Can non-stimulant fat burner supplements really offer a weight loss solution? Or is caffeine the way forward for effective lean gains?
With summer just around the corner, you no doubt have that bikini at the back of your mind girl. This year you want to look your best… and nothing’s going to stop you.
Combining a calorie-controlled diet and regular exercise with a targeted fat burner supplement has helped many women do just that – not only shred away the excess but keep it off too.
The problem is that many fat burner supplements are heavily caffeinated. And while caffeine is a powerful fat-melting nutrient, it can lead to unwanted side effects at high dosages – elevated heart rate and blood pressure, insomnia and anxiety.
Particularly in women.
In this article we lift the lid on non-stimulant fat burners and see if they’re just as potent for fat loss. Or whether caffeine has the power when it comes to leaning out and toning up.
Stimulant and non-stimulant fat burner supplements: what’s the difference?
Losing fat without supplements is completely possible.
Through willpower, determination and enthusiasm, you can change the way you look… and feel about your figure
In in the real world of hectic lifestyles and million-mile-per-hour days, a fat burner just helps the process along. As a busy woman juggling a job, family and the need for some ‘me’ time, it can be tough to find a balance that works.
There’s a natural fat burner supplement for everyone. And it’s these supplements that help to optimize results in the shortest time possible.
Stimulant fat burners harness energy and metabolism to melt fat, fast
The most popular fat loss supplements are ‘stimulant’ products.
Both men and women find that they get the job done – whether that’s sculpting a leaner silhouette or giving you the energy to smash your workouts.
Stimulant fat burners use natural ingredients to raise levels of nervous system activity in your body.
Known as ‘stims’, they harness the power of naturally-occurring chemicals in your body such as norepinephrine and dopamine to trigger fast fat burning and raised metabolic rate. They work by boosting your pulse, increase oxygen use and provide energy to work out harder, for longer.
In other words, they mirror what happens when you exercise.
As a performance-enhancing supplement, caffeine is awesome. Practically all top level nutritionists agree that caffeine improves exercise – during both strength and endurance sport [1].
Studies have found that caffeine improves fat loss by elevating fatty acid utilization, increasing thermogenic heat leading to fat loss, raises metabolism, boosts energy during high intensity exercise and also suppresses appetite during dieting.
And that sounds great, girl, doesn’t it?
Here’s a summary of the main benefits of using stim fat burners:
- Caffeine is a popular fat burner ingredient because it increases energy levels, leads to higher rates of fat burning and also suppresses appetite
- Attacks your physiology from several different angles, leaving no stone unturned when it comes to the lean gains game
- Everyone has a different tolerance to caffeine. Some people can ingest higher levels and use it to focus on great workouts. Others are left jittery and their focus disappears
- While stimulant fat burners DO work, many women don’t like huge caffeine doses in their diet
Non-stimulant fat burners provide an alternative way of burning maximum fat
Taking on too much caffeine is a concern for many women.
It affects us differently to our male counterparts, with sensitivity being higher in us girls – and tolerance much lower. In other words, we can cope with our daily mocha latte well, but higher doses of caffeinated drinks can lead to unwanted side effects.
Too much coffee or tea can leave us feeling anxious, jittery and stressed.
Not what you want when you’re trying to zone in on a tough strength workout or cardio session.
It can also leave you feeling wide awake if you chug an energy drink or espresso late at night too. And with a lack of sleep being a factor in weight gain, that’s exactly what you don’t want!
‘Stim-free’ supplements don’t contain caffeine.
They therefore don’t hijack your epinephrine levels, which lead to increased heart rate and so on. Instead, they use ingredients that focus on:
- Reducing your appetite
- Preventing fat storage
Non-stimulant fat burners don’t provide the powerful metabolic boost that stimulants do, simply because they can’t trigger that aspect of your physiology. But what they do is offer an alternative (if somewhat less effective) solution.
Who might prefer a non-stimulant fat burner?:
- If you’re pregnant or breast feeding
- You suffer from attention, behavioral or cognitive disorders
- Your blood pressure is high
- If your medication is affected by caffeine
Choose a lower caffeine fat burner for best results
You don’t have to avoid stims altogether to get great slimming results.
Many fat loss products take advantage of the consumer. They use cheap caffeine in huge doses to ‘fill out’ their products. And while we know that caffeine ‘works’ for fat loss, too much caffeine can lead to adverse effects.
One option is to choose a fat burner supplement with low doses of caffeine – somewhere around the 300 mg mark per daily serving.
You get all the benefits without any of the anxiety-inducing, heart rate-crushing side effects. There’s really no need to go any higher than that, unless you’re an ultra- caffeinated fiend that exists on double espressos.
