Ingredients in Fat Burners

There are three common ingredient in fat burner pills you see at the pharmacy and grocery store. These are l-carnitine, ephedra, and chitosan.

L-carnitine
L-carnitin, or as it’s commonly referred to carnitine, is an amino acid.  Metabolism of fat uses carnitine to transport fat into the cells to be oxidized (burnt).   This provides your body with energy.  Fat cannot penetrate the cell to be utilized unless it’s combined with carnitine, making a crucial role in your body’s function.  Supplement companies say that as your body uses carnitine to burn fat, taking more of it will increase the fat that you lose.

Ephedra
Ephedra is broncho-dilating and decongesting.  It stimulates the central nervous system, elevates your blood pressure, and increase your heart rate.  Because it’s a stimulant, combined with caffeine it promotes unaccelerated weight loss.

Chitosan
While it’s not really considered a fat burner, it’s still a fat trapper or absorber.  It’s derived from chitin, a substance found in the shells of insects, crabs, lobsters, and other crustaceans.  Chitosan is said to bind fat deposits in the stomach and prevent them from being digested into your body and absorbed.  Many people have referred to chitosan as a “fat magnet.”