Everyone understands that when you want to reduce body fat, you need to take in fewer calories. This leads to the idea that you need to cut the number of calories you consume—but you can create a deficit in other ways. Supplements can work via a number of mechanisms to make fat loss easier, without your continuing to cut calories until you risk starvation. These include mobilizing stored body fat, increasing metabolic rate, jacking up your fat-burning hormones, reducing your appetite, and more. We give you an overview of the best fat-burning supplements currently available, so you can pick the approach that suits you best.
Supplements that Pull More Fat from Storage
Example: Caffeine AKA: Anhydrous caffeine, 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine Others: Forskolin, Garcinia cambogia How They Work: Stored fat wants to stay where it is, forcing your body to use other sources of energy for fuel, including food you’ve recently consumed and muscle tissue. But supplements such as caffeine help get your fat moving at the cellular level. These supplements cause fat to break down so that it can be pulled from storage much more readily to fuel your training and other daily activities. This is a win-win: You have more energy for activity and, ultimately, less stored body fat.
Supplements that Boost Your Metabolic Rate
Example: Synephrine AKA: Citrus aurantium, bitter orange Others: Green tea extract, salix matsudana How They Work: Many of these supplements also increase the release of fat from storage, but they work primarily by increasing your metabolic rate. This means that when you take one of these supplements, you’ll naturally burn, say, 100–200 more calories per day than you would without them. That’s true regardless of how much or little you consume. So, if you’re maintaining your body weight at 2,500-3,000 calories a day, you can continue to eat this same quantity and reduce stored body fat without reducing calories by adding a supplement that boosts metabolic rate. Of course, a moderate reduction in calories will further support body-fat reduction.
Supplements that Reduce Your Appetite
Example: Hoodia AKA: hoodia gordonii Others: Fiber, glucomannan, simmondsin How They Work: This category of supplements works through different mechanisms. For instance, hoodia blunts hunger by tricking your brain into thinking that your stomach is full, reducing the amount you want to eat. Fiber and glucomannan, on the other hand, actually help fill up your stomach. In addition, they slow the release into your system of the calories you do consume. This means that your calories will last longer, and you won’t have to contend with hunger cues. Finally, supplements such as simmondsin increase the release of cholecystokinin, a hormone that increases satiety. Most products in this category work best when taken shortly before a whole-food meal, helping you consume less and have those calories last longer without the misery of feeling hungry and depleted.
Supplements that Influence Your Hormones and Brain Chemistry for More Fat Loss
Example: mucuna pruriens AKA: Velvet bean, cowage, cowitch Others: 7-keto DHEA, Bacopa monnieri, 5-HTP How They Work: One of the problems many people encounter when following a fat-loss program is the reduction of the hormones and brain chemicals that comes with trying to lose body fat—thereby making it harder to continue to lose fat. Supplements such as 7-keto DHEA and Bacopa monnieri support thyroid hormone production to keep your metabolic rate elevated while dieting. Mucuna pruriens boosts growth hormone production and the brain chemical dopamine, both crucial benefits for sustaining muscle mass while supporting weight loss. 5-HTP not only suppresses appetite, it also supports brain function, working as an antidepressant and sleep aid.
Fat = Fuel
Using a fat burner that frees body fat from storage won’t just help you stay lean, it’ll help fuel intense training sessions so you won’t hit a wall as you go for that last set.
Burn It Down
M&F has presented a range of pathways through which you can reduce your body-fat levels, as well as a number of specific supplements that work through these pathways. They include many of these ingredients and several others. Consider the following:
Animal Cuts Universal Nutrition The product contains multiple blends that attack fat in different ways. The stimulant complex contains caffeine anhydrous, kola nut, guarana, raspberry ketones, and Coleus forskohlii, among others. Additional complexes include green tea extract, coffee bean extract, olive leaf extract, dandelion root, and uva ursi leaf, plus many others. What Sets It Apart: For convenience, Animal Cuts comes in packs. For best results, take two packs every day for three weeks. Take one week off, then repeat another three-week cycle. The product works best when taken on an empty stomach. Get It: universalnutrition.com
B4 BPI B4 contains caffeine to help simultaneously boost strength and burn body fat during workouts. Dendrobium, an herb from orchids, is rich in phenyl ethylamine (PEA), a chemical that stimulates norepinephrine release. This supplement not only improves energy within muscle tissue, it also enhances mood. In addition, B4 contains Psoralea corylifolia and yohimbine. What Sets It Apart: B4 was formulated to stimulate your body for great workouts by enhancing your endocrine system. It boosts the crucial brain chemicals norepinephrine and dopamine to give you the adrenaline to help you train hard and succeed on your fat-loss program. Get It: bpisports.net
Hydroxycut SX-7 MuscleTech This product relies on a combination of well-established fat-burners, including raspberry ketones, yohimbe, and green coffee extract. Following a 60-day study, those who used Hydroxycut SX-7 lost more than twice as much fat as those taking a placebo (10.95 vs. 5.4 pounds) while following a low-calorie diet. What Sets It Apart: This is the only product in the category that contains both Myristica fragrans and Ecklonia cava. The former contributes to mental focus, and the latter is a premium brown algae with potent health benefits. Get It: hydroxycut.com
