TL;DR Article Summary
Fat burners by themselves don’t kill muscle gains. Rather, it’s the calorie deficit, coupled with low protein intake, that ultimately leads to muscle loss. If you add a fat burner to that equation, the negative effect on your gains will be even worse. That said, quality fat burners don’t kill muscle gains; it’s the opposite. Fat burners with ingredients like HMB calcium work to protect your gains – preventing things like calorie deficit from eating your muscle mass, and instead helping the body burn more fat as fuel.
Calorie Deficit and Muscle Loss
If you are in a calorie deficit, your body will be in a state of catabolism. Catabolism is when the body breaks down muscle tissue for fuel. In order to maintain muscle mass, you need to make sure that your calorie deficit is not too low. Muscle tissue will continue to be lost if you are in a calorie deficit and do not consume enough protein.
There are two main types of muscle tissue: slow twitch and fast twitch. Slow-twitch muscle fibers are used for endurance activities like running, while fast-twitch muscles are used for quick bursts of power.
Different people have different proportions of these two types of muscles. The average person has about 50% slow-twitch and 50% fast-twitch muscles, but bodybuilders can have up to 90% slow-twitch muscle.
Slow-twitch muscle fibers don’t use as much energy as the fast-twitch ones, so when you’re in a calorie deficit and your body is trying to conserve calories, it will prioritize the use of the slower fibers first – which will lead to a decrease in both size and strength over time.
Do Fat Burners Hurt Muscle Gains?
The truth is that fat burners don’t hurt muscle gains. They can actually help you lose more weight and gain more muscle if they use ingredients like HMB calcium which protect muscle tissue.
The link between fat burners and muscle loss is a myth, but there are some side effects that can be caused by fat burners. It’s not likely that you will experience any of them if you use a high-quality product with the right ingredients, in the right doses.
Fat Burning Ingredients That Protect Muscle Gains
Some of the best muscle-sparing compounds in supplements include:
- BCAAs
BCAAs are branched-chain amino acids that are important for muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth. They can be found in all animal protein sources.
The most common BCAA is leucine, which is a building block for muscle proteins. It also plays a role in the regulation of insulin, which is important for muscle growth and recovery.
Supplementing with BCAAs can help to prevent muscle loss during periods of calorie restriction or fasting, as well as boost performance during high intensity exercise sessions.
- HMB Calcium
HMB is a metabolite of the amino acid leucine. It is an inhibitor of the breakdown of muscle protein and has been shown to be more effective than leucine alone in maintaining lean muscle mass.
HMB calcium is a supplement that contains HMB and calcium. The calcium helps with absorption of HMB. It also provides other health benefits such as improving bone strength and preventing osteoporosis, reducing high blood pressure, and lowering cholesterol levels.
- CLA
CLA is a fat that is found naturally in beef and dairy products. It has been suggested to have many health benefits, including the improvement of fat loss without sacrificing muscle mass. CLA can be taken as a supplement or found in food sources like grass-fed beef and butter from pasture-raised cows. CLA supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so it’s important to look for one that contains 100% pure CLA with no additives or fillers.