally boost healthy amounts of growth hormone which promotes lean muscle growth and in turn a faster metabolism.

Banaba Leaf Extract: Balances blood sugar levels, Transports blood sugar into the cells and aids in controlling carbohydrate cravings.

White Willow Bark: The bark of the white willow tree is a source of salicin and other salicylates - compounds, When combined with the other ingredients it helps to boost their effect to burn fat.

Potassium Pyruvate: Increases resting metabolic rate, Facilitates the transport of blood sugar into muscle tissue to increase available energy.

Spirulina: Improves weight loss, Lowers cholesterol, Increases energy and boosts mood.

Alpha Lipoic Acid: Prevents cellular damage (from free radicals), reduces oxidative stress, lowers blood sugar, Increases energy levels, Powerful insulin potentiator.

Guggul Extract: Improves thyroid functioning, Increases fat metabolism.

Cayenne: Raises the body's metabolic rate.

Thermogenic supplements are the most commonly used fat loss products in the sports, bodybuilding and fitness arena today & stack well with other fat loss supplements including CLA or L-Carnitine. They are generally considered safe & highly effective. Anyone though with a pre-existing medical condition including high blood pressure, a heart condition, as well as pregnant or lactating mothers should consult their doctor before using thermogenic dietary supplements.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is an omega-6 essential fatty acid (EFA), which is said to burn fat, build muscle, and fight cancer. CLA has been called “the fat that makes you thin,” but the average American diet provides less than 1 gram of conjugated linoleic acid a day. Some researchers attribute the rise of obesity in America to the consumption of less and less CLA.

It should be fairly easy to get CLA from dietary sources alone—its main sources are beef, cheese, milk, and other dairy foods. However, conjugated linoleic acid is produced in large part by grass-fed cows—cows in the U.S. are more likely to be fed in feedlots rather than allowed to graze freely. This has lead to a great reduction of CLA in American milk, beef, and dairy supplies. Right now, the only way for the average American to get the same amount of CLA regularly consumed in other countries is through supplementation.

Research suggests that conjugated linoleic acid may indeed help reduce body fat. In laboratory studies performed with mice, CLA reduced body fat by 88 percent in just six weeks. Initial studies of the effects of CLA on humans have been promising as well. In a double-blind study published in the December 2000 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, participants who took CLA lost six pounds more body fat compared to those in the placebo group. The study found that 3.4 grams of CLA each day is needed to reduce body fat.

Conjugated linoleic acid has been researched as a possible treatment for many diseases, including breast cancer, obesity, and heart disease. It may also help increase metabolism, build muscle, boost the immune system, and help regulate blood sugar. In a study conducted at Purdue University in Indiana, CLA was found to improve insulin levels in about two-thirds of diabetic patients, and moderately reduced the blood glucose level and triglyceride levels. CLA supplementation may be especially helpful to those with diabetes or hypothyroidism, although anyone with a serious illness should consult a doctor before taking supplements.

CLA is available in most drugstores and health food stores, and often marketed as a weight-loss formula or fat burner. The December 2000 study used Tonalin, but there are many other brands to choose from. Just be sure to get a reputable brand—some conjugated linoleic acid supplements were revealed to be nothing more than vegetable oil in fancy packaging.

There have been no toxic effects linked to CLA supplementation, although some people do report stomach upset when they take extremely high doses.