Best Fat Burning Supplement

The first steps to a lean physique are a calculated diet and an organized training split. Neglect those two essential points, and no amount of fat-burning pills will get you an inch closer to ripped. However, if your diet and training are dialed in, then a fat burner can help to push you over the finish line. Of course, you need to know what you’re buying and, more importantly, why. 

We took the guesswork out of the process by listing out six of the best fat burners. They contain ingredients that have been shown to work. Also, they won’t break the bank. Further down, we explain how fat burners work and dive a bit deeper into the ingredients that are in them. 

 Best Fat Burners

Editor’s note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for the diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning a new fitness, nutritional, and/or supplement routine. 

The Best Fat Burner Overall

A successful cut means losing fat and retaining as much muscle as possible, and some formulas are better equipped for this task than others.

Burn Lab Pro

Bun Lab Pro is that formula. It contains common fat-burning ingredients — such as chili pepper extract and black pepper extract, which increase your body’s temperature to boost calorie-burn. But this formula also has HMB (Hydroxymethylbutyrate), which is thought to be linked to muscle retention and even growth. (1)

Who Should Take Burn Lab Pro

• Bodybuilders and other people who are focused on muscle gain and retention. 
• Those who are vegan since this product is vegan-friendly.
• Athletes. This product is banned-substance tested.

Who Shouldn’t Take Burn Lab Pro

• People who work out in the morning. This product doesn’t have any caffeine, and so it may not give you the jolt of energy you need. 

Best Transparent Fat Burner 

Some brands hide quality ingredients in blends, so you don’t really know what and how much you’re getting. This is why brands that value transparency — in ingredients and dosing — are valuable. 

Transparent Labs Fat Burner

Transparent Labs offers up quality in the right quantity. There are ingredients such as green tea extract, which we like since it increases fat oxidation and thermogenesis, such as cayenne pepper and caffeine. (2) In addition to listing the full doses, Transparent Labs also provides in-depth explanations and studies on the ingredient’s efficacy. 

Who Should Take Transparent Labs Fat Burner

• People who value full transparency from a company about both the ingredient and dosing. 
• For what you get, this fat burner is pretty affordable and fairly priced. 

Who Shouldn’t Take Transparent Labs Fat Burner

• Folks who don’t want to take a lot of pills. This requires two two pill servings. 

The Best Fat Burner for the Money

Expensive isn’t always synonymous with quality. We found a product that will fit most people’s budget.

Jacked Factory BURN-XT

The ingredient list is pretty short — there are just five — but they’re all geared towards thermogenesis. Thermogenesis is a fat loss method that fat-burning supplements use. It works by picking ingredients that raise the body’s internal temperature to burn more calories (as it requires energy to cool down). It has green tea leaf extract, cayenne pepper, caffeine, and black pepper fruit extract. It’s not stimulant-free.

Who Should Take Jacked Factory BURN-XT

• People who want a stimulant, specifically caffeine, in their fat-burner.
• Folks who are on a budget and want a more affordable option.
• Those who prefer ingredients focused on thermogenesis to burn fat. 

Who Shouldn’t Take Jacked Factory BURN-XT

• People who want more ingredients that may drive fat loss in other ways (through fat oxidation and metabolic rate).
• Those who like other ingredients such as nootropics or herbs for appetite suppression and mood enhancement.

Best Stim-Free Fat Burner

If you prefer a non-stimulant formula because you workout at night or get the jitters, there are formulas for you. 

Legion Phoenix

Some people either want zero stimulants or would rather get their stimulants from sources such as coffee or pre-workouts. Legion forgoes caffeine and other stims and instead relies on green tea leaf extract and synephrine to boost fat oxidation and then 5-HTP and L-Tyrosine, which may suppress one’s appetite. The one major downside, a serving is five — five! — pills.

Who Should Take Legion Phoenix

• People who like to get their caffeine from other sources.
• Folks who want to avoid stimulants altogether.

Who Shouldn’t Take Legion Phoenix

• The pill adverse. This formula requires you to take five pills. 

Best Premium Fat Burner

Sometimes (read: almost always) quality will cost you. If you can afford it, investing in a fat burner that boasts great ingredients with useful extras may be worth the extra cost. 

PhenGold

This is a pretty complete fat burner. It’s got the usual cast of characters — cayenne pepper, green tea, and caffeine. But this fat burner also boasts extra ingredients such as Rhodiola SP, which aids fat loss and relaxation, and the nootropic DMAE may also improve mood. Of course, this product isn’t cheap with so many quality ingredients and in such full doses.

Who Should Take PhenGold

• Serious fitness enthusiasts who want to take a fat burner with both tried-and-true ingredients and a few extras.
• People who may benefit from mood-enhancing ingredients.

Who Shouldn’t Take PhenGold

• Folks on a budget. This product isn’t cheap.
• People who don’t want or require a more robust ingredient list. 

The Best Fat Burner for Suppressing Appetite

There’s no way around it; eating to lose weight can suck and often leave you feeling hungry. The right fat burner can help to curb those cravings. 

Leanbean

Pretty much all of the ingredients on this list are status quo, but Lean Bean differentiates itself by overcoming hunger cravings. This formula uses a dietary fiber called Glucomannan, which swells the stomach slightly to create a feeling of fullness. Lean Bean offers up three grams of the specific fiber, which is more than you’ll find in other brands. 

Who Should Take Leanbean

Who Shouldn’t Take Leanbean 

• Penny pinchers. This formula isn’t cheap.
• People with digestive issues. The extra fiber may be disruptive.

How Fat Burners Work

How We Decide the Best Fat Burners

In choosing the best fat burners, we take into account ingredients and dosing based on research and how much a fat burner actually costs. We’ll admit that fat burners aren’t an absolute necessity, but if you’re in the market for them, then we’re still going to dig deep to find you the best options available. 

