Fat Loss Supplements

Fat Loss Supplements

Fat loss supplements are some of the most often debated supplements by bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts. Proponents of fat loss supplements argue that they can and do assist in burning fat, with some almost claiming the existence of miracle fat loss supplements. Others claim that fat loss supplements are a waste of time. Read on to find out who's right, which fat loss supplements are worth looking at and why it may or may not matter to you.

It used to be that the Caffeine Ephedra Asprin stack was the most touted "natural" supplement stack around. The reasoning isn't hard to understand. It's basically just a cocktail of stimulants (caffeine and ephedra) and blood thinners (asprin). And certainly for weight loss (especially over a short term) there was evidence in support of this stack [1]. However, at some point the safety and effectiveness of the CAE stack over longer terms came into question [2].

In the recent past there have been a number of supplements claiming to be the holy grail of fat loss: Beverly Lean Out, Cellucor D4, Hydroxycut, etc. And I wouldn't take any of them. Why? Mostly because I feel like they are a waste of time and money. Most, if not all, are trying to take the place of the CAE stack of old. And the problem with that stack (as cited above) is that it's only really good for short term weight loss. And none of the stuff available over the counter today is even that good.

The Goals of Effective Fat Loss

To find out what's really worth taking, if anything, it has to be matched up with the goals of effective fat loss, which are in order as follows: preserve muscle, maintain metabolism, lose fat. Looking at those goals, it's easy to see that a successful period of fat cutting is going to be slow and conservative, keeping a Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) just high enough for sufficient fat oxidation [3].  Weight lost too fast will surely include muscle, which violates the first goal. Too many aggressive adjustments or too much cardio too soon will violate the second goal and eventually the third goal.

What Fat Loss Supplements Are Worth Taking?

So what, if any, supplements are worth taking for fat loss? For that answer, I look towards the research on what foods support the natural process of fat oxidation. And in this area, the research is strongly pointing to Conjugated Linoleic Acid or CLA.

CLA is a type of fat commonly found in dairy and beef that has been found to elicit a number of positive effects. One such effect, is the positive maintenance of lean mass along with a decrease in fat gain [4]. One study found that over 24 months, regular ingestion of CLA significantly reduced body fat. And it has been proposed that CLA combined with a proper diet and a moderate caloric deficit could further support the maintenance of lean mass and a decrease in body fat [5].

Another fat which is also has some promising research behind it is sesamin. Sesamin is a fat derived from sesame oil and the initial research behind it implies that it may be very beneficial in supporting fat oxidation [6]. Certainly, more research is needed. But sesamin is definitely worth a look.

Practical Applications

For my money, I take both CLA and sesamin when I'm actively trying to lose fat. The skeptical and the thrifty consumer might do well to at least supplement with CLA. In my opinion, the research on CLA is compelling enough to support it's adoption as a viable fat loss supplement. However, for sesamin, less research is available. Specifically, I know of no long term research on humans involving sesamin and body fat loss. But, regardless, the research that is available on sesamin is positive enough to compel me to add it to my preferred list of fat burning supplements.

Neither sesamin nor CLA are miracle supplements. In the best case, they can help you hold on to the muscle you have and progress a little better (and perhaps longer) in terms of losing fat on a caloric deficit. But it is unlikely that the supplementation of either will make or break any any diet, entirely. Such is the case of all natural supplements. They can give you a little extra. But the real work will always be in your diet and your training.

References

[1] Daly, P. A., et al. "Ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin: safety and efficacy for treatment of human obesity." International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders: journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity 17 (1993): S73-8.

[2] Shekelle, Paul G., et al. "Efficacy and safety of ephedra and ephedrine for weight loss and athletic performancea meta-analysis." Jama 289.12 (2003): 1537-1545.

[3] Trexler, E., A. Smith-Ryan, and L. Norton. "Metabolic adaptation to weight loss: implications for the athlete." J Int Soc Sport Nutr 11 (2014): 7.

[4] O'Quinn, Patrick R., et al. "Conjugated linoleic acid." Animal Health Research Reviews 1.01 (2000): 35-46.

[5[ Gaullier, Jean-Michel, et al. "Supplementation with conjugated linoleic acid for 24 months is well tolerated by and reduces body fat mass in healthy, overweight humans." The Journal of nutrition 135.4 (2005): 778-784.

[6] Sirato-Yasumoto, Satoko, et al. "Effect of sesame seeds rich in sesamin and sesamolin on fatty acid oxidation in rat liver." Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 49.5 (2001): 2647-2651.

Posted by Clayton Long