Fat loss isn’t a simple process. To burn body fat while maintaining muscle, you need to eat in a caloric deficit and keep a consistent workout routine. The results won’t happen overnight but if you want a leaner physique, there’s no way around hard work.
Once your diet and training schedule are dialed in, though, you may decide to try a fat burner to help speed up and optimize your efforts. These supplements are packed with ingredients, like l-carnitine, cayenne pepper, and caffeine, that can help you shed that last little bit of lingering fat. Our team of Barbend experts has gathered all the best fat burners for men, no matter your fitness goal. Keep reading to find the ideal supplement for your needs.
Best Fat Burners for Men of 2024
- Best Fat Burner for Men Overall: Transparent Labs Recomp
- Best Thermogenic Fat Burner For Men: Jacked Factory Burn XT
- Best Non-Stim Fat Burner for Men: Legion Phoenix Stim-Free
- Best L-Carnitine for Men: 1st Phorm L-Carnitine
- Best Berberine: BulkSupplements Berberine HCL Powder
- Best Green Tea Extract: Thorne Green Tea Extract
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.
Best Men’s Fat Burners Video Review
Be sure to check out our video review of these top picks. This video provides an even more in-depth analysis of the best fat burners for men.
How We Chose The Best Men’s Fat Burners
Even the best fat burning supplements for men are relatively straightforward products. They contain a handful of ingredients aimed towards increasing thermogenesis and lipolysis while also suppressing appetite and increasing energy and focus — all to aid your diet.
Based on our supplement testing methodology, we focused on three main areas: ingredients — namely, the quality and quantity — how much the product costs, and then the serving size.
- Ingredients: There’s a shortlist of fat-burning ingredients linked to fat loss and thermogenesis. The supplements on this list all contain at least one scientifically-backed supplement that is shown to aid in either thermogenesis or lipolysis.
- Price: The fat burners on this list vary in price, but we made sure that there’s an option for all budgets. Even our lower-priced picks offer solid ingredients.
- Serving Size: Some fat burners require that you take multiple pills two times a day. There’s a pick or two on this list with a heftier serving size. We also selected brands that offer a more modest dose for the pill-averse.
- Claims: Fat burners can make some pretty tall claims, suggesting their product can melt fat off your body. Unfortunately, these aren’t magic pills. We weeded through products with unrealistic claims and prioritized options that, combined with diet and exercise, may help you along your fat-loss journey.
- Third-Party Testing: Our team prioritizes products that are tested and verified by a third-party lab. That helps ensure you’re getting products with accurate labels.
Best Fat Burner for Men Overall: Transparent Labs Recomp
This fat burner contains research suggested ingredient amounts of green tea extract, as well as synephrine, and HTP-5, which may suppress your appetite.
Specs
- Main Ingredients: 300mg green tea leaf extract, 250mg forslean, 125mg natural caffeine, 125mg l-theanine, 50mg capsimax
- Capsules per Serving: Two capsules
- Price: $54.99
Despite the claims you may read, no fat burner for men can magically melt body fat. Alongside a calorie deficit and workout regimen, though, they may help promote progress. Given that Transparent Labs Recomp is a transparent, third-party tested product, we recommend giving this one a shot.
“I’m usually hesitant with fat burners, but I appreciate that Recomp has been tested by a third party,” according to Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, who gave the formulation a 3.5 out of 5. “I also like that Transparent Labs provides research-backed ingredients. Still, fat burners aren’t necessarily appropriate for everyone.”
This supp attacks fat loss from different angles, thanks to its combination of ingredients. In one dose, you get 250mg of forslean, which contains forskolin, an ingredient that may help promote weight loss, according to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
You also get l-theanine, which can help support mental clarity and focus for a distraction-free workout, per the Cleveland Clinic. However, you do need to take multiple servings per day, earning this product a 3 out of 5 for dosage convenience. It’s best to start with one capsule twice per day to determine your tolerance, the brand recommends.
“I like that Transparent Labs doesn’t promote Recomp as a magic pill,” Bourgeois said. “If you’re sensitive to caffeine, the multiple doses of caffeine may not be ideal for you.” Though it’s not necessarily a downside, too much caffeine may not work for every athlete, especially if you train at night.
While we like the formula, TL’s Recomp isn’t the most budget-friendly pick, earning a 4 out of 5 for cost. One serving is only $0.91, however, you have to take multiple servings per day, so you’ll be restocking relatively quickly.
Read our full Transparent Labs Fat Burner Review.