Dosage

If an ingredient is solid, but it’s in an amount that five-times less than what the science says is effective — then what good is that? We strive to choose products that offer the right ingredients in the right doses and priced accordingly.

Proprietary Blends

If we don’t know the dose, it’s hard to know just how effective the fat burner is. For that reason, fat burners that rely on proprietary blends were considered unfavorable. We want you to know what you’re getting and exactly how much.

Price

The price tag of your fat burner will depend on the ingredients in the bottle. A more expensive fat burner most likely contains more ingredients and a higher dose of that ingredient well. We aimed to provide fat burners mostly in the middle and a premium and budget option, too.  

How Fat Burners Work

There are three primary ways that a fat burner can help to drive fat loss. Here’s a break down of each.

Fat Oxidation

A fat burner won’t actually burn fat off of your body. That said, fat is an energy source that your body stores to use. Having your macros dialed in and training hard will always do the job, but certain ingredients in fat burners have been shown to coax your body into using (or oxidizing) stored fat. Specifically, green tea extract — well, the compound EGCG, found in green tea — and L-carnitine. 

Thermogenesis

Your body burns calories simply by regulating normal functions, such as breathing, your organ’s functions, and your internal temperature. Most fat burners include capsaicin (extracted from chili peppers) and caffeine to increase your body’s internal temperature. In doing so, your body will work a bit harder to cool down and burn more calories. The amount of extra calories you can burn from thermogenesis isn’t many, but they can add up over time. This is especially true if you’re already in a drastic caloric deficit and don’t want to reduce your food intake anymore. At that point, an extra 50 to 100 calories a day may help. 

Appetite Suppression

You need to eat fewer calories than you burn to lose weight. There’s no way around that. And eating a calorie deficit can be tough. This is why many fat burners contain ingredients like 5-HTP, fiber, and psyllium to help you feel full. That way, you’re less likely to give in to boredom and mindlessly eat.

Ingredients You Want in a Fat Burner

Before clicking “purchase,” be on the lookout for these ingredients in your fat burner.

Caffeine

Most fat-burners offer up caffeine in doses between 100-200 milligrams because of its ability to increase thermogenesis and boost energy. One study found that by taking caffeine, your body may burn extra calories each day (though, only 100 or less, but that can add up.) (3) Some people prefer to get their caffeine from another source, so they have control over when they take it. Say you take your fat burner in the morning but train at night; then, it makes sense to save your pre-workout before your workout. 

Capsaicin 

Capsaicin is a compound in chili peppers that may increase your body’s internal temperature, adding up to another five to 50 calories burned per day. (4)

HMB (Hydroxymethylbutyrate)

You won’t find this in many fat burners, but HMB, a chemical produced when the body breaks down the amino acid leucine, may help preserve muscle tissue when you’re in a caloric deficit. (1) You can also buy this supplement separately and take it in tandem with a fat burner. 

Green tea extract itself may benefit your brain and heart, making it a generally beneficial health supplement. (5)(6) However, green tea extract contains a compound called EGCG, specifically shown to increase fat oxidation (albeit, in obese individuals). (7) Some fat burners offer just EGCG, and some list green tea extract. 

CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid)

CLA is an omega fatty acid. It’s popular in the fitness community for its ability to aid in weight loss. (8)

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1. Engelen MPKJ, Deutz NEP. Is β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate an effective anabolic agent to improve outcome in older diseased populations?. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2018;21(3):207-213. doi:10.1097/MCO.0000000000000459
2. Hursel R, Viechtbauer W, Dulloo AG, Tremblay A, Tappy L, Rumpler W, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. The effects of catechin rich teas and caffeine on energy expenditure and fat oxidation: a meta-analysis. Obes Rev. 2011 Jul;12(7):e573-81. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2011.00862.x. Epub 2011 Mar 2. PMID: 21366839.

3. Dulloo AG, Geissler CA, Horton T, Collins A, Miller DS. Normal caffeine consumption: influence on thermogenesis and daily energy expenditure in lean and postobese human volunteers. Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/49.1.44. PMID: 2912010.

4. Galgani JE, Ravussin E. Effect of dihydrocapsiate on resting metabolic rate in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Nov;92(5):1089-93. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2010.30036. Epub 2010 Sep 8. PMID: 20826626; PMCID: PMC2954444.
5. Schmidt A, Hammann F, Wölnerhanssen B, Meyer-Gerspach AC, Drewe J, Beglinger C, Borgwardt S. Green tea extract enhances parieto-frontal connectivity during working memory processing. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2014 Oct;231(19):3879-88. doi: 10.1007/s00213-014-3526-1. Epub 2014 Mar 19. PMID: 24643507; PMCID: PMC4159594.
6. Bogdanski P, Suliburska J, Szulinska M, Stepien M, Pupek-Musialik D, Jablecka A. Green tea extract reduces blood pressure, inflammatory biomarkers, and oxidative stress and improves parameters associated with insulin resistance in obese, hypertensive patients. Nutr Res. 2012 Jun;32(6):421-7. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2012.05.007. Epub 2012 Jun 20. PMID: 22749178.

7. Thielecke F, Rahn G, Böhnke J, Adams F, Birkenfeld AL, Jordan J, Boschmann M. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and postprandial fat oxidation in overweight/obese male volunteers: a pilot study. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Jul;64(7):704-13. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2010.47. Epub 2010 Apr 7. PMID: 20372175. 

8. Whigham LD, Watras AC, Schoeller DA. Efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid for reducing fat mass: a meta-analysis in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 May;85(5):1203-11. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/85.5.1203. PMID: 17490954.