Individuals use supplements for a variety of reasons, from overcoming the destructive effects of food processing to managing specific conditions. Fat burning supplements have remained popular even if their effectiveness has often been questioned. Particular products stand out for the effects they have on thermogenesis and the rate at which the body burns fat.
Ephedrine
Ephredrine stands out as one of the most controversial weight loss aids in widespread use. Banned by the World Anti Doping Authority, ephedrine acts as a stimulant and triggers fat burning by increasing the rate of thermogenesis, the process through which the body burns fat to maintain body temperature. Steroidology.com notes that the natural compound remains as effective as ever for this purpose, but causes a range of severe side effects including shaky hands, anxiety, tremors and sweating.
Sida Cordifolia
A herb native to Brazil, sida cordifolia has traditionally been featured in remedies for asthma and bronchitis due to the way it relaxes smooth muscle. Nutritional Reviews points out that the other effects of the herb include an increase in thermogenesis, believed to be caused by the ephedrine it contains; sida cordifolia's content of this compound is about 2 percent by weight. However, despite the positive anecdotal reports, there is a dearth of evidence to support the use of sida cordifolia for weight loss purposes.
Green Tea
Green tea, made from brewing camelia sinensis leaves, contains a variety of compounds. The focus for those interested in weight loss centers on the catechin compounds in the leaves. These catechins, a sub-group of polyphenols, increase the rate of thermogenesis by increasing the actions of noradrenaline in the central nervous system. A 2002 study conducted by French scientists investigated the effects of a green tea extract used daily for three months; their results, published in the journal "Phytomedicine," found an average reduction in weight of 4.5 percent and a drop in waist circumference of of 4.6 percent.
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