Thermogenesis simply refers to that which produces heat. Dietary thermogenesis, then, refers to the heat produced in response to diet. When you eat something, it demands an increase in heat due to the metabolic requirements of digestion, metabolism, and energy storage.[1]Similarly, exercise causes your muscle cells to burn calories to provide energy for muscle contraction. Some of the burned energy is expelled from your body as heat, both as Carbon Dioxide when you exhale and water when you sweat.[2]The fact that exercise raises your body temperature and burns calories isn’t news to anyone. In contrast, not everyone may know that there are naturally occurring substances in thermogenic foods that might promote weight loss.
What are Thermogenic Supplements?
Thermogenic supplements are ones that claim to boost metabolism, reduce appetite, and/or burn fat via thermogenesis. Some popular examples of thermogenic substances are caffeine, green tea extract, capsaicin, and yohimbine.These thermogenic ingredients are present in hundreds of over-the-counter supplements marketed to millions of consumers every day. Which begs the question...
Do Thermogenic Supplements Work?
First off, there’s no such thing as diet pills that work fast without exercise. Though there is some evidence of thermogenic supplements boosting metabolism, accelerating fat burning, and reducing appetite, the effects are relatively small.[3]Some supplements may be used in combination with diet and exercise to increase their effectiveness. At the end of the day, however, the best way to lose weight and induce thermogenesis is through exercise and a healthy diet.
Using Diet-Induced Thermogenesis to Burn Fat
Diet-induced thermogenesis is one of the three components of daily energy expenditure, along with basal metabolic rate and activity. You already burn calories naturally when you eat without trying. You’re doing great already!Still, you can optimize the thermic effect of feeding to burn more fat and lose weight. Studies have shown that protein plays a key role in diet-induced thermogenesis.[4] It produces greater dietary thermogenesis than the other two macronutrients: carbohydrates and lipids (fats).Protein is also the most important macronutrient for determining dietary satiety. In other words, eating foods high in protein will keep you feeling fuller for longer. This also factors into its usefulness for weight loss.
The Bottom Line
Thermogenesis is one of the main ways you expend energy. Maximizing the amount of heat you can make your body produce daily will help you lose weight. To do that you should:
Exercise frequently. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to lose weight. Exercising on a daily basis will always be the best way to burn calories. It does so through the process of thermogenesis.
Eat more protein. Not only is protein one of the primary factors in determining dietary thermogenesis--it’s also the best macronutrient for keeping you feeling full. This makes it doubly beneficial for weight loss.
Take thermogenic supplements. When combined with a healthy, high protein diet and regular exercise, thermogenic supplements may increase your metabolic rate and aid your body in burning fat. This effect, however, is dwarfed by the two statements above.
In other words, focus on diet and exercise first. Once you have those in check, adding in thermogenic supplements might help a bit more. If you need help with planning your diet and losing weight, contact Blue Tree Health today!
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/thermogenesis
- https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/12/16/371210831/when-you-burn-off-that-fat-where-does-it-go
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16652130
- https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-1-5
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