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Posts Tagged ‘Supplements’

The biologically active ingredients that seem to make fatty fish so beneficial are are the long chain omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids, EPA and DHA. At least a half a dozen human studies and more than two dozen animal studies have been completed in the last 10 years which suggest that these omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may help you lose more fat. However, the fat loss benefit is not as much as some people want you to believe…

The results of two new studies on fish oil and fat loss were just released earlier this year. In one study published by the International Journal of Obesity, researchers from Reykjavik Iceland tested the effects of fish or fish oil consumption equivalent to 1.5 grams of combined EPA/DHA on body weight and body composition as part of a calorie restricted diet. (1)

The subjects were 324 young overweight men and women who followed one of four experimental protocols for 8 weeks:

(1) sunflower oil capsules (control)

(2) lean fish

(3) fatty fish (salmon)

(4) fish oil capsules

The researchers reported the following results:

“In young, overweight men, the inclusion of either lean or fatty fish, or fish oil as part of a hypoenergetic diet resulted in 1 kilogram more weight loss after 4 weeks than a similar diet without seafood or supplement of marine origin. The addition of seafood to a nutritionally balanced energy-restricted diet may boost weight loss.”

It should be noted that the study was supported by the Seafood Plus organization and there were some limitations in the design that could have influenced the subject’s compliance.

The second study, conducted at the University of South Australia and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2) investigated the effect of combining fish oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise.

In a 12-week, placebo-controlled study, the subjects were divided into four groups:

(1) sunflower oil

(2) sunflower oil plus exercise

(3) fish oil

(4) fish oil plus exercise.

The fish oil groups were given 6 grams of high DHA fish oil per day, which contained a total of 1.9 grams of long chain omega-3 fatty acids. The exercising groups performed aerobic exercise three days per week for 45 minutes.

As you might expect, the fish oil plus exercise group came out with the best results:

* minus 1.2% body fat (compared to no decrease in the other groups)

* minus 2 kilograms/4.4 lbs (compared to no decrease in the non exercise group).

Unfortunately, there was a limitation in this study as well: The food intake of the subjects was self reported, which is known to be notoriously inaccurate.

There have been several other human studies on fish oil and fat loss in the last ten years or so and the majority of the findings have been positive. The research is compelling and there have been numerous, and very plausible mechanisms of action proposed.

However, more and more often, I am hearing people in the health, fitness and nutrition industries making some pretty bold and I daresay, premature and outrageous claims about what fish oil can do for fat loss; claims which are not supported by the research.

The studies on fish oil and fat loss are encouraging, but the vast majority of research has been on animals (rats, mice and hamsters) and there have been limitations in nearly all the human studies so far, including:

Small sample sizes, short study durations, statistically insignificant results, lack of randomization, no control groups, imprecise body composition testing, measurement errors, self-reporting of food intake, low compliance control and fish industry or supplement industry-sponsored bias.

Even if you take the results of the existing research at face value, the fat loss really isn’t all that impressive – an extra pound here, an extra kilo there.

Many of the research results barely reach statistical significance, and you even have to wonder if these small improvements in fat loss are simply correcting omega-3 deficiency or fixing omega-3 and omega-6 imbalance… therefore, will they continue over a longer time period or is this a one time improvement?

One of the earlier studies showed the same kind of measurable but modest results: The fish oil group that took 1.8 grams of combined EPA/DHA daily lost 2 pounds and the non fish oil group lost only 0.7 pounds after 3 weeks (3).

Of course, you’ll probably take all the fat loss help that you can get, and since there are already enough good reasons to eat fatty fish for cardiovascular disease prevention and other health benefits, it’s really a no brainer to eat fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel or sardines at least twice a week. (By the way, with the exception of King Mackerel, these are species which have not been reported as having problems with mercury contamination).

Alternately, you can use a fish oil supplement to get the equivalent in omega-3 fatty acids as found in the fish. Non fish eaters or vegetarians can use flaxseed oil, a plant-based source of Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA) which converts in the body to EPA and DHA (the efficiency and amount of conversion has been a subject of controversy, however).

Based on the three studies cited above, it looks like 1.5 to 2.0 grams per day of combined DHA/EPA is the right dose when fat loss is the goal (although some suggest you should consider body weight when choosing the dosage, i.e., 1 gram total fish oil for each 20 lbs body weight, so a big guy might go with as much as 3.0 grams)

Most fish oil capsules come in 1,000 mg size at a 30% concentration, so if you took five 1000mg capsules a day, that would give you 1.5 grams of EPA/DHA; about the same as you’d get in 3 ounces (85 g) of salmon.

Note: other studies on fish oil and fat loss tested 3.0 to 4.0 g/day of EPA/DHA, but the American Heart Association has warned against taking more than 3 g EPA/DHA per day without a physicians supervision, as there may be potential contraindications and side effects such as increased bleeding time. Based on the research, more fish oil will NOT burn more fat, so be wary of the “mega dose gurus.”

