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It’s not uncommon to have an area of your body that seems to store fat more than the rest of your body — and for many people, there are two specific areas of concern: the belly and the back.
If you are spending most of your time at the gym doing exercises that target these specific areas and eating poorly, it’s important to remember that the only way to burn fat is through a combination of cardio, strength training, and a diet that includes key nutrients. And supplements—like these four supplements that get rid of back and stomach fat—can help.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid
Before we dive into supplements for fat burning that may work, it’s important to keep in mind that the supplement industry is not regulated well — and studies on humans or even animals are far and few in between. As a result, it isn’t uncommon for a supplement to become the flavor of the day and for major claims to be made about it, only to provide underwhelming results.
With that said, some supplements cause more excitement than others and may be worth trying. And conjugated linoleic acid is one such supplement.
Dr. Josh Axe, a doctor of natural medicine and clinical nutritionist, points to one study performed on pigs that were given conjugated linoleic acid and experienced a decrease in back fat.
“Research has been conducted on the use of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) as a supplement to help decrease fat,” reported Dr. Axe. “It revealed that it may serve as a powerful anti-obesity agent, specifically noting that there was a decrease in back fat when supplementing with CLA.”
Green Tea Extract
You may already know about the antioxidants found in green tea that can combat free radicals and prevent illness and disease. But green tea extract also raises your metabolic rate, which helps you burn more calories, David Nieman, Dr.PH., director of the human performance laboratory at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., told Consumer Reports. It can even give you a bit of a caffeine boost that helps you get just a bit more out of that 5 a.m. boot camp class.
Just don’t look to green tea to provide drastic weight loss benefits—it’s more of a healthy aid, and one that should be taken in moderation.
Whey Protein
Whey protein has “a lot of potential to help with weight loss,” according to Bodybuilding.com. This milk protein, which comes in powder form and can be added to shakes and smoothies, contains all the essential amino acids your body needs, including one super important one that helps with fat loss: leucine.
“Leucine is an amino acid that plays a key role in muscle protein synthesis,” reports Bodybuilding.com. “Protein synthesis doesn't just build your muscles, the process also burns through quite a few calories. In addition, it stimulates fatty acid oxidation (i.e. fat burning).”
Raspberry Ketones
Of all the supplements on this list, raspberry ketones are probably the most controversial. A few years ago, Dr. Oz promoted raspberry ketones supplements as a miracle weight-loss solution, saying they can put people with stalled weight loss results over the edge and help burn more fat in human and animal study subjects. But the amount of this supplement that was recommended daily equals 90 pounds of raspberries — and it may not work or be healthy for everyone.
“I would not recommend this product to diabetics without speaking to their doctor because of the risk of blood sugar fluctuations,” Diets in Review Pharmacist Dr. Sarah G. Kahn told Everyday Health. “People who have heart issues or high blood pressure would also not be good candidates for raspberry ketones because norepinephrine can have effects on blood pressure and heart rate. This may also have an effect on people who have COPD or asthma conditions and may make their conditions worse.”
Raspberry ketones may help with weight loss — but there isn’t a whole lot of research on them and the risks for certain people are just not worth it. Check with your doctor first if you’re curious about trying this supplement.