Hyper Shred BSN This product contains three proprietary blends that attack body fat in different ways. The Thermodynamic Interfusion contains caffeine, bitter orange, and red and black pepper extracts to boost metabolic rate and pull more body fat from storage. Hyper Shred’s Acti-tropic Complex contains Bacopa extract, phenylalanine, niacin, and toothed club moss extract to boost brain chemicals. The third component, Mimetic Composite, contains banaba leaf and chromium chloride to help improve your insulin response during calorie reduction. What Sets It Apart: Improved insulin response means better workouts and more energy throughout the day. Get It: bsnonline.net
JetFuel Superburn GAT Each three-capsule dose provides three distinct formulations for specific action. To maximize calorie burning, JetFuel Superburn contains caffeine, olive leaf extract, Capsicum, and other ingredients. To help break down body fat, this product offers three forms of Camellia sinensis and tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA). And to enhance alertness, Superburn has 2-amino-4-(ethylcarbamoyl) butyric acid. Each capsule is infused with MCTs and Explotab, a researched “superdisintegrant.” What Sets It Apart: JetFuel Superburn uses an oil-infused delivery process that optimizes absorption. Get It: teamgat.com
Dopamite MHP Dopamite’s fat-burning catalyst includes caffeine, tyrosine, and phenylalanine. This product was specifically formulated to help reduce cravings, increase energy, and promote satiety. Get It: mhpstrong.com
Dyma-Burn Extreme Dymatize Each two-capsule dose delivers proprietary blends and additional supplements. The EPX 200 blend contains a matrix of sclareolides, polyphenolics, catechins, and EGCG. Get It: dymatize.com
Lean Xtreme Driven Sports Lean Xtreme was formulated to help control cortisol so you can lose body fat without the stimulatory effects of caffeine, making it a great product to take later in the day when sleep is a concern. Get It: drivensports.com
Lipodrene Hardcore Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals This is an extreme thermogenic that attacks fat and helps you burn it for longer periods of time. The product contains a unique formulation of ephedra extract, Acacia rigidula [yielding phenylethylamine (PEA)], Citrus aurantium, and 1,3 Dimethylamylamine (DMAA). In addition, Liprodene Hardcore contains yerba mate, green tea extract, and caffeine, among other special ingredients. What Sets It Apart: Lipodrene Hardcore provides ingredients you won’t find in other products: legal amounts of ephedrine extract and DMAA. Get It: hitechpharma.com
Lipo 6 Unlimited Nutrex Lipo 6 Unlimited’s liquid capsule delivery system gets to work fast, meaning you can immediately reap its appetite-suppressing, fat-burning, and energy-boosting effects. Get It: nutrex.com
Liquid L-Carnitine 1500 Body Fortress Carnitine is a compound consisting of two amino acids: lysine and methionine. It works by converting food to energy so it isn’t stored as fat. Get It: bodyfortress.com
Red Acid Reborn Controlled Labs A one-capsule dose attacks fat in five different ways while supporting sexual health. Including green coffee and natural caffeine, this product works to optimize metabolic rate. Get It: controlledlabs.com
Shred Matrix MusclePharm In addition to nutrients that drive the fat-loss process, Shred Matrix contains an Energy & Fat Metabolism blend of guarana seed extract, caffeine anhydrous, green tea extract, saw palmetto, and other ingredients. Get It: musclepharm.com
Thermal Infusion Elite Met-RX Each one-capsule dose contains a proprietary blend with Bacopa monnieri, resveratrol, and rosemary. The Elite Igniting Blend contains anhydrous caffeine, cayenne, and yohimbe. Get It: metrx.com
Rapidcuts Shredded Allmax This product includes three proprietary blends that serve different fat-loss objectives. These include: 1) Target: Hotspots; 2) Release: 3′,5′; and 3) Ignite Thermoburn. The first helps balance cortisol and insulin to prevent fat accumulation. The Release formulation includes green coffee bean, yerba mate, green tea extract, and yohimbine to cue cells to release body fat for use as energy. Finally, caffeine anhydrous, guarana and capsicum accelerate thermogenesis. What Sets It Apart: The ingredients in each one-capsule serving have been “polymethoxylated” to extend the impact and duration of your fat loss. Get It: allmaxnutrition.com
Ripped Juice EX2 Betancourt Each one-capsule dose of Ripped Juice EX2 delivers a potent proprietary blend of tyrosine, caffeine, Citrus aurantium, green coffee bean extract, and other ingredients. Among these, the N-acetyl-L-tyrosine version has a higher absorption rate, helping boost brain chemicals with a lower dose. Citrus aurantium (synephrine) helps fuel activity and reduce fat stores by breaking down fat within cells. What Sets It Apart: Another ingredient, rauwolscine HCL, targets visceral fat, the more harmful fat that’s stored deeper in the body. It’s crucial to reduce this kind along with subcutaneous fat. Get It: betancourtnutrition.com
Short Cutz Rivalus This thermogenic helps you reduce body fat and weight quickly because of its diuretic properties. It contains guarana seed extract, a natural source of caffeine, for a sustained, crash-free release of energy. Ginger root extract supports digestive health so you can better tolerate the thermogenic ingredients that often cause digestive upset and negatively impact performance. What Sets It Apart: In addition to burning fat, Short Cutz helps athletes drop water weight quickly to compete in a weight class. Get It: rivalus.net
Thermo-Dyne Novex Biotech The fat-burning blend here contains Citrus sinensis, Citrus paradisi, conjugated linoleic acid, Salix alba, and Tribulus terrestris. The product’s energy blend includes coffea arabica, Paullinia sorbilis, and Theobroma cacao. In addition, ThermoDyne provides focus and energy to support your fat-loss objectives. What Sets It Apart: A 12-week study found that the fat-burning complex in ThermoDyne caused a mean reduction of 15.6% body fat over a control group. Get It: novexbiotech.com