The Thermogenic Fat Burner for Men: Jacked Factory Burn XT
This fat burner combines ingredients to help potentially suppress appetite, boost energy, and increase your total calorie burn. Plus, these capsules are vegetarian-friendly.
Specs
- Main Ingredients: 700mg acetyl l-carnitine hcl, 450mg green tea extract, 270mg caffeine, 50mg capsimax cayenne pepper extract
- Capsules per Serving: One capsule per day but you can increase to two per day
- Price: $31.49
Different fat burners take different approaches in their formulas. Some focus on appetite control and others may increase your body temperature to burn more calories (aka thermogenesis). For those who want a thermogenic fat burner, we recommend Jacked Factory BURN-XT.
Jacked Factory Burn XT contains 450mg of green tea extract, which may help with weight loss and blood sugar regulation. Burn XT also contains 25mg of cayenne pepper and 270mg of total caffeine, which may help with thermogenesis, and increased energy. You also get 700mg of l-carnitine as well, which may help improve your body’s ability to metabolize fat, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). However, this is probably most beneficial for people with larger amounts of body fat, according to Jillian Kubala, RDN.
“I’m generally not a fan of fat burners, but this contains fewer questionable ingredients than others on the market, “ according to Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, who gave the formulation a 3.5 out of 5. “They should still be included mindfully and under the guidance of a doctor if possible.”
Jacked Factory provides supplement facts for both one capsule and two, so beginners can start with a half dose first, which is wise if you’re new to fat burners. However, Jacked Factory does recommend two doses per day, so we gave the dosage convenience a 3 out of 5 rating.
Jacked Factory Burn XT also comes at a pretty reasonable price, earning a 5 out of 5 rating for cost. One 60-serving bottle is $34.99, which is about $0.58 per serving. Despite that you need to take multiple servings daily, this is still one of our most budget-friendly options.
[Related: Best Fat Burners for Women]
Best Non-Stim Fat Burner for Men: Legion Phoenix Stim-Free
Legion's Phoenix comes with an extra absorbable form of synephrine and a high dosage of EGCG to promote its fat-burning properties. Each five-capsule serving provides 834 milligrams of Citrus Aurantium.
Specs
- Main Ingredients: 100mg black ginger, 150mg 5-HTP, 30mg Grains of Paradise, 50mg Forskolin, 8mg Fucoxanthin, 1000mg caralluma fimbriata, 150mg L-DOPA
- Capsules per Serving: Three capsules
- Price: $34.99
For anyone who exercises at night or loves to get their caffeine from coffee (or just doesn’t like caffeine period), we recommend Legion Phoenix Stim-Free. This is a totally stimulant-free formula that provides plenty of research to back up their ingredients.
“The caffeine-free version of Legion Phoenix scores a 3.75 out of 5 for its formulation,” Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN says. “For a fat burner, it contains an impressive list of ingredients with science-backed doses.”
Legion Phoenix Stim-Free includes 5-HTP, caralluma fimbriata, and forskolin, all of which are ingredients that may help suppress your appetite, making it a little easier to maintain a calorie deficit. However, 5-HTP isn’t safe for everyone, according to Jillian Kubala, RDN. If you’re taking any medications (especially SSRIs, MAOIs, or tricyclic antidepressants), it’s best to check with your physician before trying this fat burner.
When it comes to dosage convenience, our testers gave this product a 4 out of 5, as you only need to take one dose of three capsules. We also like that this product is third-party tested and Legion doesn’t try to make any huge fat-burning promises — this product may help you burn more calories and may suppress your appetite.
For 30 servings per bottle, this product costs $34.99, which is about $1.16 per serving. This is pretty pricey compared to other picks on this list, despite that we appreciate the ingredients. Our team rated Legion Phoenix Stim-Free a 3 out of 5 for cost.
Best L-Carnitine for Men: 1st Phorm L-Carnitine
1st Phorm packs 1,500 milligrams of L-carnitine in this supplement. Unlike most other fat burners, this is actually a powder, so you can mix it with your other powdered supplements. It also has a pretty budget-friendly price per serving.
Specs
- Main Ingredients: 1,500mg l-carnitine l-tartrate, 200mg green tea leaf extract, 5mg bioperine, 2.5mg fucoxanthin
- Capsules per Serving: 1 scoop
- Price: $42.99
1st Phorm’s L-carnitine isn’t exactly a fat burner like the other products on this list. However, L-carnitine may help promote fat loss if you’re in a calorie deficit and following an exercise plan. We do still need larger studies to confirm a link between carnitine supplements and weight loss. However, the 1,500-milligram dose is in line with the clinically-researched dosage.
