Supplements for Weight Loss: The Types and What You Need To Know


weight loss supplement list

Weight loss supplements often get a bad rap due to all of the ‘get fit quick’ schemes out there but the reality is, there are a variety of natural supplements out there that can drastically improve your weight loss efforts. No, we aren’t talking about the gimmicky brands that you see pop up as late-night television ads. Instead, we’re talking about dietary supplements that provide you with the nutrition and natural fat-burning properties that can speed up your weight loss. This can be done in a variety of ways, depending on the supplement. For example, some weight loss supplements work by increasing your metabolism, whereas others help curb cravings and some help control hunger and others force the body to burn more calories, so you have a calorie deficit.  But with so many different supplements to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow in on the ones that are going to provide you with the results you’re looking for. In this article, we cover the different types of supplements for weight loss and what you can expect from each, so you can find the best ones for you.

The Best Weight Loss Supplements

Before you head to your local drugstore to start stocking up on supplements or begin adding a bunch of weight loss supplements to your Amazon cart, it’s important to know that not all supplements are created equally. To ensure you’re receiving all of the weight loss benefits you’re looking for, it’s crucial that you stick with supplements that contain pure, natural ingredients that have been thoroughly researched and proven to assist with weight loss.

Here’s a look at the top weight loss supplements and what you can expect from each: 

L-carnitine

L-carnitine is a chemical that naturally occurs in the brain, liver and kidneys. It helps the body turn fat into fuel (energy) and assists with muscle movement, brain and heart function, and many other body processes, including weight loss. It has been proven to help reduce fat mass, BMI and overall body weight as it provides the body with more energy (calories) to burn and regulates appetite.

To use this supplement for weight loss, it is recommended that you take it in liquid form in the morning or before your workout for maximum absorption.

L-theanine

With an abundance of studies proving the benefits of L-theanine, this is definitely one weight loss supplement you’ll want to add into your daily regime. It’s an amino acid that is associated with increasing overall health and wellness, as it encourages relaxation, improves sleep, reduces anxiety, increases mental focus and cognitive performance, and assists with weight loss by reducing hunger. Other studies have also found that it can help improve one’s relationship with food, which is an important factor for healthy weight loss that often goes unmentioned.

L-theanine is a natural compound found in tea, so you can get your daily dose with a cup of your favourite brew or in a pill form.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a common supplement most people have taken in their lifetime, all the while never knowing about its weight loss benefits. It’s a vitamin that is typically taken to improve the immune system when you’re sick, but it can also help with many other things, including weight loss. It’s a powerful antioxidant that studies have found to be associated with BMI. In fact, studies found that the lower your intake, the slower the loss of fat mass becomes and the higher your intake, the lower your BMIVitamin C is also proven to oxidize 30% more fat when doing moderate exercise, so you burn more by doing less, essentially.

You can take Vitamin c supplements in pill form, which are quite tasty or you can increase your intake of citrus fruits, such as lemons and oranges. You can also combine lemon with warm water and honey and enjoy it as a morning beverage to target belly fat.

Chitosan

Chitosan is known as a fat blocker that can help reduce the amount of fat absorbed in your digestive tract. It’s also said that chitosan can help reduce high cholesterol by eliminating fat and cholesterol from the body, so they cannot be absorbedStudies also found that it can reduce body weight and BMI when paired with proper diet and regular physical activity.

It is recommended, according to clinical studies, to take 2.4g a day for weight loss. This can be taken in pill form.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

One of the more popular weight loss supplements is conjugated linoleic acid, better known as CLA. It’s a healthier trans-fat that is found naturally in foods, such as cheese and butter.  Studies have found that it can help increase metabolism, reduce appetite and stimulate the body to break down body fat more efficiently.

It’s recommended that you take CLA supplementation right before a meal for maximum results.

Green Bean Coffee Extract

Coffee beans that haven’t been roasted yet are called green coffee beans. They are commonly associated with weight loss due to two substances found in them: caffeine and chlorogenic acid.  The caffeine helps increase fat burning, whereas the chlorogenic acid helps reduce carbs uptake during digestion, making green bean coffee extract a powerful and natural weight loss aid that has been proven to have a significant impact on reducing BMI.

You can purchase green bean coffee extract in a health food store, which typically comes in pill form.

Green Tea Extract

Another “green” supplement for weight loss that is quite popular is green tea extract. It is a mixture that comes from the green tea leaf that contains an abundance of antioxidants, specifically polyphenols and flavonoids. Polyphenols are said to interact with the bacteria in the intestines to help promote weight loss and flavonoids are said to help reduce the absorption of fat and increase calorie burn.  Green tea extract also contains EGCG, which is another main antioxidant that assists with fat burning to provide significant weight loss and a reduction in body fat, especially in the stomach area. The addition of caffeine also helps boost metabolic rate and further increases fat burning.

To take this supplement, you can enjoy a delicious cup of green tea or as a nutritional supplement. It is recommended to take it with food.

B Vitamins

While you’re out grabbing your weight loss supplements, don’t forget to top up on your B vitamins as well, as they are essential for a fully functioning metabolism. B Vitamins, such as B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12 all help your body metabolize carbs, fats and proteins, and use stored energy (fat) for fuel. Interestingly, studies found that low levels of one or more B vitamins can significantly slow down your metabolism and make it harder to lose weight.

The easiest way to get all B vitamins into your diet is with a B complex supplement that contains the essential 8. You can also increase your B vitamins by eating more beans, lentils, milk, eggs, whole grains, potatoes, lean meat and bananas.

Probiotics

Probiotics are necessary for your body and can help promote weight loss, improving gut health and immune function. As such, it’s also been found that they can help decrease the number of calories your body absorbs from the food you eat. Probiotics can also affect hormones and proteins associated with your appetite and fat storage. As for belly fat, a particular strain in probiotics called Lactobacillus is said to help reduce that by up to 4% in 6+ weeks.

To start harnessing the benefits of probiotics, you can take these in a pill form, ideally 30 minutes before eating. You can also eat more yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi and pickles, or enjoy some kombucha (a fermented black or green tea beverage).

Chromium

A key hormone for turning food into energy, chromium is a supplement that can help with weight loss. Not only does your body need it to use food for fuel, but it is also essential for storing carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Chromium is also believed to help reduce appetite and help the body burn more calories.

It’s recommended to take 35 micrograms a day, which can be done in pill form.

Vitamin D

Don’t forget to catch some rays and take a vitamin D supplement because researchers have found that people struggling with obesity tend to have lower-than-normal levels of Vitamin D levels. Another study found that people taking calcium and vitamin D supplements who are overweight were able to lose significantly more stomach fat than those who weren’t taking these supplements.

You can increase your Vitamin D intake by spending more time in the sun, taking a supplement or eating more sardines, tuna, salmon, egg yolk, milk, yogurt and fortified cereals.

Top up on these natural weight loss supplements and you’re one step closer to achieving your goals, while simultaneously improving your overall health and wellness. Just be sure to steer clear of any gimmicky ‘get fit quick’ pills and to stick with the pure, natural ingredients for maximum results.

If you’re looking for some recommendations, you can check out Exipure and Tea Burn.

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