Fat burners are some of the most popular supplements consumed in the world. And it’s easy to see why; almost everyone wants a slim or shredded physique/figure.
However, while most fat burners come with a serving size recommendation…not many come with advice on whether you should be taking fat burners on an empty stomach or after a meal.
As a result, we’ve written a short guide on whether taking fat burners on an empty stomach is a good or bad idea.
Take a look.
Table of Contents
Why take fat burners on an empty stomach?
When you take fat burners on an empty stomach, the fat burning process is kicked into high gear. This is because when we consume food, our bodies use energy from the food to digest it and create more energy.
Following on, when we take fat burners on an empty stomach, our bodies don’t have any food for energy and so they use the supplement instead. This process stimulates weight loss because when your body works harder to break down those supplements, it goes into a “fat-burning” mode – meaning that it starts burning more of the fats in your body for fuel.
We would recommend taking fat burners on an empty stomach if you want to:
- Burn fat faster
- Lose weight faster
Burning Fat Faster
Taking fat-burning supplements while fasted can significantly increase your calorie burn and help you retain more muscle mass if it contains the right ingredients such as HMB or BCAAs. It can do this due to fasted cardio or workouts being able to boost fat oxidation – with a study showing that you may potentially burn 20% more body fat.
Not only that, popping fat burner supplements in the morning can help kickstart your metabolism too; your metabolism is at its slowest at night while you sleep and doesn’t kick into high gear when you wake up naturally. So, by taking a fat burner that contains ingredients proven to boost your metabolic rate (such as cayenne pepper extract and green tea extract), you’ll give yourself more chance of burning fat faster in the morning.
As a result, we recommend performing cardio in the morning while fasted. Alongside taking a fat burner supplement to give yourself the best chance of losing fat faster while still retaining muscle mass.
Any risks of side effects to taking fat burners on an empty stomach?
It is a well-known fact that fat burners are popular among people who want to lose weight. These supplements help increase the rate of metabolism and reduce appetite, leading to significant weight reduction.
However, many people wonder if it is alright to take fat burners on an empty stomach or not.
There are two schools of thought on this topic:
- one says that taking fat burners on an empty stomach can speed up the process of weight loss.
- And the other says that it will have a negative effect and make you feel nauseous during usage.
In reality, even though there are some chances for unpleasant side effects like nausea, but it does not happen in all cases.
It may depend on whether the fat burner you’re taking contains caffeine on an empty stomach
A side note on this topic is that every fat burner is different. Almost all of them contain different ingredients.
As a result, you can find stim-free fat burners (that don’t contain any caffeine) and those that do contain caffeine.
In terms of taking fat burners on empty stomachs, we recommend that you find a non-stim fat burner – or a fat burner that doesn’t contain more than 300 mg per serving; caffeine can sometimes hit you harder on an empty stomach, which can put you at risk from side effects such as heart palpitations, jitters and anxiety.
Non-stim fat burners without caffeine are more likely to keep you safe in a fasted state. Or if you do insist on choosing a fat burner that contains caffeine, make sure it doesn’t contain more than 300 mg per serving to ensure you stay safe; we’ve seen many fat burners containing up to 500 mg caffeine alongside other stimulants (eg. Synephrine), which we wouldn’t recommend taking on an empty stomach.
Conclusion: Should you take fat burners on an empty stomach?
It is important to note that everyone’s body has different reactions, and it’s important to consult with your doctor before you do so.
There are benefits to taking fat burners on an empty stomach:
- Increased thermogenesis, which helps the body burn more calories
- Helps with weight loss goals
- Lessens the risk of heartburn or acid reflux by avoiding food consumption
- Decreases appetite (can help with weight loss goals.
Here are the drawbacks to taking fat burners on an empty stomach:
- The risk for heartburn or acid reflux increases as well as the risk for ulcers and gastritis if the fat burner contains certain potentially unsafe ingredients.
All in all, we recommend that you choose a non-stim fat burner if intending to take it on an empty stomach. Even better, choosing one of the Best Fat Burners for intermittent Fasting is a great idea since it’s made for this exact purpose of taking it on an empty stomach.
In terms of which fat burner we take ourselves on an empty stomach, we use Burn Lab Pro. However, we’ve also used Instant Knockout in a fasted state (which does include caffeine) with no problem too if you’re looking for a stimulant fat burner.