“The 1,500 milligrams of L-carnitine per scoop is very close to the researched recommendation of 2,000 milligrams daily,” according to Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RD, who gave the formulation a 3.5 out of 5. “However, it may be overdoing it, as L-carnitine is found in various food sources.”
One serving also packs 200 milligrams of green tea leaf extract and 2,500 milligrams of fucoxanthin, an ingredient that’s found in brown seaweed. Some studies have shown that fucoxanthin may be linked to anti-obesity, however, there’s a lack of substantial research in this area.
Unlike other fat burners, 1st Phorm’s product does come in five different flavors. It’s also a powdered supplement, whereas most other fat burners are capsules. For that reason, we rated the dosage convenience a 4 out of 5.
Compared to Legion’s fat burner, this one has a pretty approachable price point. One 60-serving container is $42.99, which is about $0.71 per serving. For cost, our testers gave this one a 4.5 out of 5 rating.
Best Berberine: BulkSupplements Berberine HCL Powder
BulkSupplements Berberine HCL powder only has one ingredient — berberine HCL. You can buy this product in bulk sizes to save money but at only $0.21 per serving for the smallest container, we still think this one is extremely budget-friendly.
Specs
- Main Ingredients: 500mg berberine
- Capsules per Serving: About ¼ teaspoon
- Price: $21.96
Our team loves products with simple formulas — the less unnecessary ingredients, the better. That’s precisely why we loved BulkSupplements Berberine HCl. Berberine is the only ingredient in this supplement with zero additives or sweeteners. Berberine is an ingredient found in some plants and may have some weight-loss properties. Some preclinical research has suggested that berberine may help decrease fat levels, however, more studies are needed to create a solid link. (13)
“There is still so much to learn about berberine and its effects on fat loss,” Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, says, rating the formulation a 2.5 out of 5. “In addition to the limited research, the potential for medication interactions really gives me pause. Plus, it’s not third-party tested.”
We do like that this product comes in the form of a powder with no flavor, though. That makes it easy to mix with your supplement stack or in a post-workout smoothie. However, this berberine doesn’t come with a scooper in the bag, so we had to give the dosage convenience a 3.5 out of 5.
There are plenty of bulk buy options to choose from, making it convenient for those who want to save extra money. And when it comes to cost, this one earned a 5 out of 5 rating. One container (50 grams) contains 100 servings and costs $21.96, making the serving cost only about $0.21. Needless to say, it’s definitely a budget-friendly choice.
Best Green Tea Extract: Thorne Green Tea Extract
Thorne packs 250 milligrams of green tea extract in just one capsule of this supplement to help potentially increase your body fat burn. Our team also loves that this supplement is available on Amazon Prime for quick delivery.
Specs
- Main Ingredients: 250mg green tea phytosome
- Capsules per Serving: One capsule
- Price: $30
Green tea extract is a pretty common fat burner ingredient — you can find it in many of the standard fat burners above. For athletes who don’t want to try a typical fat burner pill, green tea extract is a great alternative to consider. If that’s the case, we recommend Thorne’s Green Tea Phytosome, which packs 250 milligrams of decaffeinated green tea extract.
“The research has shown that green tea extract may offer many benefits for the average healthy adult,” according to Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, who gave this formula a 4 out of 5. “However, it doesn’t come without risks and it should be discussed with your doctor before adding to your supplement routine.”
Unfortunately, there isn’t a super strong link between green tea extract and fat loss. Some research has suggested the ingredient can help suppress appetite or support weight loss, while others haven’t replicated those results. Bottom line: the results are pretty modest.
Our team gave Thorne a 3.5 out of 5 for dosage convenience. The serving size is only one capsule but you do have to take two to three servings per day (unless your doctor says otherwise).
On the surface, Thorne’s Green Tea Extract seems pretty budget-friendly. After all, it’s only $30 for a 60-serving bottle. However, considering you need to take up to three servings each day, that’s actually more like $1.50 per serving, making this somewhat pricey. As a result, our team gave this a 3.5 out of 5 for cost.
What Are the Benefits of a Fat Burner?
To lose weight, you must burn more calories (which acts as energy for your body) than you take in. Sounds simple but tracking your intake while also training (and holding down a job, possibly raising a family, managing a roster of friends, and making time for Netflix) is tough. Nail your time management, training, and diet, however, and you can get lean. It just takes time.
That said, supplements can help if everything else is in place. Here are the ways that a fat burner can help decrease your body fat and potentially aid in weight loss.
