We Asked a Doctor Whether Fat Burners for Men Actually Work, Here’s What He Said
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Getting in shape can be an uphill battle (sometimes literally). You eat well, you exercise consistently, drink enough water, sleep eight hours each night, pray to the weight loss gods, and do a slim down dance before bed every night. And yet? A few months in and you’re not exactly on the trajectory you were hoping for, and now you’re getting discouraged as a result. It sucks.
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Perhaps that’s because diet culture really, really sucks. It’s a toxic culture full of misinformation, snake oil and shaming tactics that make perfectly healthy individuals feel lesser than simply for being bigger than. So if you’re determined to lose weight, we always recommend consulting a trusted healthcare professional first.
We know that it’s not always easy to motivate your muscles, bones and fat to move and adapt in the ways you want them to. You can give them all the tools to get the job done, and yet the bathroom scale can still give you the same lackluster reading that it did yesterday. Thankfully, there’s one more tool you can add to your fitness toolkit: the best fat burners for men.
Because we’re not your primary care physician or dietician, we decided to ask Dr. Justin Houman, a reproductive urologist and men’s health specialist in Beverly Hills, CA all about the efficacy of these supplements. The gist of what he said? You won’t drop 3 pant sizes magically overnight taking these. They can, however, complement other weight loss methods nicely. Keep reading for more of his thoughts, and find our top picks for the best fat burners for men in 2022, if you choose to invest in some.
What Are Fat Burners?
Fat burner supplements are dietary pills that claim to jumpstart natural fat-burning processes in the body. They typically include natural fat burners such as caffeine, green tea and yohimbine, an ingredient we’ll dive into a bit later.
Dr. Houman noted that the name “fat burner” is actually not the most accurate way to describe these supplements, or how they work.
“They’re not really ‘fat burners,’ it’s not like you take them and you’re burning fat. It’s kind of a misnomer. Just scientifically, it doesn’t work that way.”
What Do Fat Burners Do?
Dr. Houman noted that while the exact ingredients and marketing of fat burners varies from brand to brand, there are two distinct ways you can classify what fat burners do. Some increase your energy levels, some increase testosterone, and some do a combination of both.
“What fat burners do is they increase your energy levels. They have some kind of stimulant whether it’s caffeine, citrulline which is the amino acid that helps increase blood flow to your muscles, or various vitamins like B vitamins which can increase your energy levels. Essentially, this allows you to exercise harder whether it’s weightlifting, cardio — it allows you to exercise more therefore the idea is you’re burning more fat and burning more calories.”
He went on to explain “when you boost your testosterone levels you lean out easier, your lean muscle mass increases and your body fat composition, body fat percentage decreases.”
Fat burners and their effectiveness are controversial, but many men believe they can be an effective weight-loss tool. Before venturing into any new health routine, supplements included, it’s always a good idea to do your research and find the brand with the ingredient list that works best for you. Again, always consult your physician before adding a new supplement to your diet.
What to Consider Before Taking a Fat Burner
Dr. Houman noted that while fat burners can help you lose weight alongside other, healthy activities, they aren’t going to burn up fat on their own.
“Anyone who takes these should understand that by taking these it’s not going to burn fat by itself. Obviously you have to do the things that are helpful for fat burning. [Fat burners] could help support those types of things whether it’s eating a lean diet, exercising daily, exercising consistently, etc” said Dr. Houman.
“These supplements will help support those types of exercises and could complement, further perpetuate and allow for more fat loss when you do the things that are naturally helpful for weight loss.”
If you do choose to use a fat burner, here are the ones we recommend purchasing online. Please consult your physician before starting a new diet, supplement or regimen. You can find more pertinent information about fat burners, and answers to common FAQs, at the end of this piece.
1. Burn-XT Thermogenic Fat Burner
BEST OVERALL
The Burn XT supplement is one of the best fat burner supplements for men is keto-friendly, contains no artificial fillers and has more than 33,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. It has a 4-star rating for its reported strength and endurance-boosting abilities. It’s one of the top-rated fat-burning supplements available and is one of the most popular supplements for men who want some extra support as they reach their fitness goals. Every capsule is formulated to help burn fat, increase energy, preserve existing lean muscle, control appetite and increase metabolism.
Buy: Burn-XT Thermogenic Fat Burner $29.99
2. Dry-XT Water Weight Loss Pill
BUDGET BUY
Shedding excess water weight is typically the easiest way to lose pounds quickly, and this pill targets water weight specifically. Although not technically a fat burner on its own, it’s an affordable option for men looking for ways to enhance muscle definition. It contains dandelion root extract, horsetail herb powder, green tea leaf extract, yerba mate powder and more.
