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You may not think it’s possible to burn calories and fat while you sleep, but the opposite is true — with the right supplements, your metabolism can work overtime at night.
There are a variety of fat-burning supplements on the market, and not all of them are safe for consumption — particularly at night.
This is the one calorie-burning supplement you should have before bed if you want a flat stomach, according to nutritionists.
There are two main types of fat-burning supplements: stimulant and stimulant-free burners. No matter which you choose, they both have the same objective.
“A key word for this group of fat burners is "thermogenic," which literally means ‘heat producing’ and refers to the fact that your core body temperature might rise, allowing you to possibly burn more calories throughout the day and use stored fat as fuel,” reports Bodybuilding.com.
As you can probably imagine, taking a stimulant before bed isn’t a great idea.
According to Bodybuilding.com: “Fat burning products are generally categorized as stimulant or stimulant-free. Stimulant fat burners will have caffeine, synephrine, yohimbe, or other similar ingredients. Many of them also contain non-stimulant thermogenic and appetite controlling ingredients in the mix.”
When you’re trying to close your eyes and rest, the last thing you need is a supplement that contains caffeine and is designed to keep you alert and awake.
Choosing stimulant-free burners is the way to go. Examples of these supplements include ginger extract, cayenne pepper extract, and this one supplement that’s a fantastic choice for burning fat without spiking your energy levels.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid
Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is a fatty acid found in meat and dairy that is also sold in supplement form and has weight loss benefits.
CLA has been widely studied, with a variety of outcomes that include “significant fat loss” in humans and an increase in muscle mass, according to Healthline. Other studies show only modest losses and stress that the supplement seems to help most people lose weight for about six months, but then that weight loss plateaus.
One thing to keep in mind when taking a CLA supplement is that there are dangerous side effects associated with taking too much of the nutrient.
“Large doses of supplemental CLA can cause increased accumulation of fat in your liver, which is a stepping stone towards metabolic syndrome and diabetes,” reports Healthline. “Numerous studies in both animals and humans reveal that CLA can drive inflammation, cause insulin resistance and lower “good” HDL cholesterol.”
Most studies of CLA have used doses of between 3.2 and 6.4 grams each day.
One supplement to watch at night — and a common one that you’ll hear about for its weight loss benefits — is green tea extract. Despite being touted as a soothing ingredient, green tea can contain caffeine that acts as a stimulant.
If you are worried about taking a supplement, you can always get CLA from a dinner of grass-fed beef or dairy products like cheese and milk. Then lay back, relax, and get ready to burn calories while you sleep.