Another tip: Don’t fall for the “premium price” necessarily means better quality party line. Quality and purity are important, but you can get molecularly-distilled, mercury, PCB, Dioxin, Organochlorine-free, 3rd party tested-to-meet-label-claims fish oil for less than ten bucks per bottle of 400 (one gram) capsules… yet I have seen “fish oil gurus” selling the exact same thing for $50 to $60 claiming that everyone else’s products are “contaminated” and “inferior” in quality. If that’s true, then I’d like to see those products submitted to consumer lab for voluntary 3rd party independent analysis and head to head comparison on purity AND cost effectiveness. If they come out superior and cost effective, I will gladly publicize the results myself.

The bottom line is it looks like fish oil may be a legitimate help to your fat loss efforts, especially when combined with exercise, as there may be an important synergy there. However, the idea that fish oil is some kind of miracle fat burner is just not true.

Like Mulder on the X-files, “I want to believe”… but we need much, much more research before we can say for certain exactly how much body composition improvement you can really expect from eating fatty fish or taking fish oil supplements.

More about fish oil:Learn here

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Copyright (c) 2009 Stephen Smith

Thermogenics (fat burners), is the name given to a group of compounds that have the effect of speeding up metabolism.

Thermogenesis, as the name suggests, means the production of heat within the body ['thermo': heat, 'genesis': the beginning]. Heat is a by-product of energy production. Therefore, if more fuel is burnt up by the body, more heat is generated.

Some examples of thermogenics include certain foods, herbal extracts and fruit extracts. For example, capsaicin from chillis; caffeine from coffee, tea or guarana; and oxedrine from citrus aurantium.

The most powerful fat burners are supplements that contain combinations of various thermogenic ingredients in concentrated forms.

Fat burners are often used by people wanting to lose weight. They help to create an energy deficit by increasing the body’s overall energy expenditure.

Each day the human body burns energy. The total energy expended comes from three areas: the basal metabolic rate, any exercise performed and the energy used by the body in digesting food. If a fat burner is used it increases the energy expended in the basal metabolic rate and during exercise.

For example, during a day a person may burn 1500 calories (6300 kilojoules). 70% of those calories may come from their basal metabolic rate (1050 calories), 20% may come from their daily exercise (300 calories) and 10% from digestion (150 calories).

If they then take a fat burner, particularly one that contains several powerful ingredients, their daily calorie expenditure may increase to 1800 calories. Of those calories, 71.33% may come from their basal metabolic rate (1284 calories), 20.34% may come from their daily exercise (366 calories) and 8.33% from digestion (150 calories).

By increasing the calorie expenditure each day it becomes much easier to create a calorie deficit and therefore lose weight. So if our person in the example above, consumes 1500 calories from food during the day, without a thermogenic their body fat and weight will remain the same (calories in equals calories out).

However, if they eat (and drink) the same amount of food but also take a fat burner, then they will have a calorie deficit that will need to come from their body’s energy stores, resulting in a loss of body fat and weight.

It is important to note that if their food intake is not controlled or they don’t perform any exercise, then it is highly likely that using a fat burner would not be of benefit in helping them lose body fat or weight; they are not ‘magic pills’. You can’t expect to take a couple of capsules, then go home and eat pizza and drink alcohol and expect to get results.

Thermogenics only work when their use is combined with a good nutrition and exercise program. They simply help you achieve your weight loss goal faster.

Thermogenics are also used by people who simply want an energy boost. If you feel tired during the day or if you want a ‘pick-me-up’ before your exercise session, then thermogenics can certainly help. Thermogenic ingredients stimulate the nervous system helping to boost your energy and increase alertness.

For best results thermogenics should be taken twice a day on an empty stomach at least 30 minutes prior to meals or before exercise and should not be taken after 4:00pm as they may interfere with sleep. Also, it is best to ‘cycle’ their use. This means use them continuously for a maximum of eight weeks and then have at least two weeks off. This prevents the body from becoming desensitised to the ingredients.

There are several very effective thermogenic supplements on the market that can accelerate progress towards your goal. Those containing guarana and green tea extracts along with other powerful herbal extracts like coleus forskohlii and evodiamine are the most effective. They boost your metabolism and promote the use of fat for fuel in your body. It is also best to choose thermogenic supplements in capsule form rather than pill form because the ingredients are more readily absorbed.

They may be used by most people but because they have a powerful effect on metabolism they are not for everyone. In particular, people with high blood pressure or who have heart problems should avoid their use. Also people under the age of 18 or over 65 should avoid them also.

Furthermore, if you are considering using thermogenics, it is essential to see your doctor first and obtain their approval.

