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The Side Effects Of Relying On Fat Burners To Amp Metabolism

The Side Effects Of Relying On Fat Burners To Amp Metabolism

by Gataca Admin in News

Introduction 
The concept of ‘being fat’, ‘being obese’, relying on calorie counters and checking BMI stats have long been a popular means to a rather hard-to-achieve goal- weight loss. Losing weight can seem an uphill battle for most individuals as planning meals, working out and going to the gym can seem like too much of a commitment to deal with. If there were a magical pill designed to make people skinny or achieve their body goals, then ‘fat burners’ are the closest approximation to this concept. Weight loss as a concept was first noticed and marketed in the 1920s. A century later, mankind is still on the quest to lose weight quickly, safely and effectively. Fat burners have been marketed in different ways- that they are good supplements for the body, that they help increase basal metabolic rate, that they will help you get skinny within a few days and what not. They are said to have active ingredients that will work on the metabolism in various wondrous ways. But, are they really that good for you? Are they safe for you in the long term? It is high time you ask such loaded questions- as losing weight and NOT feeling healthy is no way to go about your daily life. 

How Do Fat Burners Affect Metabolism?
Most fat burners available these days contain ingredients like caffeine, apple cider vinegar, capsaicin, L-carnitine, chromium picolinate, green tea extract, yohimbine, synephrine (like ephedrine, but from bitter orange), though older ones from a few decades ago could contain amphetamines of different kinds. These were super addictive and bad for health - so they were banned by the FDA. These ‘fat burners’ don’t literally burn away fat, but work on regulating metabolic pathways in a few different ways-

  • They make you feel less hungry and result in a poorer appetite by suppressing hunger pangs.
  • They work by cranking the core temperature up by a few degrees- so that more energy will be used for thermoregulation. This increase in temperature is called thermogenesis.
  • They can help you work out better- by helping muscles recover well, achieve peak rate faster and for longer, and help you exercise for longer by helping reduce general fatigue.
  • They can actively promote oxidation pathways in the body- which is how lipid or fat molecules are broken down.
  • Some compounds like chitosan can help reduce absorption of lipids in the gut by binding to them. This means fats will just eventually make their way to the large intestine and get excreted out.
  • Yohimbine has shown active lipolytic properties - where it rapidly breaks down fats into fatty acids.
  • Apple cider vinegar has been shown to help with insulin insensitivity, hence aiding diabetics achieve their weight loss goals, while also helping keep their blood glucose levels in check.

Are Fat Burners Bad For Blood Pressure?

Since most of these ‘fat burners’ are stimulants, excessive use can increase the concentrations of cortisol and adrenaline- both of which can influence heart rate and blood pressure adversely. Common issues faced by people include palpitations, rapid heartbeat, chest pain and hypertension. 

Fat Burner Side Effects vs. Weight Loss Benefits-

Though they are pretty effective pills and will definitely help in your weight loss journey, there are a few long term issues you could face, some of which have been explained below-

  • Some individuals may face gut related issues like bloating, cramping, constipation or diarrhea.
  • Stimulants can cause you to lose sleep literally- which means you will be more stressed than usual.
  • This can cause chronic inflammation, which is never a condition that you should deal with.
  • Some people may notice a huge shift in their mood- like getting irritable, dealing with panic or anxiety attacks or even lots of restlessness.
  • Fat burners can dehydrate you too, if you don’t drink enough water everyday. You may have issues like excessive thirst, headaches, fatigue, etc.
  • Some of them are very bad for the liver and kidneys (like ephedra)- and can cause fluid accumulation, jaundice, abdominal pain etc.
  • Women may face a major brunt of hormonal issues - they may not get their periods on time or may bleed too much, will have acne or more hair loss than usual.
  • You should NOT take fat burners ideally, if you are on other concomitant medications- as drug interactions have not been characterised well, and you could deal with adverse reactions. 

The key to how you can ensure fat burners continue to remain helpful - is to cycle them. This means you should take them for about 1-2 months and then stay off of them for half that time - like 2-4 weeks. This will force your body to keep its metabolism up, while also reducing your chances of becoming too dependent on fat burners alone, for weight loss. 

Conclusion

Fat burners can help people immensely, by providing them a way to keep the extra weight off, without too much effort. But, many people do not react well to the active ingredients which are normally derived from plants. They have not been studied in great detail- so there is no way to tell you how you will react to them if you take too much or too little. Generally speaking, losing weight and weight management are long term goals, and you should try to first ensure that you eat and exercise in the right way. Fat burners will then be an additional assistive device for you. But, if you depend entirely on these pills to shed those extra kilos, then it may not work and you could set yourself up for some major disappointment in life!

FAQs

1. Can fat burners cause heart problems?
Yes, compounds like caffeine can increase heart rate in the long run.

2. Can fat burners cause high blood pressure?
Yes, they contain stimulants like caffeine, yohimbine, and bitter orange extract- which are known to affect the cardiovascular system. 

3. Can fat burners cause digestive issues like bloating or diarrhea?
Yes, many users have reported issues like bloating, cramps, diarrhoea, constipation etc. as they may have high levels of fibre or other active ingredients which cannot be processed by the gut. 

4. Can fat burners affect metabolism in the long run?
Yes, your body may get used to the fat burner and metabolism may slow down. This is why it is recommended that you use it for a month and then stay off them for a couple weeks, before starting again. 

5. Are there any natural alternatives to fat burners with fewer side effects?
Yes, you can drink plenty of water, have fruits and vegetables for their fibre content and get plenty of exercise so that your metabolism remains high. Green tea is a good choice to drink after every meal, but you should not use any sweetener.
 

Tags: Metabolism and Weight
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