Some of the best supplements for weight loss include whey protein, green tea, bitter orange, creatine and caffeine. These supplements help with fat burning, as they speed up the metabolism and make the body use more energy.
To promote fat burning, these supplements should be a part of a healthy diet and active lifestyle. Learn more about how to get started on a weight loss diet.
These supplements should only be used as approved by your registere dietitian or doctor, as they are not recommended in some cases and may cause some side effects.
Main supplements
The main supplements that you can take for weight loss include:
1. Whey protein
Whey protein is a supplement that helps burn abdominal fat, because it helps to maintain muscle tissue and promote further muscles gains. Muscle mass plays an important role in promoting metabolism and energy production.
Whey protein also stimulates the release of peptides similar to glucagon-1, cholecystokinin and peptide YY. These are hormones that regulate hunger, which can reduce calorie intake and promote weight loss.
How to take: the generally indicated recommendation varies between 20 and 40 g of whey protein per day, which can be taken 30 minutes before lunch or up to 2 hours after resistance training.
Also recommended: High Protein Diet: What to Eat & Avoid (with 1-Week Meal Plan) tuasaude.com/en/high-protein-diet2. Green tea
Green tea is rich in caffeine, catechins and flavonoids, which are bioactive compounds with thermogenic action. They help to accelerate metabolism, and stimulate abdominal fat burning.
How to take: Drink 2 to 4 cups of green tea per day, ideally between meals. Green tea in capsule form can be taken as a one capsule, 2 to 3 times a day.
3. Green coffee
Green coffee can help burn fat as it has a naturally thermogenic effect that stimulates metabolism and makes the body use more energy.
How to take: The normally recommended dose of green coffee supplements is one 200 mg capsule in the morning and one capsule twenty minutes before lunch. It should be taken with a glass of water.
4. Bitter orange
The bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) supplement is rich in p-synephrine. This is an amine that has stimulating properties that help to boost metabolism and manage appetite, which can promote weight loss.
How to take: Take 1 bitter orange capsule, containing 10 mg of p-synephrine, at breakfast and another at lunch.
5. Conjugated linoleic acid
Conjugated linoleic acid, also known as CLA, is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that can promote energy burning, which can promote weight loss.
However, there is still no scientific evidence that support the benefits of CLA supplements for fat burning.
6. Caffeine
Caffeine helps burn fat, because this substance has stimulant and thermogenic properties. It improves physical performance and accelerates metabolism which can promote weight loss. Caffeine also helps to temporarily reduce hunger.
How to take: caffeine can be used in the form of capsules, powder or tablet supplements. The recommended amount varies according to each person's gender, age and goals, ranging from 100 to 400 mg per day. Read more about caffeine pills and how they are taken.
7. Coconut oil
Coconut oil can help with weight loss, as it contains medium-chain fatty acids, a type of fat that is absorbed quickly and used to produce energy.
However, more studies in humans are still needed to prove the effects of coconut oil on weight loss.
How to take: Take up to 1 tablespoon per day, which can be used to season salads, yogurts, fruits, vegetables, meats or added to other recipes.
Also recommended: Coconut Oil in Coffee: Health Benefits, How Much to Add & More tuasaude.com/en/coconut-oil-in-coffee8. Creatine
Creatine can play a role in weight loss as it provides energy to the muscles, improves physical performance, and stimulates muscle mass gains.
Read more about creatine supplementation and when it is indicated.
How to take: Take 3 to 5 g of creatine in capsule form or powder, for 3 months or more. Creatine can be taken at any time of the day, before or after training. However, to boost absorption, creatine should be ingested with high carb foods.