If you have tried getting into shape in the past but haven’t got the results and if you are willing to make some changes to your nutrition and exercise habits then thermogenics will certainly help.

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There is a lot of talk about weight loss fat burner pills these days. From TV infomercials, to print ads, and internet websites it is hard to decide if these types of supplements will fit into your weight loss program.

If you are at that point in your weight loss journey that a fat burner may be an option then there are some things that can help you determine whether or not you should use one and which one will give you the results you desire.

The first thing you need to consider is your general overall health. Fat burner pills, for the most part do not cause any side effects or health problems but checking with your doctor before hand can be important, particularly if you do have any underlying health issues or are taking prescriptions medications.

If you are just beginning your fat burning efforts it is a good time to get a complete physical as well.  This will help rule out any underlying health problems that may be further aggravated by taking such a supplement.

Probably the most important thing to consider when choosing a weight loss fat burner pill is what kind of diet and exercise program you intend to use one with. This is probably one of the bigger mistakes people who take a fat burner supplement make.

These are not miracle pills that will work all on their own. But when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise they can help you meet your weight loss goals much quicker.You need to make a choice based on your own expectations. Fat burner pills do work but they are not the end all and be all of weight loss.

Serious consideration needs to be made lifestyle changes that will allow you to keep the weight off long term.The final choice as to which weight loss fat burner to use rests with you. If you are motivated to lose the weight and make the necessary lifestyle changes they can be a great way to help you meet your goals.

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For many  folks diet supplements and fat burner pills are truly very helpful in their efforts to shed unwanted pounds.

Too often individuals are overweight and unhappy with their appearance. This can frequently lead to depression and additional weight gain from more overeating. This may not seem rational, but people take comfort in food and when they feel bad they like to eat. Of course, if they feel bad about their appearance turning to food only makes the situation worse. That is why it is important to get out of the cycle and lose weight.

Some people find losing weight difficult and they just can’t get started.
The reason why is that when a person begins taking diet supplements, fat burner pills, or other similar treatments they feel as if they are taking charge of their situation. Many times the diet supplements and fat burners help keep the person on a well balanced diet and workout plan. Of course, the diet supplements and fat burners work and do help people lose weight. But, if the individual is simply popping pills and not watching their diet or working out then amazing weight loss can’t be expected.
Diet supplements and fat burner pills are most effective when used in conjunction with a healthy diet and lifestyle. This means that if you are eating healthy and working out then you should find yourself losing more weight with the supplements or fat burners than you would otherwise. If you begin taking the supplements and continue to sit on the couch all day and eat junk food then you can’t expect much. The diet supplements and fat burners are not miracle workers if you don’t put forth any effort.
However, if you do work hard to eat healthy and stay in shape then you will see great results from these products.
Remember, it is always important to talk to your doctor before you begin taking any diet supplements or fat burner pills. Make sure you know if there is any interference with any other drugs you are taking as well. If all is well and your doctor gives you the go ahead then begin taking the supplements and you will find yourself living a healthier lifestyle and gradually losing weight. Once you reach your ideal weight then you need to make sure you continue eating right and taking supplements. Otherwise you will undo all your hard work!

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Woud you like the real story on the top fat burner pills? With some many companies claiming they have the best fat burner, how to what’s for real?
Here’s how: You find out what real users say. What you’re about to learn my not make you very happy- but if you want the TRUTH- keep reading. This is what the giant companies that sell fat burner pills or fat burner supplements hope you never hear:
Not ONE single pill, herb, tea, patch- whatever- has been proven to safely and permanently help you “burn” off body fat. We know the advertising claims say they all have the best fat burner, but that’s a BIG FAT LIE.
The answer is very plain: greed. They know if they lie and tell you want you want to hear, it’s easier to steal from you. Think that can’t be true? All you have to do is stop kidding yourself and look at the facts: 66% of Americans are overweight or obese while spending over 50 billion dollars annually on so called fat burning products.
If you’re tired of being scammed by greedy comapanies and want to change your life, then read some more about the top fat burners. We review New Body New Life, Burn the Fat- Feed the Muscle, The Truth About Six Pack Abs, and Fat Burning Furnace. We also offer up our “top fat burners” review on The Diet Solution, Strip That Fat, Warp Speed Fat Loss, and Eat Stop Eat.
We hope real info about the top fat burner pills helps you. Before you read on know this, fat burning can only work one way. It’s necesary to burn off more calories than you take in as food. If you refuse to do that, don’t waste your money. However, if you really are interested in getting a new lean body- and having the better life that goes with it, our reviews of the top fat burners will help you make an informed choice.
It’s your life, we urge you to stop getting ripped off. Learn the truth and do something about your weight once and for all.
Top Fat Burners- Get the real story about the top fat burners…

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