Although many weight loss supplements are often used by inactive individuals, strength-training athletes and professional bodybuilders use these supplements to get into shape for competitions. After working out to build muscle, bodybuilders diet down, often with the use of weight loss supplements that claim to accelerate your metabolism, shed water weight and encourage your body to burn fat. You should be aware that these supplements contain powerful ingredients, such as stimulants and herbal extracts, that may cause side effects. Before using weight loss supplements or any other supplements, consult your doctor.
BSN Atro-Phex
BSN is a manufacturer of a wide range of sports nutrition supplements, including the weight loss product Atro-Phex. Atro-Phex is considered to be among the top products in the field, as it is nominated for a 2010 Bodybuilding.com Supplement Award for best fat loss supplement. This does not guarantee its safety or efficacy, however. Atro-Phex contains a number of stimulants, such as caffeine, green tea leaves and yohimbine HCL. In addition, Atro-Phex contains synephrine, an ingredient purported to increase your metabolic rate. Alan E. Shugarman, MS, RD, notes that synephrine's effect on metabolism is slight, but that the ingredient may increase your blood pressure and is not as effective at weight loss as ephedrine.
Muscle Pharm Shred Matrix
Muscle Pharm Shred Matrix is another stimulant-heavy weight loss supplement produced by a major sports nutrition company. This supplement is similar to Atro-Phex in that it contains caffeine, yohimbine HCL and green tea extract, but it has a number of other stimulants as well --- notably yerba mate and guarana. Shred Matrix also contains an herbal ingredient called Gymnema sylvestre, which research from the September 2007 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition" suggests may aid in obesity and diabetes management. The journal explains that Gymnema sylvestre may prevent insulin resistance, a condition in which insulin cannot enter your cells, resulting in consistently elevated blood insulin levels.
SciFit TriCuts III
SciFit TriCuts III contains fewer ingredients than the weight loss supplements already mentioned, but it still contains powerful stimulants, including caffeine, guarana and yohimbine. Also included in SciFit TriCuts III is the amino acid tyrosine and guggulsterones extract. According to research published in the April 1999 issue of the journal "Current Therapeutic Research," supplementation of guggulsterones in conjunction with an exercise program resulted in significant reductions in body fat --- more than 20 percent --- and body weight. According to the researchers, use of guggulsterones supplements during an exercise plan may enhance weight loss and improve mood.
References
- Bodybuilding.com: 2010 Bodybuilding.com Supplement Award Nominees
- GetBig: Ephedrine Vs. Synephrine
- "Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition"; Gymnema Sylvestre: A Memoir; P Kanetkar, R Singhal and M Kamat; September 2007
- Science Direct: Effects of a Standardized Guggulsterone Phosphate Supplement on Body Composition in Overweight Adults: A Pilot Study
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