Adaptogens for Fat Burning
There are two major reasons why anyone exercises – to build muscle, or to lose fat. Any other effect that comes with it is an added bonus. Fats can be quite annoying, especially when they gather around the wrong areas. They can deal a great blow to self-confidence as well as prelude several adverse health effects.
Sometimes you need an extra push to help you burn fats. There are several synthetic ways to do that, but they often come with severe side effects. Having a non-toxic remedy to stimulate efficient exercising and burn fat makes a lot of difference to the mind and body. What are these natural remedies? You might ask. Well, jeep reading to find out
How do Adaptogens Help Fat Burning?
Adaptogens are plants and mushrooms that help your body to respond to fatigue, anxiety and overall wellbeing positively. They help to restore balance to the body and they can be added to your food, beverages or taken as supplements. Adaptogens help to boost mental performance and reduce stress in the body.
They are also a powerful tool in tackling stress, and weight loss. Stress has a negative effect in the body and even causes weight gain in the abdomen and imbalances in insulin level. Adaptogens work to reduce stress, and the reduction of stress has a positive impact in the reduction of weight.
Which Adaptogen is good for Fat Burning?
There are different adaptogens that have been reported to help fat burning. However, we will be looking at a few adaptogens that can have been proven effective in burning fats. They are:
Acidophilus
Acidophilus, also called L. acidophilus, belongs to the Lactobacillus family of bacteria. They are lactic acid bacteria that convert sugar into hydrogen peroxide, lactic acid, and other substances that promote the growth of good bacteria and hinder the growth of undesired bacteria in the intestine.
They are effective in preventing and treating acne, bacterial vaginosis, candida infection, C. difficile infection, diarrhea, diabetes, E. coli infection, eczema, urinary tract infection (UTI), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), vagina inflammation, digestive disorder and lactose intolerance. However, acidophilus has also been found to be effective in weight loss and strengthening the immune system.
Benefits of Acidophilus
1. Vaginal Health
L. acidophilus is used in the treatment and prevention of vaginal infection; taking acidophilus daily may help to treat and prevent bacterial vaginosis. Acidophilus supplements are also recommended for those with yeast infections; hence they can be used with other drugs like antibiotics. It can also help to reduce or alter the growth of bad bacteria in the vagina and Candida albicans in the cell structure.
2. Immune Health
Acidophilus supplements have been found to have antiviral and antimicrobial properties. These antiviral and antimicrobial properties are effective in preventing and treating colds, viruses, and even allergies, especially in children.
3. Reduce High Cholesterol
Acidophilus is a great treatment for high cholesterol. It is more effective than other types of herbal supplements; they help reduce total cholesterol level and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol level, which is the “bad” cholesterol in the body. Acidophilus and probiotics also helps to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease, reduce body mass index, inflammatory markers, and waist circumference.
4. Weight Loss
Some research found that using probiotics L. acidophilus can help reduce weight, but there is no strong evidence to back it up as there have been inconclusive results from the research done. Lactobacillus gasseri. has been found as an effective probiotics supplements for weight loss. This type of probiotics can help reduce body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and total body fat.
Possible Side Effects
Some common possible side effects of acidophilus include:
- Digestive complaints such as gas, bloating, upset stomach, or diarrhea.
- Weakened tooth enamel over time when exposed to teeth.
- Hives, skin rash, itching, difficulty breathing, vomiting, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Special Considerations
Before using acidophilus, you should consult your doctor if you are pregnant breastfeeding, be careful to give children, babies, or infants, children who are ill, premature infants, children or adults with weakened immune systems, those who have had gastric bypass surgery, short bowel syndrome, small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), thiamine deficiency, kidney failure, heart valve disorder and diabetes.
Evening Primrose Oil
When you hear of evening primrose oil, the first thing that may come to your mind is a type of aromatherapy oil, but they aren’t. They are supplements taken through the mouth, like medications. Evening primrose oil is extracted from the seeds of evening primrose, Oenothera biennis. It is a plant mostly found in North America.
Evening primrose has two types of omega 6-fatty acids: linoleic acid, which makes up 60%–80% of its fats, and γ-linoleic acid, also known as gamma-linoleic acid or GLA, makes up of 8%–14% of its fats. However, these fats contain fat-soluble vitamins that are needed in the body like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K.
