Burner Pills

Nighttime fat burners claim that they can help promote weight loss while you sleep. If the claims made by nighttime fat burners were true, these weight loss pills would be a virtually effort-free treatment of obesity. Unfortunately, the reality of these night weight loss pills doesn't match the hype.

How Nighttime Fat Burners Claim to Work

Nighttime weight loss pills claim to curb nighttime appetite, increase metabolism and promote a good night's sleep.

Advertisements for this "treatment" of obesity may cite a link between lack of sleep and weight gain. This is true: poor sleep causes hormonal changes that affect appetite. Nighttime fat burner pills, however, don't get to the root of that issue--the only way to remedy a lack of sleep is, simply, changing your sleeping habits.

Nighttime fat burner pills typically contain a mixture of substances that promote relaxation and sleep, including:

• Chamomile
• GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
• Hops
• Jujube (also known as "Chinese date" or "Red date")
• L-Theanine (green tea amino acid)
• Melatonin (a natural hormone that regulates sleep)
• Passion flower
• Valerian root.

Ingredients and dosages of sleep-promoting ingredients differ among nighttime fat burner pills, and it can be difficult to determine a night weight loss pill's exact ingredients.

Caffeine is the most common substance used to increase metabolism in nighttime fat burner pills. A stimulant, caffeine may be listed as green tea, yerba mate, kola nut or guarana. Non-stimulant ingredients in night weight loss pills that suppress appetite and increase metabolism include:

• Cayenne/capsaicin: A pepper extract, which may increase metabolism
• Cordial salicifolia extract: Sometimes used as an appetite suppressant, despite lack of clinical evidence
• Ginger: A mild metabolism booster, ginger requires higher doses than found in most weight loss pills
• Griffonia seed extract (5-HTP): An extract that only aids with weight loss in high doses.

Nighttime fat burners may also contain natural diuretics, which may provide an illusion of weight loss through increased fluid loss.

Pills for Night Weight Loss and Safety

Anyone considering losing weight at night should choose nighttime fat burners with care. Little evidence, if any, proves that these weight loss pills work. It's also difficult to determine the amount of the individual ingredients in the pills. Sleep-promoting ingredients in nighttime weight loss pills may interact with some medications, particularly antidepressants, anxiety medications, muscle relaxants and sleeping pills.

Instead of using over-the-counter weight loss pills, doctors recommend regular exercise and a healthy diet if you want to slim down. In addition, since proper sleep affects weight gain, healthy sleep habits are also important. For a good night's sleep:

• Avoid alcohol and tobacco.
• Don't eat or drink before bed.
• Don't watch television or use a computer in the bedroom.
• Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
• Use the bedroom only for sleep or relaxation.

Resources

Hoodia Diet Pills. (n.d.). Hoodia diet pills and natural sleep-aids. Retrieved May 3, 2010, from http://www.hoodia-dietpills.com/weight_loss_pills.htm.

Sorgen, C. (2005). Want to lose weight? Get some sleep. Retrieved May 3, 2010, from http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52027.

Top 4 Diet Pills. (n.d.). The different types of diet pills. Retrieved May 3, 2010, from http://www.4dietpill.com/diet-pill-types/.

Ultimate Fat Burner. (n.d.). Controlled lab's REDuction PM review: Night time fat burner? Retrieved May 3, 2010, from http://www.ultimatefatburner.com/controlled-labs-reduction-PM.html.