- Thermogenesis: Most fat burners include ingredients like cayenne pepper extract and caffeine, which can raise your core temperature. As a result, your body needs to work harder to keep your body cool, burning more calories. Your body may burn more calories — extracted from fat and muscle — when your temperature is higher. (3)
- Lipolysis: Some supplements can improve your body’s ability to oxidize fat, specifically. One study showed that caffeine and green tea extract may enhance fat metabolism, improve endurance, and enhance fat oxidation in athletes. (4)
- Appetite Suppression: Fat burners sometimes include ingredients (like 5-HTP or green tea extract) that can curb your hunger pangs. This is particularly helpful since eating fewer calories than you burn can cause your stomach to grumble.
How Much Do Fat Burners Cost?
It’s important to compare the cost of the container as a whole against the number of servings per container to see what you are actually getting for your money. As belly fat burners for guys are fairly inexpensive, this number will usually come out somewhere between $0.50 and $1.00 per serving (though some more robust fat burners may cost around $2.00 per serving).
| Best Fat Burner for Men Overall | Transparent Labs Recomp | $54.99 |
| Best Thermogenic Fat Burner for Men | Jacked Factory BURN XT | $29.99 |
| Best Non-Stim Fat Burner for Men | Legion Phoenix Stim-Free | $54.99 |
| Best L-Carnitine for Men | 1st Phorm L-Carnitine | $42.99 |
| Best Berberine for Men | BulkSupplements Berberine HCL Powder | $21.96 |
| Best Green Tea Extract for Men | Thorne Green Tea Extract | $28.50 |
What to Consider Before Buying a Men’s Fat Burner
Your personal goals come first and foremost when it comes to deciding which supplement will suit you best. You’ll want to weigh the types of ingredients in your fat burner, as well as when you’ll be taking your supplement, and pricing before buying. Keep in mind, even the best belly burner for men isn’t magic!
Ingredients
Most fat burners contain ingredients that help with lipolysis, thermogenesis, or appetite suppression. And while many will include ingredients that can help with all three, some products may lean heavily on one of these three fat burning processes. So, consider which of these processes may best suit your goals.
Timing
Some people like to take their fat burner right when they wake up to jumpstart their metabolism, but others may prefer to take it right before a workout. If you are in the latter group, you’ll want to consider when you workout before choosing your fat burner. Many fat burners contain caffeine, and if you’re working out late at night, this may not suit you best — stim-free fat burners could be better for your exercise regimen.
Price
While most fat burners will include cayenne pepper, caffeine, and green tea, others may also include extras like HMB or DMAE that can help with things outside of fat burn. If you’re willing to spend a little extra money, you can snag one of these products with a more robust ingredient list. If you’re sticking to a budget, just look for the products with basic fat burning ingredients, no extras.
3 Fat Burning Ingredients That May Increase Testosterone
The next time you scan an ingredient label, these ingredients should catch your eye if you’re looking to burn fat and build muscle. While other ingredients can support energy and reduce stress, which may aid your fat loss efforts, these three ingredients have a decent amount of research backing their fat burning efficacy, as well.
They also have links to supporting testosterone production, the primary hormone involved in muscle-building.
CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid)
CLA is an omega-6 fatty acid found mainly in dairy. It’s a popular weight loss supplement that has a decent amount of studies backing its fat loss properties (5). CLA may also be able to synthesize testosterone. One 2013 study found that mice who took CLA experienced a higher amount of free plasma testosterone. When the mice exercised (endurance-style training), those taking CLA saw a greater uptick in testosterone biosynthesis. (7) However, more human research is needed to make any real conclusions.
Caffeine
Caffeine’s fat-burning effects are well-researched. One study shows that caffeine increased the subject’s metabolic rate for three hours after ingestion. Coffee, the study says, has a strong effect, too. It was concluded that coffee and caffeine may help stimulate your metabolic rate and fat oxidation. (8)
As far as testosterone production is concerned, a study in the Journal of Nutrition showed a link between caffeine consumption in men (via coffee) and increased testosterone levels. (9) However, more research is needed in this connection.
Chili Pepper Extract (Capsaicin)
A review of capsaicin studies derived from chili has shown that eating could reduce energy intake by 74 calories. The thought is the extract creates a desire for more carbohydrate-rich food, not fatty foods, which tend to be twice as calorically dense as carbs at nine calories per gram. (10) Another study says that chili activates adipose tissue, or fat, and facilitates weight loss. (11)
A 2013 study on mice, had a control group eat a standard diet while the others ate some with capsacian. The capsacian group showed an increase in serum testosterone levels, which indicates that spicy food derived from chilis may up your testosterone levels. (12)
Best Fat Burners for Men FAQs
Are fat burners safe?
