How Do Energy Supplements Work?
Introduction
Whether it's in pill, flavored drink, powder or bar form, energy supplements have exploded in popularity around the United States. Energy supplements are "health" products that are designed to help increase your energy levels for longer periods during the day. Some energy supplements are also marketed as weight loss or fitness supplements because of their ability to help the body burn more calories.
Thermogenics
The most common form of energy supplements is a class of supplements called thermogenics, also known as stimulants. Thermogenics are substances that cause the body to increase its metabolic rate. This causes the body to start burning more calories, resulting in an increase in energy. The most common thermogenics are caffeine and Synephrine (bitter orange). Ephedra also used to be a common thermogenic used in energy supplements until it was banned by the FDA because of potentially damaging side effects.
Natural Energy Metabolism
Another common type of ingredient found in energy supplements is energy metabolism products. These substances are derived from natural nutrients such as proteins and amino acids that have a proven track record of boosting the body's metabolism in nature. Most commonly, these include CoQ10, carnitine, creatine and B vitamins. According to Dr. David Leopold, from the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, these substances are only beneficial as energy supplements when the person is not already getting enough of them from food consumption. Taking supplements that put an individual over the regularly needed levels of the products does not show any added energy benefits. Like thermogenics, these substances help increase the metabolism, which causes more calories to be burned. As the calories are burned, energy is produced.
Calories
Many energy supplements also work by adding calories through carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, such as simple sugars, are substances that can easily be broken down by the body to be burned as energy. These types of supplements are usually only reserved for athletes who deplete their energy storage quite quickly during events and training. Energy supplements that are high in carbohydrates allow the athlete to quickly absorb the carbs he needs right before or during an event to get a boost of energy. In people who are not active, calorie-based energy supplements can actually do more damage than good. The sugar may give a small and temporary burst of energy, but it will almost always leave you feeling tired soon after the sugar rush has ended.
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