Fat burners, when used in conjunction with diet and exercise, can have beneficial effects. The key, however, is that they be used alongside a healthy diet and regular exericise, not in place of them. Too many people rely solely on burners and dietary supplements and the results of such behavior can have detrimental effects.

If you're unsure whether you should be using fat burners, you should discuss your situation with a physician. In fact, before taking any dietary supplement, your doctor should be consulted. Once you've been given the green light and have been given guidelines for a combination of diet, exercise and supplement intake, you can begin your search for the proper fat burner.

Supplements are fast becoming part of the majority of weight loss programs. Most use ingredients that are thought to stimulate the metabolism, burning off extra weight. They also have the added bonus of providing a boost in energy. Some people who have followed a sensible nutrition and exercise program have reported losses of up to 20 pounds of body fat in as little as 12 weeks with the use of such supplements, though results will vary with each person.

There are both prescription and non-prescription versions of fat burners. Many of the non-prescription versions are marketed as ''herbal supplements'' or ''sports supplements. Although you can buy these without a doctor's prescription, it is important to run the idea by your doctor just to be safe. One other thing to be aware about is that the claims made by most of these supplements have never been verified by the FDA.