Health and weight management have always been popular topics. Nowadays, the market is flooded with a wide variety of fat-loss and weight-reduction products, and many people hope to achieve weight loss with the help of these products. However, not all fat-loss products are effective and safe.
When discussing fat-loss products, it’s impossible not to mention L-carnitine. A few years ago, L-carnitine was synonymous with fat loss. But in recent years, there has been increasing skepticism about its effectiveness, with many claims asserting that L-carnitine is ineffective. To understand this better, we can refer to the stance of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), which considers L-carnitine to be likely safe but potentially ineffective.
In fact, L-carnitine can be synthesized in the body. The body produces L-carnitine from methionine, lysine, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, and vitamin C, with the help of divalent iron ions and enzymes. Current views suggest that the amount of L-carnitine the body synthesizes daily is sufficient to meet its fat-metabolism needs. So when does the body’s ability to synthesize L-carnitine decrease? Conditions such as fasting, vegetarianism, severe obesity, pregnancy, male infertility, intense exercise, and chronic diseases can reduce the body’s synthesis of L-carnitine. Therefore, if you are on a very low-calorie diet and engage in high-intensity exercise, it may be worth considering L-carnitine supplementation, as the body’s ability to synthesize L-carnitine could be compromised. Otherwise, supplementation may not be necessary.
In addition to L-carnitine, there are many other fat-loss products on the market, with the trend moving towards more diversified ingredients. This means that many fat-loss products now contain a combination of ingredients that claim to be effective for fat loss, with the aim of increasing fat metabolism, thermogenesis, promoting satiety, suppressing appetite, and enhancing central nervous system alertness. Simply put, if one ingredient doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter—multiple ingredients are included in the formula, and one of them should help. So, what are the commonly added ingredients in fat-loss products, and what are their effects?
– Cactus Extract: Primarily helps suppress appetite and control calorie intake.
– Guarana Extract: Enhances central nervous system alertness, helping you stay focused during exercise and burn more calories, while also promoting fat metabolism.
– Green Tea Extract: Reduces digestive enzyme activity, thereby inhibiting fat absorption.
– White Kidney Bean Extract and Enoki Mushroom Extract: Help reduce energy intake and lower fat absorption.
– Other ingredients: Black pepper extract, medium-chain fatty acids, kombu extract, chromium, L-carnitine, and more. Different brands may have their own “secret formulas,” so theoretically, the more ingredients a product contains, the more effective it may be.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) published a fact sheet on weight-loss supplements for healthcare professionals, which includes summaries of research on the safety and effectiveness of some commonly used ingredients in these products.
According to NIH, the evidence supporting the use of weight-loss supplements for reducing weight and promoting fat loss is uncertain and unconvincing, and these products can be quite expensive.
However, there is one ingredient that is widely recognized for potentially helping fat metabolism—**caffeine**. Both the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) agree that caffeine is safe and effective for enhancing fat metabolism. Therefore, when choosing a fat-loss supplement, it is a good idea to check whether it contains caffeine. If you are sensitive to caffeine, you can opt for a caffeine-free product. It’s important to introduce caffeine gradually, starting with small doses and increasing it over time, with the most effective dose taken 30-60 minutes before exercise. Caffeine tablets or black coffee can also be used.
While supplements can help with fat burning, the most important factor for weight loss is controlling energy intake. To lose fat, you need to consume fewer calories than your body expends (caloric deficit). We should assess our own or our clients’ previous eating habits and identify the main reasons for weight gain. Start by finding the easiest changes to make and gradually modify eating and lifestyle habits. This will lead to sustainable changes. Once lifestyle adjustments are made, incorporating exercise to build muscle mass and improve metabolism will further support fat loss and body shaping.
Lifestyle interventions, including diet and exercise, are the foundation of weight management. Therefore, fat loss should always involve a combination of diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. Whether or not supplements are used, continuous changes to lifestyle habits are necessary to achieve long-term weight loss and, more importantly, maintain health.
Reference:
Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss，https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/WeightLoss-HealthProfessional/
