TeamFLEX Newsletter

Weight Loss Spotlight

Energy Pills

There is a jungle of energy pills on the sports supplement market today. It is not easy for the average consumer to know which one to get or what the difference is between them all.

To take some of the magic away from what an energy pill actually does, we will look at what goes on in your body when you normally feel energetic. Energy is produced by your body from the food you eat. Carbohydrates are you main source of energy fuel of the different food groups. The carbohydrates are broken down into glucose in your body, which is the preferred form of fuel for any kind of activity you need to perform. When you take an energy pill, your metabolism will speed up to like if your body was using that much energy on its own and having to burn that many calories to make energy to meet the demand.

Energy pills contain different forms of stimulants. The stimulants have an enhancing effect on your metabolism and your adrenal glands. When your body produces adrenalin, you get a boost of energy. The energy pills will cause the same effect in your body as your adrenal glands normally do themselves. You feel as energetic as if your adrenalin level was on top just by taking a little energy pill.

The ingredients in the energizing tablets are called stimulants and the most commonly used herbs are Kola Nut, Gotu Kola, Guaruana extract, Bitter Orange extract, Ginseng root and of course the most heard of Ma Huang.

Some of these ingredients turn into or are converted into either caffeine or ephedrine in your body giving your adrenaline system a boost and your body more energy.

When your metabolism goes up, your body burns more calories which in turn make you lose weight. In simple words, this is what happened when you take energy pills for weight loss purposes.

The energy pills and products you find on the shelf in the health food store usually contain a combination of a couple of different stimulants for maximum effect. The most powerful ingredient is the Chinese herb, Ma Huang that is converted into pure ephedrine in your body. If you want a milder version of more sustained energy you should go with Ginseng in any form. Ginseng is not as potent but will definitely give you an energy boost before your workout or before you study.

Energy pills have been around for a long time and it's not a secret anymore that we usually work so hard all day that by the time we get to the gym we need a little extra energy to be able to get through the workout. The fat burning pills and the energy pills pretty much contain the same ingredient to raise your metabolism. The only difference is the added fat burning ingredients like inositol, choline, L-carnitine or chromium picolinate you find in the products strictly made for fat loss. They usually contain one or more stimulants and will give you energy as well.

There is however a slight difference between somebody who is taking energy pills to increase energy levels only or taking a combination of an energy pill/fat burner to raise your energy levels to the point that your body burns fat for fuel. So it's all a matter of for what purpose you take the supplement.