Right next to the male enhancement products and the heartfelt letters from my Nigerian friends, are offers for magical weight loss supplements that claim to have the ability to evaporate my fat on contact!

There’s a lot of buzz, especially on the Internet, about all these outrageous fat loss products, especially teas that will help you lose weight: green tea with hoodia, green tea plus, wu yi green tea. You name the teas, and of course it’s going to magically help you lose weight.

[There are a ton of great pics on the web like this one that show the beauty of a green tea field. Supposedly, this is a shot from one such field near Mt. Fugi in Japan. Absolutely stunning! ]

Green Tea and Weight Loss?

Now the sexy part about green tea is that there actually is scientific evidence to show that green tea can help with weight loss.

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The sentence above was actually blurted out loud by one individual to another in my local gym changeroom. I glanced over hoping to see a coy smile or a sarcastic eyebrow raise, but nothing. I don’t usually eavedrop on other conversations but the exchange continued with the following defending remark:

Downing an energy drink on the way to the gym is the best way to keep your energy levels up for a workout. *snicker*

Really? What happened to healthy eating and consistent chunks of sleep being the keys to long lasting energy to get you through your day and your workout? Contrary to the numerous ads and the abundant gas station stockings of these various energy drinks, here’s what we know about them:
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In order to reach your fat loss goals or improve your performance, people are often tempted to turn to supplements. Ever flipped through a fitness magazine? You are bombarded with glossy before/after pictures, medical and chemical diagrams, all the while trying to convince you that your efforts are going to waste without their products.

Sometimes supplements can be helpful when you have established appropriate eating habits and exercise regularly. However, sometimes they can be harmful with risks ranging from mild nausea to organ damage or even death. There is no shortage of supplements on the market. Unfortunately, many of them don’t work as claimed and haven’t been well studied.

Fortunately, we examine 3 popular supplements that do have some research behind them.

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