Here we look at the relationship between fat burners and diabetes to answer – Can Diabetics Take Fat Burners?
Let’s look into some background on diabetes and fat burners first…
Some health issues are pretty more severe than others, especially in the long term. One of the best examples of severe health is diabetes.
Diabetes is an all-too-common condition in counties including the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. According to the CDC reports, more than 29 million Americans have diabetes.
Unfortunately, 1 out of 4 individuals doesn’t know about diabetes. Another frightening fact is that another 86 million people have “prediabetes.” Thus, 1 out of 3 people currently has higher than normal blood sugar levels.
If not identified early and managed properly, higher blood sugar in pre-diabetics will soon further increase and lead to another case of (confirmed) diabetes.
As there are high numbers of diabetes and prediabetes cases, it becomes essential that everyone understands what diabetes is and how to prevent it. This knowledge will allow individuals and their carers/families to support each other to live healthier, diabetes-free or well-managed lives.
Diabetes is a long-lasting or chronic illness that results in elevated blood sugar levels. In theory, people who have diabetes cannot make enough insulin to manage their blood sugar levels naturally.
One of the most common symptoms of diabetes is weight gain. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or have the problem of obesity.
People with diabetes experience weight gain as a side effect of insulin therapy too. Although insulin helps regulate glucose levels, it also promotes fat storage.
Now, you may ask: can diabetics take fat burners and weight loss pills?
People want results from secret pills and fat burners to lose fat faster. That’s pretty common! However, can fat burners and weight loss pills be promising enough to help you do just that?
That’s not a simple question to answer, so let’s look at the practical use of fat burners in people living with diabetes.
What are Fat Burners?
Fat burners are dietary or nutrition supplements that can burn excess fat. They contain all-natural or artificial compounds.
Fat burners are effective, but you should know how to use them properly.
Most of the fat burners will work by speeding up your metabolism. Thus, these fat burners will make you sweat and increase your body temperature, which results in weight loss.
The fat burner supplements come with several ingredients. Therefore, each one of them has its proposed mechanism of action.
Some Essential Ingredients in Fat Burners
The list of supplements is long, with lots of ingredients for weight loss. However, some of the most common elements are as follows.
1. Caffeine
One of the most common ingredients in a fat burner is caffeine.
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system of a person and potentially helps burn calories.
The fat burner supplements have more caffeine than the typical coffee, tea, and chocolate.
However, too much caffeine is also dangerous as it can increase the heart rate. Other than that, it can cause jitteriness, insomnia, and nervousness.
2. Green Tea Extract
Another essential ingredient is green tea. The majority of the fat burners contain extracts from green tea.
These ingredients reduce the amount of fat you absorb from food and help in burning calories.
An antioxidant called catechin in green tea is the absolute powerhouse. A 2010 review in the Physiology and Behavior Journal suggests that catechin enhances two things with caffeine.
The first thing is metabolism and the second one is thermogenesis. Hence, this process burns fat in your body to produce energy.
3. Carnitine
Carnitine is a compound that gives you energy and helps with your metabolism. The liver and the kidneys both can make this naturally.
Apart from that, you can find this compound in meat and dairy products.
However, research shows that it is not that beneficial in weight loss—moreover, too much carnitine results in adverse side effects.
For instance, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and fishy body odor.
Tip: Activated Charcoal may help get rid of body odors.
4. Yohimbe
It is a plant compound from the bark of an evergreen tree called Pausinystalia Yohimbe. Yohimbe is famous as an aphrodisiac.
Most importantly, it is available in many weight loss supplements and has some fat-burning potential. Furthermore, Yohimbe can block alpha-2 adrenergic receptors to which adrenaline binds typically. Thus, adrenaline stays in your body, burning fat to produce energy.
The worst thing about Yohimbe is that it can cause anxiety, agitation, headaches, and increased blood pressure.
Additionally, high doses of Yohimbe cause heart problems and kidney failure.
5. Soluble Fiber
There are two types of fiber, and among them, one is soluble fiber, and the other is insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber creates a gel by absorbing water in your gut. Hence, this thing will increase hormones like GLP (Glucagon-like Peptides) – It will suppress your appetite hormones like ghrelin and make you feel full.
A study done in 2010 found that increasing natural soluble fiber in your diet will help the body take fewer calories and fats. As a result, it allows a person to burn excess fat.
Many fat burners contain ingredients high in soluble fiber.
