Weight Loss Pills That Build Muscle & Lose Fat

Improving your body composition, or muscle-to-fat ratio, requires a proper diet and training program. Moreover, adding supplements to your current diet and training may increase your chance of reaching your goal. Evidence indicates that certain supplements on the market are effective for reducing body fat while increasing lean muscle mass. Consult your health care provider before taking any supplements.

BCAAs

Branched chain amino acids, or BCAAs, refer to the amino acids leucine, valine and isoleucine. They are directly sent to muscles where they ignite muscle protein synthesis, or the process that leads to the formation of new muscle proteins. Researchers from the Weider Research Group studied the impact of BCAA supplementation during workouts on strength, fat loss and muscle growth. They discovered that participants consuming 14 g of BCAAs daily for eight weeks experienced increases in lean mass and decreases in body fat compared with those ingesting whey or carbohydrates. The findings were reported in the July 2009 issue of "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition."

Whey Protein

Whey protein might boost weight loss and spare lean muscle mass, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Minnesota Applied Research Center. For 12 weeks, subjects followed a calorie-reduced diet with whey protein or a placebo beverage twice daily. Scientists discovered that those in the whey protein group lost a greater amount of body fat and less lean muscle mass compared with those ingesting a placebo beverage, according to findings reported in the March 2008 issue of "Nutrition & Metabolism."

CLA

Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is a type of healthy fatty acid that might simultaneously decrease body fat and increase lean mass. Researchers at the Scandinavian Clinical Research AS in Norway assigned healthy overweight people CLA or a placebo daily for 12 months. At the end of the study, which was reported in the June 2004 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," scientists discovered that those in the CLA group experienced reductions in body fat and increases in lean muscle gains compared with those in the placebo group.

Forskolin

Forskolin is derived from the Coleus forskohlii plant and may improve body composition, according to scientists at the University of Kansas. They observed that overweight and obese men consuming 250 mg of forskolin twice daily for 12 weeks lowered their fat mass and increased their lean mass compared with those ingesting a placebo. The findings were reported in the May 2005 issue of "Obesity."