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If you’re hitting the gym to lose weight, you probably wonder if there’s anything you can do to accelerate the process. Department and grocery store shelves explode with various workout supplements for weight loss promising to speed up your metabolism and help you burn more calories. Are any of them worth the hype, or are they wastes of your money?
You’re in luck. Research does support the use of certain substances for enhancing fitness and helping you shed unwanted pounds. Here are seven of the best workout supplements for weight loss.
Green tea is a fabulous beverage that’s rich in antioxidants. You can also find supplements containing this substance in tablet form, promising to help you shed unwanted pounds. How does it work?
Green tea contains two substances that enhance your body’s fat-burning ability. It has caffeine, although not as much as coffee. The same stuff that wakes you up in the morning also ignites a sluggish metabolism. Furthermore, this drink contains EGCG, a catechin antioxidant that primes your internal furnace.
If you go to a gym that sells supplements, you might find various brands of creatine lining the walls. What does this amino acid do? It exists naturally in your muscles and red meat and fish. An extra dose could help your body maintain muscle mass, revving your metabolism — this tissue burns far more calories at rest than fat.
However, you might want to use caution with this supplement, particularly if you’re female. Creatine draws water into your muscles, which can make you feel bloated, particularly during certain times of the month. Furthermore, use caution in the summer. This supplement can accelerate dehydration, so please sip up when temperatures soar.
What if you could lose 9% of your body fat in a year — without changing your current diet or exercise habits? That’s what happened to the women in one study investigating conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) as a weight loss supplement.
CLA is a type of fat found in dairy and beef. However, you don’t have to swipe left on this supplement if you follow a vegan diet. Many over-the-counter (OTC) supplements come from safflower oil, a plant in the sunflower family.
If you want to lose weight, you need to eat less and move more. The formula sounds simple. Achieving the right ratio is surprisingly challenging when cravings strike, though.
Guar gum may help reduce your appetite and cravings, making it easier for you to stick to your training diet. One study found that supplementing with this substance increases satiety for up to ten hours while slashing over 300 calories from your daily intake. Guar gum may also help control blood sugar in diabetes and prediabetes.
A relative newcomer in the diet supplement aisle, this substance forms in your adrenal glands. However, it doesn’t convert to androgen or estrogen like DHEA, the parent hormone does. Emerging research suggests it may help obese women, in particular, shed unwanted pounds.
Proponents claim that 7-keto-DHEA can increase metabolism and enhance thyroid gland function, the master gland governing how quickly your body burns energy. It may also boost immune function and memory while slowing down signs of aging.
Bitter orange contains synephrine, which has similar effects to ephedrine in boosting metabolism. One study found that those taking a supplement of bitter orange with St. John’s wort and caffeine burned significantly more body weight and fat than the control group.
Those in this study did not seem to experience any adverse cardiovascular effects. However, research in rats shows cardiovascular toxicity at high levels of bitter orange supplementation. You probably want to use caution and talk to your doctor before taking this supplement if you have a heart condition.
Fiber helps you reach your weight loss goals through various mechanisms. It creates a sensation of fullness and regulates your blood sugar, curbing cravings that can spur overeating. It also nourishes your intestinal microbiome, the colonies of beneficial bacteria sending chemical messages to your brain, influencing everything from your immune system to mood.
Beta-glucans are soluble fiber from oat and barley grains that may play a beneficial role in fighting insulin resistance and obesity. Some manufacturers are considering adding it to food products for these aims. You can find supplements in health food stores.
If you’re hitting the gym intending to shed pounds, you want all the help you can get. Try one of these seven best supplements for weight loss and accelerate your results.
