Those seeking weight loss may have heard of fat burners. These supplements claim to promote metabolism, control hunger, and boost energy. But do they work? Most importantly, do they influence hormones?
What Are Fat Burners?
Fat burners contain chemicals to burn fat. Caffeine, green tea extract, capsaicin, garcinia cambogia, and raspberry ketones are common. These compounds may affect your body in many ways:
Caffeine
This stimulant increases attention, energy, and heat production. Caffeine may also reduce hunger and boost fat burning.
Green tea extract
The properties of catechins in green tea extract are known. Catechins boost metabolism and chemical breakdown. Green tea extract may also modulate blood sugar and insulin production, minimizing buildup.
Capsaicin
Capsaicin is the compound for the spicy kick, in chili peppers. It has the potential to boost thermogenesis and fat oxidation while also curbing your appetite and reducing inflammation.
Garcinia cambogia
This common fruit contains hydroxycitric acid. This acid blocks citrate lyase, which converts carbs into fat. Garcinia cambogia may also improve mood and reduce cravings.
Raspberry ketones
These are compounds that give raspberries their aroma. Raspberry ketones can increase the production of a hormone called adiponectin, which can regulate your glucose and fat metabolism. Raspberry ketones can also stimulate the breakdown of fat cells.
How Do Fat Burners Affect Your Hormones?
Hormones regulate growth, reproduction, metabolism, mood, and stress. Leptin, insulin, cortisol, estrogen, and testosterone regulate weight.
Fat burners affect these hormones based on their components and use. Depending on the fat burner and dosage, effects vary. Possible impacts include;
Leptin
Leptin is a hormone that communicates with your brain informing it about the amount of fat stored in your body. Its role is to signal your brain to stop eating and increase calorie burning when you have fat. However if you have fat or consume too much processed food your body can develop leptin resistance causing your brain to ignore leptin signals. This can result in overeating and weight gain. Fat burners might be beneficial, in overcoming leptin resistance by reducing body fat and inflammation levels.
Insulin
This hormone controls blood sugar. After eating carbohydrates or sugar, insulin helps your cells absorb glucose from your bloodstream and use it as energy or store it as glycogen or fat. Consuming carbs or sugar or having insulin resistance can raise blood sugar and insulin levels. This can cause weight gain and fat accumulation. Fat burners may lower blood sugar and insulin by increasing metabolism and oxidation.
Cortisol
When you feel stressed or threatened your body releases a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol helps you deal with stress by raising your blood sugar, blood pressure and heart rate. However if you experience prolonged stress or have amounts of cortisol in your body it can lead to feelings of anxiety, difficulty sleeping, inflammation and weight gain. To potentially decrease your cortisol levels and alleviate these symptoms fat burners may assist by reducing stress and inflammation.
Estrogen
Estrogen, a hormone primarily produced by the ovaries in women plays a role in regulating their menstrual cycle, fertility, bone health and mood. It also influences how women store fat in their bodies. Women naturally tend to have subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin) than men particularly in areas like the hips and thighs. However when estrogen levels decrease due to factors like menopause or other reasons women may experience a shift where they lose fat and gain more visceral fat (fat around the organs) instead. This change can increase their vulnerability to conditions such, as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. To help restore estrogen balance certain fat burners may offer phytoestrogens (plant compounds that resemble estrogen) or anti estrogens (compounds that hinder estrogen) depending on requirements.
Testosterone
Testosterone, a hormone primarily produced by men's testes, plays a role in regulating muscle mass, strength, libido and mood. It also influences how men store fat in their bodies. Compared to women men tend to have visceral fat, which can elevate the risk of metabolic syndrome— a condition characterized by high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, elevated cholesterol levels and abdominal obesity. To enhance testosterone levels naturally or synthetically stimulate its production, in men fat burners may be employed. These burners can provide synthetic precursors or stimulants for testosterone production.
Conclusion
Fat burners like Shred Fat Burner stimulate metabolism, reduce hunger, and increase energy to help you lose weight. These supplements may affect hormones based on their components and dosage. Some of these impacts may help weight loss and health, while others may hurt. Thus, before using any burner, visit a doctor and study the label. A healthy diet and regular exercise routine are also essential for best results. Remember that fat burners are tools to help you lose weight, not quick fixes.
