What are the dangers of fat burners?
We hear a lot of prejudice about fat burners and how dangerous they can be. Increased heart rate, irritability, but is it really true?
In this article we'll tell you which fat burners are really dangerous and which ones you can trust.
- Green tea/Matcha Rich in catechins and caffeine, it boosts metabolism and increases energy expenditure.
- Cayenne pepper Capsaicin increases thermogenesis and helps burn fat more efficiently.
- Ginger Activates the metabolism and acts on the satiety hormone (leptin).
- Café Caffeine: Caffeine naturally stimulates lipolysis and increases energy.
- Citrus fruit (lemon/grapefruit) Rich in naringin, which helps to burn fat.
- Apple : Natural appetite suppressant thanks to its high pectin content.
- Cinnamon Regulates blood sugar levels and stimulates thermogenesis.
- Spirulina/Chlorella Protein-rich superfoods with an appetite-suppressant effect.
- Guarana Contains guaranine (similar to caffeine) which boosts metabolism.
- Fat Burner (Complement) Combines several natural active ingredients like our DIX fat burner.
What are fat burners and how do they work?
The fat burnersFat-burning supplements, also known as 'fat-burners', are dietary supplements designed to optimise fat loss by acting on the metabolism, because the higher your basal metabolic rate, the more calories you will lose. They generally come in capsule or powder form, and contain a mixture of active ingredients that promote the burning of fat stored in the body.
What dangerous fat burners should I absolutely avoid?
The injectable fat burners are strictly prohibited in many countries (for example, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada) because of the serious health risks they present. In a world where we want results a little too quickly, unfortunately we still see too many people turning to these dangerous solutions, often out of ignorance of the risks involved, and the only thing you risk quickly is death.
Injectable products: a deadly practice
Unfortunately, we have seen a number of extremely dangerous practices repeated on social networks:
- Hypoosmolar injections (which cause fat cells to burst uncontrollably)
- Carboxytherapy (injection of COâ‚‚ under the skin can cause embolisms)
- Unregulated mesotherapy cocktails (mixtures whose composition is often unknown)
- 2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP) (a deadly poison sometimes sold as the ultimate fat burner)
DNP is particularly frightening: originally used as a pesticide, it causes a lethal rise in body temperature of up to 44°C. We have lost too many fitness enthusiasts to this substance.
The dangers of unregulated black market products
On the internet, we are seeing a proliferation of offers for uncertified fat burners. These products, which are often imported illegally, may contain :
- Ephedrine (a substance banned in many countries, including France and the United States, for its cardiac effects)
- Methylhexaneamine (a stimulant that can cause strokes)
- Uncontrolled doses of active substances (sometimes 10 times the recommended dose)
Complications that can ruin your life
Our passion for fitness and our ethics force us to alert you to these major risks:
- Massive haematomas requiring emergency surgery
- Serious infections that can resist antibiotics
- Tissue necrosis leaving permanent scars
- Heart failure potentially lethal
We can only advise you to turn to legal fat burners, and to understand how they work to avoid any unpleasant side effects.
What are the side effects of legal fat burners?
Even the legal fat burners can cause side effects when used incorrectly or overdosed. Mind you, we're light years away from the horrific effects of the burners described in the previous paragraph. Nevertheless, our daily experience with sportsmen and women shows us that the majority of problems arise from poor management of the dose ingested during the day.
Fat burner overdose
Again, it's a case of trying to outrun nature, so we'd advise against it:
- The several fat burners at the same time (to speed up results)
- Combination with pre-workouts highly caffeinated
- Failure to take into account daily coffee/tea consumption
Caffeine: beware of excess!
One coffee contains around 80mg of caffeine. If you take a fat burner containing 200mg and drink 3 coffees a day, you're already over the recommended daily limit of 400mg!
Here are the warning signs to look out for:
- Mild symptoms trembling, restlessness, excessive sweating
- Moderate symptoms palpitations, insomnia, anxiety
- Serious symptoms hypertension, heart rhythm disorders
Clearly these symptoms are the same as those you might feel if you've had too much filter coffee and you're a bit tired. It's happened to a lot of coffee drinkers, and it's unpleasant enough to make you want it to happen to you often, and generally you know how much you shouldn't exceed.
Who should avoid fat burners?
For safety's sake, and even if properly dosed fat burners are still safe supplements, some people should refrain from taking them. You'll soon realise when you see the list that this is simply common sense:
- Pregnant or breast-feeding women
- People with heart problems
- People with anxiety disorders
- People with kidney or liver problems
- People sensitive to caffeine
How do you choose and use your fat burner safely?
As you can see, the safety of a fat burner depends mainly on where it comes from and how it is used.Â
Choosing a trusted fat burner
To guarantee your safety, here are our selection criteria:
- European certification (guaranteeing strict controls)
- Full traceability of ingredients
- Total absence of ephedrine and methylhexaneamine
- Caffeine levels clearly indicated, or even absent and replaced by another source
As passionate exercisers, we have always favoured quality over quantity. A good fat burner must be transparent about its composition.
Preferred ingredientsÂ
- Green tea (rich in natural EGCG)
- L-carnitine (amino acid naturally present in the body)
- Cayenne pepper (for its natural thermogenic effect)
- Berberine (helps regulate blood sugar levels effectively)
- Ginger (regulates leptin)
And yes, as we've already mentioned in an article, there are foods that are natural fat burners, and it's these foods that you'll find in a safe food supplement.
How do you dose your fat burner?
- Start with half a dose to test your tolerance
- Respect the 200mg limit of caffeine per day (all products)
- Avoid taking after 4pm (to preserve your sleep)
- Consult your doctor if you have any doubts or if you are undergoing treatment.
And if you're looking for a particular brand, we may have the solution for you
A fat burner designed for safety and performance
Our day-to-day work consists of analysing scientific studies in depth in order to design optimised formulas. This is how we developed our Fat Burner DIXa formula that is far superior to anything currently on offer on the market.
Our formula, developed in certified French laboratories, uses carefully selected natural ingredients such as green tea, ginger and L-carnitine. What sets us apart?Â
We have chosen a formula with no added caffeine, aware that most of you already drink coffee or tea on a daily basis. This decision avoids any risk of stimulant overdose, while maintaining optimal effectiveness thanks to the synergy of our 10 natural active ingredients, all backed up by serious scientific studies.
- Optimum dosages (those recommended in studies)
- A synergy of 10 active ingredients (unique formula)
- No added caffeine (for safer use)
- 43 scientific studies (proven effectiveness of each ingredient)
Scientific publications on natural fat burners and weight loss
- "Implications of serotonergic pathways in gastric dysmotility induced by fat-burning nutritional supplements in mice". (Study on the mechanisms of action of fat burners) DOI: 10.1016/j.crphar.2021.100018
- "Multi-ingredient, caffeine-containing food supplements: history, safety and efficacy". (Review of fat-burning supplements and their safety) DOI: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2015.01.002
- "Dietary factors favouring the development and thermogenesis of brown and beige fats". (Analysis of foods that activate thermogenesis) DOI: 10.3945/an.116.014332
- "Green tea stimulates energy expenditure and fat oxidation". (Research into the thermogenic effect of green tea) DOI: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802937
- "Serotonin as a new therapeutic target for diabetes and obesity". (Study on the role of serotonin in metabolism) DOI: 10.4093/dmj.2016.40.2.89