Using Fat Burners Safely and Effectively: Guidelines

Fat burners remain one of the most popular groups of supplements. They help to burn more calories, reduce body fat and train more effectively, depending on compounds. Despite usefulness, weight loss supplements often attract attention as potentially dangerous and slipping out from legal regulations. Read how to use fat burners most effectively and – first and foremost – in a safe, healthy way.

Are Fat Burners Safe to Use?

As Paracelsus said, Dosis facit venenum, so – yes. In most cases, fat burners are safe if you are using them accordingly and choosing legal, Over-The-Counter stuff. Each and every weight loss supplement should have a precaution list printed on the box, so read it first. Typical contraindications entail:

• being pregnant or nursing,
• having heart incidents history,
• thyroid issues,
• high blood pressure,
• diabetes,
• being under certain age, e.g. 18-years old,
• combining a few sources of caffeine.

It can be said that for a healthy and fit person, fat burners should not cause major problems. However, it should be stated that some side effects may be caused by misusing the dietary supplements. If, for example, you avoid drinking water and a headache occurs due to weight loss products, the reason for these conditions lies in not fully understanding the supplementation protocol, not the ingredients itself. The similar problem entails taking pills on an empty stomach and recurring heartburn.

On the contrary, taking substances that have been withdrawn from the market can pose (and often does) serious danger to health. Thus, it is strongly advised to avoid fat burners like alpha-johimbine, salbutamol, ephedrine or 1,3- dimethylamylamine. If you do have doubts about taking fat-loss supplements suitable to your health status, be sure to contact a doctor before taking any substances.

Guidelines for Using Fat Burners Effectively

Effectiveness of natural fat burners is strongly dependent on a lot of different factors. It’s good to familiarise yourself with the most important rules to avoid being disappointed with a lack of results.

Start with the Correct Dosage

Each of the chemical substances is characterised by MED (Minimal Effective Dose) and MTD (Maximum Tolerated Dose) parameters. First of them describes the smallest dose that produces the desired outcome. The second is the highest dose of a drug or treatment that does not cause unacceptable side effects. Both of them are determined by clinical trials.

Before taking a supplement, look for information concerning recommended and maximum dose. Underdosing will result with lack of effectiveness, while overdosing can lead to adverse effects, like headache or diarrhoea. What is even worse, taking too much of a bioactive compound (such as caffeine) leads to quick receptor saturation. In other words, your body stops to respond positively to supplementation. Therefore, always check the recommendation of the producer carefully.

When to Take Fat Burners for Best Results?

The best time of fat burner supplementation depends on the mechanism of active ingredients, which are a few. Fat loss supplement can:

• increase fat metabolism,
• increase energy expenditure,
• impair fat absorption (i.e. fat blockers),
• increase weight loss,
• increase fat oxidation during exercise,
• help with water retention.

Let’s look at two examples. CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) increases fat metabolism, lipid oxidation and elevates energy expenditure via thermogenesis. Thus, it can be taken with a meal. Caffeine mainly works as an ergogenic, which raises energy level and alertness. As thermogenic, it works best before physical exercise. If you want to maximise the effectiveness of fat-loss products, use it in the right way.

How Long Should You Use Fat Burners?

In most cases, fat burners can be taken safely for a few weeks, but not as a long-term supplementation. The reasons behind this time-cap are receptors saturation and overall health. First of all, your body has to restore receptors sensitivity. Usually the longer you take supplements, the more time it takes to ‘reset’ receptors. Caffeine withdrawal syndrome usually lasts from few to several days. You can always choose caffeine‑free fat burners.

Some substances can also be potentially toxic to the liver or other organs. A good example is synephrine, a natural alkaloid from Citrus aurantium. While widely considered to be a potent thermogenic, its long term supplementation effects remain unknown (both alone or as a co-compound of other substances). Also a non-thermogenic substance CLA, such as L‑Carnitine is not intended for long-term use.

What About the Diet?

No matter which fat burner you choose, body fat percentage depends strongly on calorie deficit. While supplementation can help you to receive an extra boost or suppress hunger, if you provide your body with more energy than you spend, surplus will stack up as adipose tissue growth.

Before you grab any fat-loss product, make sure your diet is aligned with goals, because supplements for metabolism are designed to support proper nutrition, not replace it. If you want to lose weight steadily, a slight deficit should be enough.

How to Maximise Results While Using Fat Burners?

The best way to maximise results of taking fat burners is to combine supplementation with physical activity. Through exercise you burn additional calories, which makes it easier to sustain a calorie deficit. The most effective way to improve fat oxidation is to maintain heart rate on a 60-70% maximum level. Running, cycling, or cross fit training will do well. It is also a good idea to combine aerobic training with strength exercises. Each of them affects your metabolism in a different way, supporting fat loss and enhancing muscle gain.

Legal fat burners cannot incinerate adipose tissue in a matter of one week. The ingredients profile, no matter how complex, need time to make a change. If you chase maximum effectiveness, be patient and use supplementation according to producer guidelines. There are no magic pills, just chemistry and biology. The human body utilises energy from different sources, not only fat. It’s no use to double the dose or stack it with different products. If you act consistently, the results will show up anyway.

When composing a diet, be sure to eat 'clean,’ healthy products. When necessary, it’s good to reach for meal replacements. Your body will absorb more nutrients from them and resynthesise glycogen faster. Be careful of grasping 'high-protein' desserts. They usually lack fibre and are full of sweeteners, which can boost your appetite instead of suppressing it. Never forget to drink a lot of water. It doesn’t contain calories and helps to control craving for food.

How to Choose a Safe and Effective Fat Burner?

If you want to make sure that the fat burner you have chosen is both safe and effective, follow the instructions below:

1. Check the ingredients profile – it should be transparent in substances and doses.
2. Choose a brand that has a stable reputation – reputable brands are more reliable in terms of ingredient sources and potential contamination.
3. Look for third-party certification – accreditations from outside organizations act as a social proof.

It can be for example a GMP Certification. In case of any doubts, do not hesitate to ask your GP or sports medicine physician for advice. Professional medical knowledge is invaluable, especially in the age of AI-self-treatment.