Buy: Dry-XT Water Weight Loss Pill (60 capsules) $14.01 (orig. $19.99) 30% OFF
3. Nugenix Thermo Fat Burner for Men
BEST ONE-A-DAY
This fat burner has a unique blend of ingredients, including coffeeberry, chromax, morosil and capsimax. Nugenix says that these ingredients help accelerate metabolism and boost energy and power while burning fat. The best part of this fat burner? It’s formulated to be taken only once a day to be effective. So instead of keeping track of pills multiple times a day, you can pop one with your multivitamin in the morning and be done.
Buy: Nugenix Thermo Fat Burner for Men $47.99
4. Nobi Nutrition Green Tea Fat Burner
CONTENDER
This fat burner supplement leverages the power of green tea as its main ingredient. It is packed with antioxidants, EGCG and polyphenols and claims to support metabolism and help curb appetite. Nobi Nutrition also says that this natural green tea extract will support your cognitive abilities and give you a steady stream of energy throughout the day.
Buy: Nobi Nutrition, Premium Green Tea Extract Fat Burner with EGCG $20.79
5. Nobi Nutrition Night Time Fat Burner
TAKE BEFORE BED
Burning fat in your sleep? In recognition of the fact that your metabolism is always hard at work, this fat burner for men is taken at night. Instead of ingredients like caffeine, it includes melatonin, a natural hormone that helps the body fall and stay asleep.
Buy: Nobi Nutrition, Premium Night Time Fat Burner $18.99
6. Animal Cuts All-in-One Complete Fat Burner Supplement
ALL-IN-ONE PACKET
Each packet from Animal Cuts contains nine different pills, fat burners, and stimulants, designed to be taken for three weeks straight, followed by an off week. You can customize the packets to your liking by adding and removing pills based on your fitness goals. Animal Cuts has been creating supplements in the fitness space for over 30 years and manufactures its products in New Brunswick, NJ. Their long history in the industry is one of the reasons we’ve included them on our list of the best fat burners for men.
Buy: Animal Cuts All-in-One Fat Burner Supplement $38.29
7. Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite Weight Loss Supplement
TOP ENERGY SUPPLEMENTS
This fat burner supplement contains sensory-enhancing ingredients such as Coleus forskohlii and L-theanine so you can stay locked into the tough tasks at hand. It has caffeine for those days when you’re really trying to crush your workout goals, as well as those days where you’re just trying to not fall off the wagon and into a slice of cake.
Buy: MuscleTech Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite $34.99
8. Arazo Nutrition L-Carnitine 1000mg
BEST AMINO ACID
Arazo Nutrition says that its L-carnitine supplement can help boost energy and support workouts. This amino acid dietary supplement contains 330 milligrams of calcium and comes with 120 tablets in each bottle.
Buy: Arazo Nutrition L-Carnitine $22.95
9. JYM SS8 Super Shredded 8 Fat Burner
ALSO CONSIDER
This SS8 fat burner supplement is a complete all-in-one supplement for men who want to lose weight, and it’s one of the more expensive options on our list of the best fat burners for men. This supplement contains energy-boosting ingredients such as caffeine, green tea extract, grains of paradise and cayenne pepper.
Buy: JYM SS8 Super Shredded 8 Fat Burner $59.99
Are There Any Natural Fat Burners?
Yes, there are natural fat burners that you can eat on their own to jumpstart your body’s metabolism and achieve your weight loss goals more quickly. Natural caffeine in coffee or tea may boost your metabolism by up to 11%, causing your body to use fat to produce energy more efficiently.
Green tea is another natural fat burner due to its antioxidant powerhouse catechin. This ingredient, alongside green tea’s natural caffeine, enhances metabolism and thermogenesis, which is the process by which your body uses fat to produce energy.
Protein is also crucial for burning fat, as it suppresses appetite and enhances metabolism. Soluble fiber is another essential natural fat burner that creates a gel-like substance in your gut by absorbing water that suppresses the appetite hormone ghrelin.
Lastly, yohimbine, also known as quebrachine, has been shown to yield substantial weight loss in some studies. Yohimbine is an evergreen tree native to Africa. Its bark contains the chemical yohimbine that blocks alpha-2 adrenergic receptors in the body, allowing adrenaline to stay in your system longer, therefore burning fat and producing energy for extended periods.
Of course, there’s no magic bullet when trying to lose weight. Ask your doctor about ingredients like these and be sure to use any supplements in the recommended dosage.
If you’re on the hunt for the best fat burners for men, there are a range of supplements designed to optimize male metabolism. Taking these pills isn’t an instant fix to weight loss woes, and the best way to achieve optimal physical health is by eating well and exercising — no matter what that bathroom scale says.
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