Fat burner hell
We’ve all seen the commercials on TV for them; some backed by pseudo-celebrities, others by regular people (although not actors). Yes, I am talking about fat burners. Hydroxycut, Xenadrine and Stacker-3 are to name a few. The main question is, what exactly are they, do they really work and are they safe?
Fat burners are essentially pills that contain certain herbal ingredients like ephedra, HCA, chitosan, and pyruvate, all of which claim to increase energy, stimulate metabolism, and/or suppress appetite. These supplements are supposed to work by increasing thermogenesis, that is, converting more of the food you eat into heat before it can be stored as fat. Being able to do this safely would of course be a good way to avoid fat accumulation and keep off the extra pounds.
It’s hard to say if they really work. Finding a conclusive study on almost any dietary supplement, including so-called fat burners, can be a long day. What we do know is that most supplements need further study. Supplements aren’t standardized, so you don’t know if what’s on the bottle is what you’re getting. Also, no one knows what the long-term effects of these supplements are and, more frighteningly, how they interact with other medications. So to answer the question of do fat burners work, I have to say… I don’t know.
With anything chemically manufactured that you put into your body, you have to worry about side effects. Here is a short list of some of the side effects you could experience with any fat burner taken:
1. Increased blood pressure
2. Nosebleeds
3. Blurred vision
4. Acne breakout
5. Restlessness and hyperactivity
6. Loss of appetite
7. Increased heart rate
8. Headaches
9. Dizziness
10. Dizziness
11. Insomnia
12. Nausea and upset stomach
In my opinion, none of these effects really strike me as funny. I have a friend who was actually taking Xenadrine and was having some bad side effects from taking it. More people need to be aware of this before they start taking something like this. There are alternatives to fat burning pills. Increase your physical activity, whether it’s brisk walking, lifting weights, or doing a Beachbody program. Not only will exertion help you shed a few pounds, but it’s also more beneficial to your heart and skeletal muscles. Don’t spend your hard earned money, there are no short cut pills to a slimmer body.