Many of us are familiar with caffeine's stimulating effects and drink it daily in our coffees and teas for a little pick-me-up. But we often sit there sipping on our morning coffee without considering how it might affect our bodies.
The effects of caffeine on weight are mixed. Under certain circumstances, it may cause weight gain and an increase in belly fat. But if consumed sensibly, it will actually benefit the waistline.
Continue reading to discover caffeine's numerous effects on weight management, metabolism, and fat burning.
Our Favorite Energy Boost
Caffeine is a natural compound found in plant products like tea and coffee. It has powerful stimulant effects on the central nervous system, heart, muscles, and centers that control blood pressure, making us feel more alert, energetic, and focused.
People consume caffeine for many different reasons - to help them wake up, stay alert, improve exercise performance, increase productivity, or any other activity that would benefit from an extra energy boost.
Caffeine is one of the most commonly consumed ingredients, with a shocking 80% of the world population consuming a caffeinated product every day! 1.
How Does Caffeine Affect Weight?
Caffeine itself is very low in calories, so it will not make you gain weight. On the contrary - a black coffee, with no added sugar or other additional ingredients, can actually promote a healthy weight.
To understand how this works, first, you need to know about the basic principle of weight loss: You must consume fewer calories than your body uses to lose weight - either through eating less or exercising more. This is known as a calorie deficit.
In this state, energy isn't readily available to power the body. Instead, it switches to burning fat for fuel, helping you shed pounds.
By acting as a stimulant, caffeine can improve your metabolism and increase the number of calories your body burns a day - without you even having to lift a finger.
One study found that 410 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight increased metabolism by 13% 2. While another study found that people who regularly consumed coffee and caffeine were more successful at achieving and maintaining weight loss 3.
As well as boosting your metabolism, caffeine may also promote weight loss by suppressing the production of the hormone ghrelin, which promotes feelings of hunger. Research suggests that by acting as an appetite suppressant, caffeine may help reduce the total number of calories consumed throughout the day 4.
But don't get carried away and start knocking back the coffee too soon. If you like your caffeinated drinks sweetened with sugar or other additives, this will increase your calorie intake and encourage weight gain.
Adding other calorie-rich ingredients to your coffee, such as milk or coconut oil, will also bump up the calories. So, best to keep away from the caramel frappuccinos!
Another way caffeine may negatively impact your weight is by disrupting your sleeping patterns if consumed later in the day. Caffeine makes you feel more awake by blocking the effects of a chemical in your brain called adenosine, which makes you feel sleepy.
Sleep is essential for the body to restore itself, and not enough of it can have numerous adverse effects on your body and health. Multiple studies have found a link between poor sleep quality and sleep deprivation and increased weight gain, appetite, and unhealthy cravings 5.
The Best Source of Caffeine For Weight Management
Taking a daily caffeine supplement is a quick, easy and reliable way to acquire that jolt of energy you are after without any negative effects on your weight.
Hitting up Starbucks daily will only expose you to tempting sweat treats and extravagant, calorific coffees. And let's face it, black coffees often aren't that tasty!
Performance Lab Caffeine+ provides a hit of caffeine for better alertness, mood, brain function, and energy. It contains a clever combination of other complementary ingredients, such as L-theanine, for cleaner and calmer stimulation, without the jitters or energy crashes of a coffee.
Conclusion
Caffeine is a popular substance that a large percentage of the world's population consumes daily to improve alertness, energy, and performance. But caffeine can have numerous effects on your weight, depending on how it is consumed.
Caffeine as a stand-alone substance will not promote weight gain, as it contains very few calories. Things like black coffees and caffeine supplements can actually do the opposite and encourage weight loss through metabolism boosting and appetite suppressing effects.
If caffeine is consumed in sweetened, fatty beverages, it can increase your overall daily calorie intake and may lead to weight gain. Caffeine consumed late in the day can also interfere with sleep, linked to fat storage and weight gain.
A caffeine supplement is the easiest, quickest, and least harmful to your weight yet still provides all the benefits of your much-loved coffee.
References
- Heckman, Melanie A., Jorge Weil, and Elvira Gonzalez De Mejia. "Caffeine (1, 3, 7 trimethylxanthine) in foods: a comprehensive review on consumption, functionality, safety, and regulatory matters." Journal of food science 75.3 (2010): R77-R87.
- Acheson, Kevin J., et al. "Metabolic effects of caffeine in humans: lipid oxidation or futile cycling?." The American journal of clinical nutrition 79.1 (2004): 40-46.
- Icken, Dina, et al. "Caffeine intake is related to successful weight loss maintenance." European journal of clinical nutrition70.4 (2016): 532-534.
- Schubert, Matthew M., et al. "Caffeine, coffee, and appetite control: a review." International journal of food sciences and nutrition 68.8 (2017): 901-912.
- Wu, Yili, Long Zhai, and Dongfeng Zhang. "Sleep duration and obesity among adults: a meta-analysis of prospective studies." Sleep medicine 15.12 (2014): 1456-1462.
