1. Get up and Go! - Caffeine affects our Central Nervous System and leads us to being more alert and increases our endurance for manual and physical labor. In 1991, Harvard conducted a study on caffeine's affects on trained runners, which resulted a 44% in runner's endurance after a dosage of 9 mg per 2 pounds of body weight.
2. It's gettin' hot in here! - Though it is not proven, there are many experts that believe caffeine has a thermogenic effect, which produces heat through metabolic process, burning more calories.
3.Water loss- Caffeine has a diuretic effect. This one should be negated, as water loss would only be temporary.
4. Appetite Suppression/Stimulant - From my research, there have been studies to show caffeine acts as either/or. In my opinion, I'd say that it differs on the person and I have some ideas on that. I think that a person who is going and going all day or suffers with Depression would find it act as a suppressant. Why? Because when you are busy all day you are more focused on what is at task and you don't have time to think about eating. This is because caffeine enhances mental capacity and alertness. Have you ever been hyper/excited and noticed your mind thinking about 20 different things at once. Its impact on people with depression comes from my own experience. A symptom of depression is overeating/emotional eating. I noticed when I did take caffeine that decreased that symptom. For people that have nothing to do all day may find caffeine acts as a stimulant, not because of a physiological affect on hunger but by boredom. You ever notice when you are bored you eat more? Also, caffeine causes adrenaline to be released into your bloodstream which causes sugar to be released from your energy stores. So when you "crash", you tend to crave sugary things.
My opinion and experience
If I were to advise whether it is something to make apart of your routine or not, I'd say it depends on your lifestyle. If you do exercise, I think caffeine before a workout does have a positive benefit because of 1 and 2. If you have a better workout because of caffeine, that means more calories burned. You need to see what works best for you. If you are thinking of taking a supplement with caffeine, you should make sure you do your research first. My experience with Hydroxycut was a horrible one. I got so jittery and because of the high amount of caffeine, when I would crash so hard I would start to crave sugar. This didn't help my weight loss efforts whatsoever and created such a tolerance for caffeine I struggled for a couple weeks after to get my body back on track. However, I do find that when I have energy, I eat healthier because I am not eating bad foods to give me the energy level I need to get through the day. So I say do what feels best for you. 250 mg a day is considered a safe amount for daily consumption, so if some coffee every morning gets you up and going to take charge of your day and you do not have a crash then I would recommend it. If you find a safe supplement with a reasonable amount of caffeine that is meant to be taken pre workout and it doesn't keep you up at night, try it. But know that caffeine is a stimulant, it is addictive, and caffeine alone isn't going to make you lose weight but how it affects our brain and body is what can aid in weight loss if maintained a proper diet and exercise regimen.
References:
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine/HQ00369
Newall CA, et al. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical
Thanks Lisa! Great info. I was curious because the weightloss program at the gym is caffeine free because they said caffeine gives you a false sense of hunger. I had never heard that rational before.
ReplyDeleteAmy