Years ago I spent time working at GNC. During this time I was able to impact many customers and inform them on which supplements were worth their time and money and which were not. Let me be very clear, there are supplements out there from excellent companies that will help support your health and fitness goals. Most supplements, however, are not worth your time. They simply don’t work like they claim to work.
Many people would visit the store looking for information on fat burners. If I made a list of misleading supplements, fat burners would be at the top. I felt morally responsible to inform as many customers as I could that taking a fat burner was not the answer. Most people expect to lose weight fast like the label says. This approach meant selling less as an employee but it helped me sleep at night. Ultimately, my job was to safely guide and direct people towards products that would help them achieve their goals.
Fat burners were not the answer and could potentially put them at risk for adverse side effects including:
Headaches
Nausea/Diarrhea
Anxiety
Blood Pressure Fluctuations
Potential Heart Damage
Potential Liver Damage
Many “fat burners” use proprietary blends. This means that they don’t tell you how much of each ingredient you are consuming. Additionally, they are full of strong stimulants and different forms of caffeine. Some fat burners are intended to raise your body temperature on top of being full of stimulants. To make things worse, some fat burners are to be taken in the morning and later in the day. Imagine sitting at work overheated with uncontrollable jitters.
Most fat burners require an internet search to learn about the ingredients. Do you know what L-Alpha-Glycerophosphorylcholine is? I had no clue. That doesn’t mean it is unsafe but we can all agree that you might want to do some research before taking a supplement. In short, these products are not what they claim to be. Perhaps some people get results but those are probably the same people who changed their nutrition habits, sleep routine and hydration with consistent exercise. So, was it the fat burner or was it the lifestyle change? If the fat burner was a catalyst for the lifestyle change then I would agree it served some type of purpose. However, I won’t give it credit for the results an individual was able to achieve. Odds are, that person did the work because there is no magic pill.
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Michael Allen
Author Bio
Michael has been working with clients in the gym and countless adults in a physical therapy setting since 2013. He spent 3 semesters working at Towson University with student-athletes from nearly every sport at the school. He served as the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for Kennard-Dale High School during the 2019-2020 school year. His goal is to always get better and give you the safest and most effective use of your time at First Capital Gym.