Harms & risks of fat burning supplements
With so many varieties of dietary and weight loss supplements available in the market today, it’s rather a tough decision to choose one that could best suit your needs. Unfortunately, today, more and more people are beginning to rely only on several commercially available fat burners to lose weight and keep themselves fit and smart. What is even more alarming is that they even discontinue their normal exercise routine and dieting pattern.
Let’s first know what fat burners are, how they work, how safe they are, and most importantly, do they really work?
What are fat burners?
Well, as the name implies, fat burners are substances / compounds or active ingredients that break down fat in our body by producing and releasing heat (temperature). We all that that it’s fat that make us fat. Therefore, it’s often an enticing attraction for an obese person to choose fat burner to achieve quick weight loss.
Mode of action of fat burners
Simply saying, all fat burners cause thermogenesis, a process by which your body burns fat by adjusting and modifying your metabolism. Fat burners help the body to break down fat which by releasing it from numerous fat cells. When you take a fat burner, blood flow to many of your body organs and muscles increases. This results in increased body temperature which helps break down fat cells. Fat then enters your blood as fatty acids to be transported to the muscle (protein) cells where it is burned.
Fat burners also suppress your appetite. This process involves the active transmission of neurotransmitters (secretions of our nervous system) and hormones.
Some fat burners also act by fat blocking, restraining the body from ingesting fat during digestion. It's important to read the news and learn the pros and cons before trying any natural fat burner supplement.
Safety profile
Unfortunately, clinical trials, research and several studies have shown that there have been many hazardous side effects associated with the use of fat burners. Therefore, you must be careful about which fat burner supplement you choose for yourself. For example, just for ephedrine, the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) has registered hundreds of reports of frequent side effects occurring in its regular users. Clinically documented adverse reactions include high blood pressure, muscle twitching, lack of sleep, dry mouth, cardiac palpitations, irritability, paralysis, and even death in some acute cases.
Also, according to a study conducted by FDA, frequent use of ephedrine could even lead to permanent disability. It is, therefore, not considered as safe fat burning supplement. There are also some Chinese herbal supplements available in the market that can give you similar results but are considered as equally hazardous.
Common side effects:
The following side effects are usually reported with almost all types of fat burning supplements:
1. Abdominal stress / discomfort.
2. Decreased appetite
3. Inability to sleep
4. Grinding of teeth
5. Muscle twitching / grinding and fatigue
6. Cardiac (Heart) palpitation
7. Diarrhea / Loose watery motions
8. Allergy (Some people are naturally hypersensitive to certain fat burners)
Drug interactions:
Another danger associated with most fat burners is that they can seriously interfere with the absorption / action of other medications such as birth control pills, estrogen etc. Furthermore, excessive intake of some fat burners may result in improper absorption of nutritious fat-soluble vitamins which indirectly lead to various other diseases / weakness.
Conclusion:
Many fitness conscious people who want quick results choose fat burning supplements because they temporarily suppress their appetite, help them burn calories quicker, and also act as natural stimulants for their nervous system. However, you should be very cautious of what you put into your body by thoroughly researching the supplement. Thinking of the long-term complications rather than the quick benefits will be your key here. Therefore, choosing a natural and suitable “fat binder” weight loss supplement, instead of a fat burner supplement is not only safer but can also save you a lot of money.
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