Fat burners, like all dietary supplements, aren’t approved by the FDA. That said, these supplements are merely just a combination of standard ingredients mixed together into a pill. Do not ever exceed the serving size, as many fat burners include stimulants which can negatively impact your health and even cause harm.
If I take a fat burner, then can I ease up on my diet?
No. Nope. Definitely not. Sorry. Even the ingredients above that have been shown to elicit a calorie-burn eliminate, like, 70 calories at most. That’s one Oreo. This isn’t to say you can’t ever ease up on your diet, or cheat, or increase your food intake when you’re in a strength-gaining phase — but you can (and should) do these things whether you’re taking a fat burner or not. Taking a fat burner is no excuse to eat or train differently.
When Should Men Take A Fat Burner?
Fat burners aren’t a must-take supplement and dosage recommendations vary from product to product. Many fat burner brands recommend taking their product on an empty stomach before you eat breakfast. You can also take your fat burner before your workout as fat burners contain a lot of ingredients that can help supply energy (like caffeine). However, these times are simply suggested — there’s no right or wrong time to take a fat burner. (5)(6)
References
- Hui Zhang, Yibo Tang, Ying Zhang, Shuofeng Zhang, Jing Qu, Xu Wang, Ran Kong, Chunchao Han, Zhenquan Liu, “Fucoxanthin: A Promising Medicinal and Nutritional Ingredient”, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2015, Article ID 723515, 10 pages, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/723515
- Mullur R, Liu YY, Brent GA. Thyroid hormone regulation of metabolism. Physiol Rev. 2014;94(2):355-382. doi:10.1152/physrev.00030.2013
- Thermogenesis. Thermogenesis – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/thermogenesis
- Kim J, Park J, Lim K. Nutrition Supplements to Stimulate Lipolysis: A Review in Relation to Endurance Exercise Capacity. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2016;62(3):141-61. doi: 10.3177/jnsv.62.141. PMID: 27465721.
- Boyett JC, Giersch GE, Womack CJ, Saunders MJ, Hughey CA, Daley HM, Luden ND. Time of Day and Training Status Both Impact the Efficacy of Caffeine for Short Duration Cycling Performance. Nutrients. 2016 Oct 14;8(10):639. doi: 10.3390/nu8100639. PMID: 27754419; PMCID: PMC5084026.
- Tinsley, G. M., Urbina, S., Mullins, J., Outlaw, J., Hayward, S., Stone, M., Foster, C., Wilborn, C., & Taylor, L. (2017). Influence of A Thermogenic Dietary Supplement on Safety Markers, Body Composition, Energy Expenditure, Muscular Performance and Hormone Concentrations: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Trial. Journal of sports science & medicine, 16(4), 459–467.
- Barone R, Macaluso F, Catanese P, et al. Endurance exercise and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation up-regulate CYP17A1 and stimulate testosterone biosynthesis. PLoS One. 2013;8(11):e79686. Published 2013 Nov 5.
- Acheson KJ, Zahorska-Markiewicz B, Pittet P, Anantharaman K, Jéquier E. Caffeine and coffee: their influence on metabolic rate and substrate utilization in normal weight and obese individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/33.5.989. PMID: 7369170.
- Wedick NM, Mantzoros CS, Ding EL, et al. The effects of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee on sex hormone-binding globulin and endogenous sex hormone levels: a randomized controlled trial. Nutr J. 2012;11:86. Published 2012 Oct 19. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-11-86
- Whiting, S, Derbyshire, E, Tiwari, BK. Capsaicinoids and capsinoids. A potential role for weight management? A systematic review of the evidence. Appetite. 2012;59(2):341-348. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2012.05.015
- Sharon Varghese, Peter Kubatka, Luis Rodrigo, Katarina Gazdikova, Martin Caprnda, Julia Fedotova, Anthony Zulli, Peter Kruzliak & Dietrich Büsselberg(2017) Chili pepper as a body weight-loss food, International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 68:4, 392-401, DOI: 1080/09637486.2016.1258044
- Ilhan T, Erdost H. Effects of capsaicin on testis ghrelin expression in mice. Biotech Histochem. 2013 Jan;88(1):10-8. doi: 10.3109/10520295.2012.724083. Epub 2012 Sep 27. PMID: 23013364.
- Ilyas, Zahra, et al. “The effect of berberine on weight loss in order to prevent obesity: A systematic review.” Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, vol. 127, July 2020, p. 110137, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110137.