Some supplements that have fiber-rich ingredients include;
- Glucomannan
- Beta-glucans
- Guar gum
Other Ingredients
Fat burners contain many other ingredients, and some of them are;
- Chromium
- Forskolin
- Capsicum
- Kelp
- Raspberry ketones
- Fucoxanthin
- Garcinia cambogia
- Conjugated linoleic acid
Types of Fat Burners
Four primary fat burners aim to reduce body fat. They are thermogenic fat burners, carbohydrate blockers, appetite suppressants, and thyroid regulators.
Moreover, there are some other fat burners also, like fat blockers, stimulant-free fat burners, and cortisol.
However, all of them approach fat loss differently and include unique ingredients.
Some fat burners have stimulants, while others include hormone-inducing substances or herbal ingredients.
Below are some of the most popular fat burners.
1. Thermogenic Fat Burners
Thermogenic fat burners increase the internal body temperature. They induce thermogenesis in the body that converts the food into energy.
Naturally, our bodies burn calories that maintain body temperature. The speed of burning calories is the basal metabolic rate (or BMR). Once ingested, a thermogenic fat burner increases BMR and body temperature. It will also increase metabolism, and the body will burn calories faster.
Thermogenic supplements come with various active ingredients, and some include the following.
- Caffeine
- Capsaicin
- Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
- Theacrine
2. Carbohydrate Blockers
Carbohydrates are one of the three main macronutrients next to protein and fats in an average person’s diet. However, not all carbs are equal.
Good carbs have fibers and nutrients, and bad carbs are high in calories and sugar. Hence, these carbs become the biggest problem for dieters, but carb blockers can help.
These blockers work by absorption of simple carbohydrates in the body.
Carbohydrate blockers are available in the market as supplements for weight loss aid.
These supplements will block the enzymes and allow undigested carbohydrates to pass untouched through the digestive tract. They will help in reducing calorie intake and improves overall health.
Below are two main types of carbohydrate blockers:
- Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs)
- White Kidney Bean Extract
3. Appetite Suppressants
Suppose we talk about hunger, so it has both physiological and psychological triggers. Our brain releases some chemicals that make us feel hungry.
Besides this, sometimes some factors are out of our control, and we feel hungry when there is no purpose or reason to eat—constantly feeling the need to eat means that your body is not getting good fiber, nutrients, and healthy fats.
At this point, you need to reconsider the macronutrients and caloric needs.
Appetite suppressants will work best for you as they can target the hunger hormones that are; ghrelin and leptin.
Both of these hormones are responsible for making you feel full.
Appetite suppressants will keep you from overeating and reduce your calorie intake. They will decrease your appetite to boost the overall rate of fat loss.
Some natural appetite suppressants include:
- Green tea extract
- Cayenne
- Glucomannan
- Grapefruit essential oil
- Black pepper
4. Fat Blockers
Another necessary component of a healthy diet is fat. These fats play a significant role in our bodies as they help maintain the skin, hair, and brain. However, although fats are necessary, excessive amounts lead to weight gain and other complications.
Fat blocker supplements work the same way as carbohydrate blockers. Hence, they prevent the absorption of fats and keep them from adding calories or contributing to your body fat.
Below is the classification of fats into 3 categories.
- Healthy fats (vegetables and fish)
- Unhealthy saturated fats (junk foods and sugars)
- Bad fats or trans fats (increase disease risk)
5. Thyroid-Regulating Fat Blockers
The thyroid gland in a body is responsible for producing certain chemicals. Hence, these chemicals will regulate digestion, the heart, and other metabolic functions.
On the contrary, if the thyroid gland produces enough of these chemicals, the metabolism will be less efficient.
The symptoms include feeling cold, weight gain and fatigue, etc.
Thyroid regulating fat blockers plays a significant role in rebalancing the chemicals. They introduce substances to stimulate the thyroid gland and optimize metabolism.
The two main substances are forskolin and guggulsterone.
6. Stimulant-Free Fat Burners
Some people are sensitive to caffeine and other stimulant ingredients. Thus, stimulant-free fat burners are the best choice for all these people. They work by supplementing the body with an energy boost.
Moreover, they are also helpful in increasing metabolism. Additionally, these fat burners contain natural ingredients to encourage weight loss.
The following are some common ingredients in stimulant-free fat burners:
- Fucoxanthin
- Forskolin
- Raspberry Ketones
7. Cortisol Blockers
Stress is one of the significant epidemics plaguing people in day-to-day life. There is a secretion of an enzyme that is Cortisol, during stress. Excessive hormone cortisol leads to weight gain, sleep problems, high blood pressure, and anxiety.
Cortisol also encourages your body to hold fat around the midsection and causes blood sugar to drop. Thus, this thing leads to the craving for fatty and sugary foods.
