Time to bust the mythic supplements known as fat burners. It’s not every day I get to debunk some radical health trends, and this one, in particular, has maintained a significant presence in the fitness industry for more than decades. There’s an allure to the concept of a fat burner: by taking this pill, you’ll be melting the fat off instantly! No effort required.
Sorry, but in case you couldn’t tell, I am not a fan of these pills. Far from it. Hence why I’m out to expose them for the shams they are. If you’re ready, we’re going to take a closer look into the downright dishonesty and dangers of fat burners. Hopefully, by the time I’m through with them, you’ll be off running as far away as you can from all of the bogus marketing!
So, ready or not, let’s get started!

Smoke and Mirrors

With a few nifty buzzwords, paid testimonials, and alluring models, manufacturers can suck you right into their hands. You’ll be giving up your hard-earned money in no time. The truth of the matter is that these fat burners (and those that sell them) are doing nothing more than putting up smoke and mirrors. The ingredients they taut are all sketchy, to say the least. And each poses its own set of risks.
Allow me to break a few of them down for you:

Let’s start with what is arguably the most debated fat burner, caffeine. You can find it naturally in foods like cacao, coffee, guayusa, matcha (green tea) and other types of tea. [1] And some sources claim it may help with increasing metabolism and burning fat. Well, supposedly, anyway. What many people fail to realize is that the amount of caffeine found in fat burners versus a cup of coffee is exponential- a huge, concentrated amount. In fact, this concentration of caffeine is so potent that it causes a number of unspoken side effects, including diarrhea, jitters and shakes, anxiety, heart palpitations, nervousness, insomnia, hypertension, and dehydration, due to its laxative effect interfering with the body’s release of antidiuretic hormone (causing you to excrete high amounts of urine). [2] And with dehydration comes electrolyte imbalances that will be sure to send you straight into the ER, pronto. If you’re someone like me who doesn’t do well with caffeine, imagine would a super dose of that could do? Moving on.

You’ve also got various types of fibers, such as glucomannan and chitosan. The former is rather benign. It attracts liquid and expands in your stomach, keeping you full and away from the plate. Aside from maybe causing some GI distress in some people, it’s the least harmful of the bunch. But if you’re taking a lot of fat burning pills with it, beware: you run the risk of causing blockages in the throat or intestines. [3] (Just something to keep in mind.)
Now, the next fiber is one that is not to be ignored: chitosan, a unique animal-based fiber derived from pulverized shellfish that works at keeping you from absorbing dietary fat. In other words, it’s a fat blocker. But what’s the catch? Not only are you blocking an essential macronutrient, you’re also preventing your body from absorbing essential fat-soluble nutrients from your food, like Vitamin A and Vitamin D. [4] I don’t think I need to explain the dangers of nutrient deficiencies; just know that this is a BAD idea.

 Our next fat burning ingredient is capsaicin, a natural substance found in red chili pepper or cayenne, jalapeno, and habanero. This particular instance is a bit mix. On the one hand, some research points in its favor in regards to boosting metabolism and losing weight. But on the other hand, there’s conflicting evidence pointing out that despite these wonderful benefits, they’re only temporary due to the body being able to adapt to it over time. So, call this one a Cinderella ingredient. [5] As soon as the clock strikes midnight (or in reality, your body getting used to it), the spell wears off.

A similar thing applies to L-Carnitine, another proposed fat-burning ingredient. It lacks substantial evidence to validate any proposed benefit. In fact, the information we do have seems to point to it having very little effect, whether it’s seasoned athletes or average trainees. [6] There’s also Garcinia Cambogia, which you may remember being endorsed by celebrity doctors like Dr. Oz. Animal research seemed to show some benefits. But in humans? Not so much. (Let’s just say the research is messy, doubtful, and flawed.) [7] Don’t forget Raspberry Ketones. Once more, there’s no clear evidence to support their effectiveness, and what little research we have usually shows them testing alongside other supplements. How are we supposed to know for sure whether it was the Raspberry ketones or something else that caused any sort of effect? [8] Yohimbe is another promising ingredient. Too bad the research isn’t,especially after you bother to read it.Read this statement and really think what it’s telling you: Professional athletes taking 20 mg of yohimbe daily for 3 weeks had 2% less fat than the athletes who took a placebo. [9] Get that? A mere 2%. Are you really going to sacrifice your money for a tiny 2% less body fat? Which you could outperform with simple diet and exercise?
Finally, there’s white kidney bean extract. This ingredient is said to act as a carb blocker. In other words, it blocks your body’s ability to absorb dietary carbohydrates. Despite fierce marketing and hype, it doesn’t have any research to back it up. In fact, most of the research states it’s pretty unreliable. [10] You’re better off cutting processed carbs from your diet or just lowering them on either a low carb or ketogenic diet.

Any other ingredients that you can find in these fat burners are dubious at best. Adding diuretic herbs like Senna to the mix only causes a temporary change in water weight that will soon return to normal after your body accumulates to the supplement and you’ve rehydrated. If you’re lucky, nothing will have happened, and you can thank the companies for a well-done marketing ploy. However, you might be one of the unfortunate few, which I’ll highlight in the next section.

True Lies Risk Lives

It’s time for a wakeup call. Fat burners are not only unreliable, but they’re also notoriously risky. Case in point: ephedra. This was a popular weight-loss and fat-burning ingredient that the FDA had to step in and ban due to it causing DEATH. [11] If you’re lucky to still be alive from ephedra, there’s still the potential risks for developing heart attacks, strokes, seizures, muscle disorders, and a sudden loss of consciousness. [12] But ephedra isn’t the only culprit. As a whole, fat burners have also been linked to severe intestinal inflammation (to the point of requiring surgery, in some cases), as well as liver damage or failure in otherwise HEALTHY people, ranging from young teens to full-grown adults! [13] [14] [15]

Here’s the reason why these supplements are downright dangerous: there’s very little regulation in the supplement industry. Even worse, a company can make bold claims without any backing. They’ll often get away with putting in banned substances either by re-naming them or disclosing them from the ingredients list. [16] Think twice, guys. When it comes to these quick-fix, miracle-claiming supplements, buyer beware.

A Bitter Pill to Swallow

There’s no such thing as a magic pill. If you read the disclaimer on some of these, they often say that results are most effective when combined with regular exercise and proper nutrition. How about you cut the middleman and go straight for what’s essentially free? Diet and exercise are the greatest things you can do when it comes to your health and weight. I know that good old-fashioned hard work is a bitter pill to swallow, but that’s the reality. Better safe than sorry.

Sources:

[1] https://www.coffeeandhealth.org/topic-overview/sources-of-caffeine/
[2] Wilmore J.H., Costill, D.L. (1999) Physiology of sport and exercise, 2nd ed. Champaign Il, Human Kinetics
[3] https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-205/glucomannan
[4] https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/truth-about-weight-loss-pills#1
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3022968/
[6] Armsey et al. (1997). Nutritional supplements: science vs hype. The Physician and Sportsmedicine. 25,6.
[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3010674/
[8] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/do-raspberry-ketones-work
[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17214405
[10] https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/can-white-kidney-bean-extract-really-help-me-lose-weight/white_kidney_bean_extract/
[11] https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/ephedra-ban
[12] https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-847/ephedra
[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23596542
[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23291814
[15] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24113901
[16] https://www.menshealth.com/uk/weight-loss/a755242/the-burning-truth-about-fat-pills/