FLEX LETTERS
By Jon Davie The Australian Phenomenon! JD COLUMN
BODYFAT REDUCTION HI JON,
I am trying to drop some bodyfat and have been using different thermogenics over the past six months. I have changed my eating habits and I’m now following a high protein plan with some carbs at breakfast and before training. I’ve been a bit disappointed with the results
so far. I have lost about six kilos on the scales but feel like it is really not coming off as quickly as it could. I have asked the guys in the shop
how many kilos of fat I could expect to drop each month and they said about 4 to 6 kg. What do you think?
I’m using a heap of supplements at the moment: NO booster, glutamine, BCAAs, WPI, a liver detox kit, creatine and have just started a diuretic to help with weight loss. What other supplements do you think will help me lose weight and gain muscle?
TRENT
Hey Trent, I’m glad you asked this question for many reasons. Firstly, the word “thermogenic” describes, or relates, to the production of heat. Unfortunately, many of the products that are marketed as thermogenics do very little to increase body temperature or in fact stimulate any type of fat-burning effect. The original thermogenics were based on the ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin (ECA) mix which had a few supportive studies showing that it did have some effects on bodyfat
loss. The thing that disturbs me is that since the
ban on ephedrine and its herbal extracts, most thermogenics contain extremely high levels of caffeine, either from caffeine and/or from different ingredients containing caffeine. A central nervous system stimulant, caffeine is the most commonly used legal stimulant in the world. The problem with high levels of caffeine is that over time they can cause side effects that can be counterproductive to fat loss. Overuse of caffeine has been linked to irritability, inability to concentrate, mild depression and anxiety. There is also some information coming
though showing that caffeine has an effect on cortisol production which can be a problem for those trying to maintain muscle mass and/or
138 FLEX
lose bodyfat. It has been suggested that if your caffeine ingestion causes your body to release high levels of cortisol then you will probably be experiencing muscle loss due to gluconeogen- esis. The decrease in lean muscle mass will reduce the amount of total calories that you burn on a daily basis due to a reduction in your metabolic rate therefore reducing the amount of fat you burn on a daily basis. If I were going to use a thermogenic I would
be looking for one with high levels of green tea extract (Camellia sinensis). Green tea extract contains four major epicatechin derivatives which have been shown in many studies to increase fat metabolism in humans. I would want it to have about 100 mg of caffeine per serve and I would be restricting my caffeine intake though the day from other sources. The addition of ingredients such as forskolin,
HCA or synephrine may have some benefit. However studies are divided in their support. I am always wary of companies pushing new
whiz-bang ingredients that have only been trialled on animals. The problem with these studies is that in most cases the animals are in a controlled environment and they are given dosages per kg much higher than normally given to adults. The results may not be replicated in humans due to the pathways or the effects that the ingredients have on humans. I will never forget researching a “thermogenic” which contained a new ingredient that had shown effects on fat metabolism in rats. The problem was the dosage was given intravenously; it was at an incredibly high dosage and 6 of the 20 rats in the study died. Now let’s look at gaining lean mass. I look at
pre-, during and post-training supplementation as my staple supplementation for weight gain. So I suggest:
DALLAS OLSEN
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