Increasing numbers of studies suggest that increasing your caffeine intake can make you thinner. Most people drink coffee daily, and many fat-burning supplements also contain caffeine.
This is because caffeine helps mobilize fats from fat tissues, and can even increase your metabolism. Moreover, the science behind caffeine and its effect on the body suggests that it may have properties that can help you lose weight from both short- and long-term perspectives, though nothing is conclusive.
The science behind caffeine
Coffee, the most commonly consumed caffeine-rich drink, contains several substances that can affect metabolism and weight loss. These substances include:
- Caffeine – caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, and, as mentioned above, can boost metabolism and mobilize fat stored in the body.
- Chlorogenic acid – some studies suggest that chlorogenic acid, present in coffee, may slow down the body’s absorption of carbohydrates. Moreover, chlorogenic acid affects metabolism and how the body handles blood sugar, which are also important for weight loss.
Other beverages that contain caffeine – sodas, energy drinks, and teas included – also produce weight-loss effects.
How caffeine mobilizes fat
Caffeine, as a central nervous system stimulant, prompts chemical messages that direct fat cells to break down stored fat in the body. Caffeine also triggers the production of epinephrine, or adrenaline, increasing levels of the hormone in the bloodstream.
Because epinephrine triggers the release of fats into the bloodstream, the body is able to use fat for energy, decreasing fat stores in the body and helping you lose weight.
How caffeine increases your metabolic rate
Your metabolism affects how your body converts calories into energy and, at a more basic level, how many calories your body burns throughout the day. Your metabolism continues to work, whether you’re exercising or at rest.
While some people blame their metabolism for weight gain, others know that caffeine can increase your metabolic rate. In fact, some studies suggest that caffeine can raise your metabolic rate by 3 to 11 percent. It is caffeine’s effect on fat metabolism that produces such a pronounced change. However, the results are more noticeable in those who are young and lean.
The big picture of caffeine and weight loss
Weight loss is about making a lifestyle change and having a long-term goal. Unfortunately, while caffeine can have an effect on weight loss, it isn’t enough on its own to produce long-term weight loss effects. Rather, it may provide a temporary boost, or, if you’re already immune to caffeine’s effects because you’re a regular consumer, you may experience no effects at all.
Read: What is Caffeine Anhydrous
The lesson? You cannot count on caffeine, or on any substance for that matter, for weight loss. Instead, you must rely on a lifestyle change – diet and exercise included – to promote and maintain long-term weight loss.
Of course, you may also want to use PhenQ when you need an extra fat loss boost, need energy for the gym, or are working on otherwise amplifying your weight loss efforts. Doing so, along with regular diet and exercise, is a simple way to naturally enhance weight loss without relying on a substance like caffeine to get results.