70 MH.CO.ZA/ August 2019
PHILIP FRIEDMAN/STUDIO DWEIGHT-LOSSCaffeine
It’s common in fat-burning supplements,because it gives you the impression that
something’s happening, says Dr. Spencer
Nadolsky, a family- medicine and obesity
physician. True, a combination of aspirin,
caffeine, and the stimulant ephedrine (a
component of ephedra) has been shown to
reduce appetite and burn fat, he says, but
ephedra is classified as a Schedule 6 drug
in SA, making it illegal to sell in weight-
loss supplements. And the science behind
caffeine’s effects on weight loss isn’t strong.
Green Tea Extract
Contains epigallocatechin-3-gallate (justknow it’s a disease- fighting antioxidant) and
THE DANGER OF SUPPLEMENTS
Unlike prescriptions, there’s no
standard for what counts as a dosage
with supplements, says Sharon Akabas,
PhD, of Columbia University Irving Medical
Centre. What’s more, 72% of weight-
loss supplements have labels that don’t
reflect their contents, researchers from
Einstein Medical Centre found. Taking
too much of supplements that contain
stimulants may lead to a rise in heart
rate or blood pressure, which can be
harmful if you have cardiac issues. “Many
people think it wouldn’t be sold if it
wasn’t safe and effective, but neither of
those things is true,” Akabas says.SUPPLEMENT LABcaffeine. A 2017 meta-analysis published
in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
found that green tea extract does increase
the number of kilojoules you burn – but only
by a measly 159kJ a day.Garcinia Cambogia Extract
Reports have linked garcinia cambogia,
an ingredient derived from a South-east
Asian fruit, to liver injury. Even though
the active compound, HCA, has been
shown in rat studies to block an enzyme
that contributes to fat formation, this
doesn’t translate to real-world results,
says dietician Valerie Goldstein, a New
York-based nutrition consultant. “Studies
are showing that it might only make a half-Can an OTC
Fat Burner Help
You Drop Kilos?
LOADS OF PILLS AND POTIONS ADVERTISE SAFE AND QUICK WEIGHT LOSS. CHRISTA
SGOBBA LOOKS AT WHETHER THEIR “ACTIVE” INGREDIENTS ACTUALLY WORK.BEFORE AFTER
to one-kilogram difference for average
weight loss,” she says. Not worth the risk.Bitter Orange
Back when the FDA banned the sale
of ephedra products, supplement
manufacturers turned to this similar
ingredient. Its active compound,
synephrine, may increase your metabolic
rate, but it’s not a huge boost, says
Dr. Nadolsky. Some research shows it’s
safe, but you should still steer clear if you
have any pre-existing heart issues, he says.L-Carnitine
“It transports fatty acids into the
mitochondria, the powerhouses of
your cells, where it’s used for fuel,” says
Goldstein. “It burns fat to use as energy.”
A 2016 meta-analysis in Obesity Reviews
found that L-carnitine supplementation
resulted in weight loss of about 1.4kg. But
as with other supplements, additional
research is mixed, says Goldstein. Still,
L-carnitine is probably safe to use, and
because it works as an antioxidant, it may be
good for your heart, too, she says. Just talk
to your doctor before taking any.The Bottom Line
“Overall, it’s not worth spending money
on fat-burning supplements,” says
Dr. Nadolsky. “You’re better off spending
your money on a coach or healthy food, as
opposed to relying on one of these pills. The
effect is going to be extremely small, and
there are potential safety issues involved.”
And it’s worth noting that the supplement
industry isn’t regulated as strictly as
medicines, here or internationally.