Cortisol blocking supplements are good for your health and inhibit cortisol from harming your body.
Do Fat Burners Raise Blood Sugar?
If you live with type 2 diabetes, your doctor probably told you to maintain your blood sugar at a target level. Controlling blood sugar is essential as it will make you feel better when the blood sugar stays in a healthy range.
Many things lead to blood sugar fluctuation, like skipping breakfast, physical inactivity, and stress that increases Cortisol.
Some diet pills or fat burners contain a hefty dose of caffeine to raise blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, there are also many fat burners available on the market that will help in maintaining the blood sugar level too.
When you take fat burners, your blood sugar and energy stay balanced. Fat burners allow your body first to use fat to burn for fuel. Therefore, when your body burns stored fat, it will lead to weight loss.
Fat burning and blood sugar levels go hand in hand. Suppose you don’t reduce your sugar intake, burning glucose, not fat. Most importantly, fat burners make it easier to manage glucose levels and burn fat.
When Can Diabetics Take Fat Burners?
Diabetic people can take fat burners if they feel that they have difficulty losing weight as fat burners have both natural and artificial compounds, so they help you slim down.
But, it is best to talk to your doctor before taking any fat burner supplement.
If the doctor or healthcare practitioner believes that their benefits outweigh the risks, they recommend fat burners.
When Shouldn’t Diabetics Take Fat Burners?
The effectiveness of fat burners for diabetic patients is still in question. Some of the fat burner supplements can interfere with other medications.
The most important thing is the ingredient in fat burners. The ingredients in fat burners can vary, and some can harm blood sugar levels. Therefore, fat burner supplements, in general, are not a good choice for people who have severe diabetes. Hence, they should lose weight naturally.
What Does Research Say?
According to research, there is no specific evidence that fat-burning pills and supplements can effectively burn fat. Some fat burners are good, but others can be dangerous too.
If you consider taking fat burners, you should talk to your doctor or specialist first.
The active ingredients present in the fat burners help you get rid of body fat. However, there is a need for more research on ingredients like caffeine on your heart rate and blood pressure. Moreover, the effectiveness of fat burners is still in question.
Most fat-burner supplements claim to block fat or carbohydrate absorption. Similarly, they can speed up your metabolism and curb your appetite.
At the same time, some changes can interfere with other medications you are taking as a diabetic patient or suffering from other chronic illnesses.
Fat burners increase your overall energy expenditure and elevate your blood pressure. Hence, as a result of all this, you can lose a lot of weight.
However, you must take precautions if you already have high blood pressure, as fat-burning supplements can also lead to hypertension.
Some research studies also show that fat-burning accessories will not work the way you think. They will not make your fat cells disappear magically.
Instead, they will make your weight loss by suppressing your appetite. Similarly, they can increase your metabolism and reduce the fat amount that your body absorbs.
The most important thing is the ingredients present in the fat-burning supplements and diet pills. There is no approved fat burner supplements by the FDA, so we cannot determine them.
No regulation from FDA means that you might be taking health risks by using them. Some fat burners can damage the liver or cause mood change, irregular heart rate, heart attacks, etc. Moreover, there is no factual evidence to support any claim. Therefore, before taking any fat burner, you must talk to your doctor.
Can Diabetics Take Thermogenics?
The term thermogenic means heat-producing.
It is a fact that when your body burns calories, it generates more heat. Therefore, all the fat-burning supplements that boost metabolism or burn fat are thermogenic.
Many diabetic people tolerate thermogenic supplements, but they can also result in unpleasant side effects if the supplements contain 400 mg or more of caffeine, which can cause anxiety, heart palpitation, headache, restlessness, dizziness, etc.
Always examine ingredients present in the fat burners. Then, speak with your doctor or healthcare provider before deciding whether thermogenic supplements are right for you.
Popular thermogenic supplements include:
- Caffeine
- Green tea
- Capsaicin
- Garcinia cambogia
- Yohimbine
- Bitter orange
All of the above substances can boost metabolism, reduce appetite and increase fat burning. Furthermore, people with diabetes should include a proper diet
and exercise with thermogenic supplements to get the best results.
Conclusion
Fat burner is an industry term that describes nutritional supplements. These supplements will help you reduce body fat levels faster if you have diabetes. However, it would be best to consider fat burners to optimize your caloric intake.
Besides this, you must take 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night and walking 10,000 steps per day is important.
There are different fat burners, but one should choose those that benefit their health. Furthermore, the doctor recommends fat burners and select ingredients to break down the stored fat, so medical advice is essential before considering bat burners for people with diabetes.
