Metabolism

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Metabolism supplements are products marketed to support energy use, fat burning or general energy levels. This range is a mix: liquid L-carnitine, caffeinated drinks and caffeine tablets, green tea extract, stimulant-free formulas, and everyday vitamins and minerals such as B complex, zinc and magnesium, from brands including Nutrex Research, Primabolics, EVLution Nutrition, Life Extension and Now Foods.

Read the Metabolism buying guide
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Metabolism: buying guide

What actually drives your metabolism

Metabolism is the sum of all the chemical processes that keep your body running. A key part is your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the energy your body needs at rest. Better Health Channel explains that BMR is largely set by your lean mass, especially muscle, and that people tend to gain fat with age partly because they slowly lose muscle.

That points to the levers that matter most:

  • Build and keep muscle with regular resistance training.
  • Stay active, because moving more uses more energy.
  • Eat enough. Cutting kilojoules too hard can cause your body to slow its metabolism.

Weight management depends on your overall diet and activity. Supplements can only play a small supporting role.

What is in this range, and how strong is the evidence?

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that products are often marketed to increase metabolism and thermogenesis, and that these claims usually rest on limited evidence. Here is how the main ingredient types stack up:

  • Caffeine raises energy expenditure and fat use, but how much that adds up to in weight loss is less clear.
  • L-carnitine has a small amount of supportive research, and the NIH says more is needed. The Australian Institute of Sport lists carnitine in Group B, meaning emerging evidence.
  • Green tea extract appears to have a small effect at best, and has been linked to rare cases of liver injury.
  • Vitamins and minerals such as B complex, zinc and magnesium are everyday nutrition products rather than fat burners. Compare them in our wider vitamins and minerals range.

How to compare products

  • Check caffeine per serve, and add it to coffee, energy drinks and pre-workouts.
  • Look for full ingredient amounts rather than proprietary blends.
  • Choose stimulant-free formulas if you are sensitive to caffeine or train in the evening.
  • If you have a thyroid condition, a liver condition or take regular medication, speak to your doctor before using any product sold for metabolism, fat loss or thyroid support.

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Related categories

See fat burners and weight loss, L-carnitine and appetite control, or read our guide on how to lose weight.

Sources: Better Health Channel: Metabolism; NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss.

Order online with Australia-wide delivery, free on orders of $100 or more, or visit a Supps247 store in Melbourne, regional Victoria or Brisbane to compare products in person before you buy. Members can use our price match guarantee on full-priced items.

Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take regular medication, check with your doctor first.

Metabolism: questions and answers

Can a supplement speed up my metabolism?
Not by much. Your resting metabolism is largely set by your lean mass, especially muscle, so resistance training and eating enough have the biggest effect. Caffeine does raise energy use a little, but the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says it is unclear how much that helps with weight loss, and most metabolism claims rest on limited evidence.
Does L-carnitine help you lose fat?
The evidence is limited. A 2016 meta-analysis summarised by the NIH found a modest average weight difference in favour of carnitine compared with placebo, and the NIH says more research is needed. The Australian Institute of Sport lists carnitine in Group B, meaning emerging evidence. Any effect is small next to your diet and training.
Is green tea extract safe?
Green tea as a drink is widely consumed, but concentrated extracts are different. The NIH reports at least 50 case reports of liver damage linked to certain green tea extracts, while any weight-loss effect appears small. If you choose an extract, follow the label dose, and check with your doctor first if you have a liver condition or take regular medication.
How much caffeine is safe per day?
For healthy adults, the US FDA and the European Food Safety Authority say up to 400 mg of caffeine a day does not pose safety concerns, according to the NIH. That total includes coffee, tea, energy drinks, pre-workouts and fat burners. If you are pregnant, have a heart condition or are sensitive to caffeine, check with your doctor about a lower limit.

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