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Fat-Burning Creams – Ridiculous or Legit?
Original post written by Houston Personal Trainer Austin Nicoson, Health & Fitness Lifestyle Coach
Welcome to the 21st century, a time when people are subjected to more advertisements than ever before. In particular, the advertisements for and the overall use of dietary supplements has skyrocketed over the past decade (see the stats here). With so many ads bombarding us each day through the various digital platforms, it becomes a constant struggle to determine fact from fiction. Especially when it comes to the dietary supplements proposed to increase our health and fitness. As a Personal Trainer and Health Coach, I’ve seen the ridiculous trends come and go over the years. And it’s my job to help my clients understand what’s actually going to help them, vs. what’s going to simply line the supplement companies’ pockets. One of the ridiculous fitness trends that stood out in 2018 was the use of topical fat-burning creams and gels. Today we’ll take a look at these creams’ proclaimed benefits, the science (if any) behind their claims, and what may be a better alternative. Let’s dig in!
Proposed Benefits
There is a vast number of these fat-burning creams on the market. While some brands are good at distinguishing their product as solely for the use of blood circulation, sweat increase, muscle relaxing; most claim their product will cause fat-loss in targeted (“stubborn”) areas of the body. As we’ve all learned by now, the ability to “spot-reduce” body fat in specific areas is a total myth. These products use ingredients that raise the temperature of the skin, while also utilizing natural oils to trap body heat close to the skin. This combination is what causes the increased sweat and blood flow, which can be awesome, but won’t directly promote fat loss.
The Scientific Evidence
Unfortunately, there just isn’t much in the way of scientific support for the claims of these fat-burning creams. In fact, a company by the name of Beiersdorf, Inc. was sued in 2011 for misleading consumers and providing no scientific evidence that their product Nivea Skin Cream would have any direct benefit in fat-loss.
The Federal Trade Commission had this to say about their product;
“One of the products claims as soon as it is applied to the body, it would cause fat and weight to just disappear simply by applying the product, and that just isn’t so,” Len Gordon, Northeast Regional Office.
Some of the creams are made with an ingredient called synephrine, which has indeed been used as an oral treatment to aid in weight-loss (in combination with proper diet + exercise), but lacks any scientific support as a topical fat-loss agent. And that, my friends, is where the confusion lies. Many of these companies’ advertisements will mix around various facts or evidence, or use ingredients with proven benefits in unrelated circumstances to mislead consumers and boost the credibility of their fat-burning creams. But as a whole, I’ve yet to come across any scientific studies that prove the application of fat-burning creams will directly cause fat-loss.
Better Options?
As profitable as the health supplement industry is, the greatest success you’ll have when it comes to fat-loss is undoubtedly rooted in your nutrition and exercise. Specifically, the daily habits that make up your lifestyle will ultimately lead to your weight-loss success! The overall calories you intake, the amount of exercise you complete, the amount of daily-stress, your hydration, your quality and quantity of sleep;
All of these factors play a significantly greater role in your body’s metabolism and overall fat loss than any supplement ever could. And in today’s world where products are delivered faster and faster, you must remember that healthy weight-loss takes time. In fact, I’ll go ahead and add patience to the top of my list of the biggest factors in weight-loss.
My advice for initiating your weight-loss journey is this:
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Get an estimate of your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) by using a free calculator that can be found here. From there, you’ll have an idea of how many calories you should aim to eat in order to lose weight.
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Familiarize yourself with nutrition labels and gain a thorough understanding of how to accurately read them. An awesome article on how to do so can be found here.
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Begin tracking and monitoring your daily food intake. It will seem tedious and annoying at first, but I ensure you it’s well worth it! And after awhile, you’ll get used to it and it won’t be nearly as much as a hassle. Remember, it’s for your success! I recommend using the popular (and free) app MyFitnessPal, it’s incredibly simple to use and very convenient.