If you plan to embark on a weight loss regimen, supplements that claim to burn fat may seem attractive. Certain products, such as green tea extracts, come with a range of scientific support; chitosan, made from marine cartilage, stands out as one item for which effectiveness remains unproven.
Green Tea Extract
Green tea comes from the unfermented leaves of the camelia sinensis plant. It offers a different nutritional profile to black tea; the Institute of Optimum Nutrition points to the plant's catechin content as responsible for the range of positive effects green tea has on the body. Manufacturers standardize their products on the basis of these compounds, in particular epigallocatechin-gallate, the most potent of the catechins. Green tea increases the availability of noradrenaline, a peptide hormone, at beta-cells in the central nervous system. This, in turn, stimulates thermogenesis, which sees a marked increase in the rate of fat burning throughout the body.
Sida Cordifolia
An herb native to South America, cordifolia has a long history of use by traditional healers and athletes. The herb has been used to treat asthma, inflammation and nasal congestion, and athletes have taken it to increase the rate of fat burning. Nutritional Reviews notes how the leaves of the sida cordifolia plant contain small quantities of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Both compounds stimulate the central nervous system into burning fat, but can cause a range of side effects such as anxiety and disturbed sleep. Sida cordifolia appears to increase fat burning without the side effects of these stronger compounds. However, Nutritional Reviews describes the research into sida cordifola as in its early stages.
Yohimbe
Whereas green tea extracts and sida cordifolia operate by stimulating the fat-burning beta cells around the central nervous system, yohimbe works on the neighbouring alpha cells. These alpha cells sit alongside beta cells and work against the affects of their counterparts, reducing the release of noradrenaline to lower the rate of fat burning. Muscle Science notes how yohimbe dampens the function of these inhibitory cells, unleashing the beta cells to burn more fat.
Chitosan
Chitosan represents an exotically sourced product with a inelegant form of action. A polysaccharide matrix made from the shells of crustaceans like shrimps and cramps, chitosan is reputed to block the absorption of fat from the intestines. This effect reduces the amount of dietary fat that reaches the bloodstream, lowering the amount of calories taken in each day. The Mayo Clinic feels that an insufficient amount of evidence exists to rate the effectiveness of the product. Reducing dietary absorption of fat can also lead to deficiencies in fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E.
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