Benefits of Evening Primrose Oil
1. Hormonal support for Pre-Menstrual Conditions and Menopause Symptoms
Evening primrose oil can help reduce symptoms relating to menstrual pain and menopause Different researches support the claim that evening primrose effectively reduces breast pain, menstrual cramps, depression, irritability, and acne compared to other treatments. Evening primrose oil has been found to be effective in treating hot flashes in the transitory stage of menopause.
2. Fertility
Evening primrose oil acts as a natural treatment for infertility; they help to increase the production of cervical mucus, which aids in creating a safe environment for sperm and reproduction in women. Hence, fatty acids present in EPO positively affect uterine cells, helping with the relaxation and contraction of muscle tissue in preparation for pregnancy. In addition, for males, EPO helps in increasing the quality of semen.
3. Skin Conditions
Evening primrose is known to be effective in treating scaly and inflamed skin or eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis. Apart from treating eczema, they can also help in treating psoriasis.
Possible Side Effects
Reported side effects include
- Headache
- Stomach upset
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Rash
Too much omega-6 fatty acids can cause an imbalance which can affect the production of prostaglandins in the body which can cause blood clots, inflammation, high blood pressure, irritation of the digestive tract.
Brindle Berry
Brindle berry, also called Garcinia Cambogia, Malabar tamarind, and kudampuli (pot tamarind), is known to be effective for weight loss. It is a popular supplement mostly used for weight reduction. It contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which is used to boost the fat-burning potential in the body. The extract can be in a powdered or pill form. What makes bindle berry effective for weight loss is that the hydroxycitric acid has a powerful effect on the body in reducing weight.
Benefits of Brindle Berry
1. Promotes Weight Loss
Brindle berry helps to alter the production of enzymes involved in fat production and increase the storage of glycogen in the body.
2. Improves Metabolism
Adding brindle berry supplements to your diet helps to boost your metabolism, which helps your weight loss journey. This means that you can eat fewer calories and still have more energy in your body. In addition, HCA works to reduce LDL cholesterol levels and improve the body’s response to blood sugar and insulin.
3. Suppresses Appetite
Brindle berry helps to suppress appetite to reduce weight loss. It helps to trains your body to eat in specific amounts and at certain times. Keeping your appetite in check with this supplement can go a long way in helping your weight loss journey.
Possible Side Effects
The possible side effects are:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Skin rash
- Common cold symptoms
- Digestive upset
- Lower blood sugar
Gymnema Sylvestre
Gymnema Sylvestre is a plant used as an old form of holistic medicine in India. It is popularly known as a sugar destroyer. They contain gymnemic acid that helps to reduce the taste of sugar. The reduction in the taste of sugar is useful in treating diabetes. They are also used to block sugar and fat absorption in the body, which helps treat obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Benefits of Gymnema Sylvestre
- Reduce diabetes symptoms.
- Reduce the craving for high-sugar food.
- Block the absorption of fats and lower LDL cholesterol in the body.
- Improve lipid levels in the body.
Possible Side Effects
Side effects include symptoms of hypoglycemia like headache, dizziness or lightheadedness, shakiness, nausea etc. However, they should be avoided during pregnancy, infants and children, and before surgery.
Fat Burning Adaptogens and Exercise
Adaptogen for fat burning are helpful in keeping to your exercise routine. They help to keep your body fit for exercise. There is a mutual relationship between fat burning and exercise. Exercise helps your body to keep fit and in shape, enhancing and breaking down fats in the body. On the other hand, adaptogens for fat burning helps to burn fats in your body and keeps your body light for exercise.
They make exercise easier for you as it can be a bit difficult to exercise with large body weight. However, adaptogens are generally used for relieving stress. Hence, they help you to relieve stress and fatigue after exercise while also keeping your body in a good shape. Adaptogens for fat burning helps you maintain consistency for weight loss, exercise and muscle building.
Take-Home
The benefits of acidophilus, evening primrose oil, brindle berry and Gymnema Sylvestre goes beyond fat burning, they also help you keep to your exercise routine by reducing your body weight which can be a hindrance to effective exercise. It is important that you consult your doctor for proper guidance and how to use them to avoid serious complications after use.
References
What are adaptogens and why are people taking them?
Acidophilus- benefit, side effects, and dosage
Evening primrose- benefits, uses and side effects