Weider fat burners are… well, if you’ve even considered lifting a weight anytime in the last 40 years, you’re probably familiar with the name “Joe Weider.” As one of the biggest and most well-known names in the body building and fitness industry, its not surprising Weider has a fat burner on the market.
Simply labeled “Weider Fat Burners”, this is a highly understated and low tech product. No fancy ingredients or long, scientific-sounding names on this label — just a couple of old standbys, and a sprinkling of a few others for added effect.
On the other hand, a bottle contains enough servings to last for 2 and half months (unbelievable!), and it retails for cheap — just a bit over $25 at BodyBuilding.com. So, what you lose in a fairly basic, run-of-the-mill formula, you make up for in sheer quantity. Whether or not the trade off is worth it is a decision only you can make.
So what’s in the Weider fat burners?
Each 4 tab serving contains…
i. Chromium Picolinate: A great ingredient in any fat burner, chromium helps regulate insulin response and balance blood sugar levels.
There’s 200 mcg per dose here… which is just about ideal. Clinical data validating its weight loss effects, however, is inconclusive and contradictory.
ii. Green Tea Extract: There’s a growing body of evidence that green tea and its potent blend of catechins and polyphenols is very useful for weight loss (see the full review of green tea for verification and journal references).
Unfortunately, there’s a relatively small amount of green tea in this formula (150 mg) and it is not revealed just to what percentage of EGCG (a critical catechin) it is standardized.
iii. Kola Nut Extract (550mg): Animal studies have shown kola nut has fat burning properties, but for humans, the main benefit kola nut offers is as a diuretic and a source of caffeine (kola nut can contain between 2-4% caffeine — meaning the kola in this compilation adds between 10 and 20 mg caffeine to the overall tally).
iv. Caffeine (100mg): There’s the equivalent of a cup of coffee’s worth of caffeine in the Weider Fat Burners. Caffeine is a standard ingredient in any fat burner these days—evidence indicates it has mild thermogenic (fat burning) properties (see Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50, Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97).
v. Cinnamon Powder (100mg): Most newer fat burners containing cinnamon use Cinnulin PF® — a cinnamon extract made by Integrity Nutraceuticals International.
In a recent clinical study, subjects with pre-diabetes who took 500 mg/day for 12 weeks experienced modest, but statistically significant improvements in fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, and lean body mass.
Cinnamon also can be used to treat digestive problems. The small amount of cinnamon powder included in this formula probably won’t have much effect on blood sugar and doesn’t add much value to the compilation.
vi. Cayenne powder (20 mg): Although the label doesn’t indicate it, cayenne is probably included here because of its capsaicin content — it’s the chemical that gives chile peppers their “heat.”
The theory is that capsaicin “revs” up your metabolism by creating heat, thus burning off extra calories. However, this study (Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2007 Jan;292(1):R77-85. Epub 2006 Jul 13) says it best…
“Capsaicin has been shown to be effective, yet when it is used clinically it requires a strong compliance to a certain dosage, that has not been shown to be feasible yet.”
In other words, in order for capsaicin to have an effect on your metabolism, it has to be taken in doses much too high to make it practical. There’s little doubt the dosage included in the Weider Fat Burners won’t do much for “revving up” your metabolism.
And that wraps it up for the ingredients profile.
In the end, the bottom line on the Weider Fat Burners is pretty simple. This ain’t a real potent, state of the art product. Most of the ingredients have graced the labels of fat burners darn near since the dawn of time. And several of the ingredients aren’t present in large enough amounts to elicit much of an effect.
At the same time, you’re not paying much for the Weider Fat Burners—just a bit over $25 at BodyBuilding.com. You and I both know that old adage is true… “you get what you pay for.” A more potent, more effective product will cost you twice as much… for a three-week supply.
Again, whether the trade off (of potency to value) is worthwhile is a decision you need to make.