Not only will a small hit of the good stuff curb your appetite, trigger cellular fat loss and raise your metabolic rate; you’ll also experience powerful energy to tear up your workouts and melt even more body fat.
Check out our Complete Guide to Fat Burner Supplements for Women for more advice on fat burner supplements that really work.
Non-stimulant fat burner supplements that work
With so many different nutrients, pills and shakes on the market it can be difficult to know where your hard-earned cash should go.
In this next section we’ve used our collective knowledge to bring you the best-quality non-stimulant fat burners.
The most popular non-stimulant fat burners include:
- Glucomannan
- Red pepper
- White kidney bean
We went head first into the studies to see why these actually work. After all, they’re used in some of the best fat burners we’ve ever reviewed at SpotMeGirl, so there must be some evidence to support them.
Here’s what we found…
Red pepper provides a powerful thermogenic effect
If you like your food spicy, you’ll appreciate the power of red pepper. As a thermogenic, capsaicin (the bioactive compound in chili peppers) raises the temperature of your cells, in turn spiking your metabolic rate and burning more fat.
Studies show red pepper is one of the healthiest additions to your plate. Not only does it boost heart health and improve blood sugar levels, it also helps those with chronic illness manage pain and quality of life too.
Adding chili pepper extract to your meals reduces calorie intake but also raises metabolic rate. One study found that when a group of women were given red pepper with their food, metabolism hit the roof for a full 60-minutes [1].
A large scale review of capsaicin fat burners found that energy intake from food was around 100 kcal lower when the hot stuff was added into a meal… and that the thermogenic action of the compound also resulted in significant increases in ‘lipid oxidation’ – what we know as fat burning [2].
Glucomannan helps you manage your appetite
The konjac plant provides a non-stimulant fat burner called glucomannan. Its main action is to swell up in your stomach and trick your brain into thinking it’s full on minimal calories.
In other words, it’s an appetite suppressant.
Glucomannan has a complex long-chain carbohydrate structure meaning it’s high in fiber. When it comes into contact with your gut it expands. You’ll find it used in a lot of Asian cooking – noodles, flour, soup etc.
Studies have suggested that not only is glucomannan safe, it’s also an effective non-stimulant fat burner. One review found that twice-daily 500 mg fat burners containing glucomannan led to significant levels of weight loss in a group of volunteers [3].
And a critical review stated glucomannan could be the answer when it comes to fighting the ever-increasing global obesity pandemic [4].
White kidney bean decreases starch absorption
Beans are high in fiber and protein and should form a large part of any successful weight loss diet. But some beans have hidden benefits.
White kidney bean is fast becoming the go-to non-stimulant fat burner based on its ability to block absorption of sugar.
In other words, it provides a defensive wall for carb-based calories. This is due to it containing a compound called phaseolin. Not only that, white kidney bean also raises your metabolic rate due to its molybdenum content – a potent combination that will rip through fat cells in no time at all.
Research supports white kidney bean as an effective fat loss supplement. One study reported a 34% drop in blood sugar when sweet treats and white kidney bean were combined [5].
And another found that when 50 overweight volunteers started taking the bean supplement, weight loss increased [6].
The bottom line
Both stim and non-stim fat burner ingredients can work for you. While nothing replaces the need for dedication and a good diet/exercise plan, fat burner supplements do make a difference.
We suggest trying a lower-caffeine fat burner than avoiding them altogether. That way you get the additional punch of energy from caffeine, while still shredding the excess pounds.
References
[1] Yoshioka, M et al. Effects of red-pepper diet on the energy metabolism in men. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 1995; 41(6): 647-56 [2] Whiting, S et al. Could capsaicinoids help to support weight management? A systematic review and meta-analysis of energy intake data. Appetite. 2014; 73: 183-8 [3] Walsh, DE et al. Effect of glucomannan on obese patients: a clinical study. Int J Obes. 1984; 8(4): 289-93 [4] Keithley, J et al. Glucommanan and obesity: a critical review. Altern Ther Health Med. 2005; 11(6): 30-4 [5] Boivin, M et al. Gastrointestinal and Metabolic Effects of Amylase Inhibition in Diabetics. Gastroenterology. 1988; 94: 387-94 [6] Udani, J et al. Blocking carbohydrate absorption and weight loss: a clinical trial using Phase 2 brand proprietary fractionated white bean extract. Altern Med Rev. 2004; 9(1): 63-9
It’s good to know that stim and non-stim ingredients work for burning fat. This will help me lose weight. Now I just need to find some ingredients.