Caffeine and weight loss
Some research has shown that caffeine can possibly have a positive effect on weight loss and weight management, along with a few other benefits. That’s the short version, and it both requires and deserves a closer look. What is known is that caffeine increases your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is the rate at which you burn calories at rest. The higher your RMR, the easier it is for you to lose weight and the more you can eat without gaining weight. Studies have shown that caffeine can increase this RMR anywhere from 3% to 11%. It’s also been found that most of the increase in metabolism is caused by an increase in fat burning.
Weight loss through lowering the amount of body fat has been found to also significantly reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes – nearly in half. The effect is somewhat lessened for those who are obese, but nevertheless, the same mechanism is at work. In addition, caffeine also acts as an appetite suppressant, which is why it is found in many over-the-counter diet products. In essence, the research suggests that caffeine can at least decrease weight gain, if not help outright with weight loss. More research is ongoing, deservedly so, into the connection of caffeine to weight loss and management.
Caffeine, please
For many people, the day does not officially get started, mentally or physically, until they’ve had a cup coffee, or tea. Basically until they’ve had some caffeine. Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive substance worldwide, acting as a central nervous system stimulant (CNS). It is estimated that 70-80% of the world’s population consumes caffeine in some form, daily. The American Medical Association cites that 85% of adults in the U.S. consume caffeine daily. The most common forms of consumption are coffee and tea, with coffee being the most used in the U.S.
Caffeine occurs naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves, guarana berries, yerba mate leaves and cocoa beans (and thus, chocolate). It can also be made synthetically, and whether natural or synthetic, is added to many products, including soda, energy drinks, supplements, over-the-counter medications, and even ice cream and chewing gum. It is known for the desired effects of quickly boosting alertness and energy levels.
How much caffeine should you have?
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How much caffeine can be safely consumed will vary with each individual. In the U.S., medical sources as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Academies of Science (NAS) concur that, for healthy adults, up to 400 mg a day shouldn’t raise any serious health concerns. For pregnant and breastfeeding women, the recommendation is 200 mg. The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) and Health Canada are also in agreement with this recommended standard. Once again, it depends on the overall health of the individual and their sensitivity to caffeine. Some people can have multiple cups of coffee a day, while others may experience raised blood pressure, disrupted sleep, headaches, irritability, or nervousness from just one cup. As an adult, you probably already have a good idea of your body’s reaction to caffeine, but should still get medical advice if you notice any changes to that, or plan on incorporating into your diet in a way you haven’t done before.
How does caffeine work?
The reason caffeine makes you feel more energized and alert is because it blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter called adenosine. Adenosine is a central nervous system depressant. By blocking it, caffeine increases the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. The stimulation of dopamine may help with depression, and it not only makes you feel more awake, but it’s also known to improve exercise performance by 11-12%.
Caffeine also helps to mobilize fat from fat tissue. When it stimulates the nervous system, it increases levels of the hormone epinephrine, otherwise known as adrenaline. Adrenaline signals fat tissues to break down the fat cells and release them into your blood. That being said, you still need to be burning more calories than you are consuming in order to lose weight. This is where caffeine increasing your resting metabolic rate also helps.
The benefits of coffee (and tea)
The beneficial effects of caffeine can take place regardless of the source. However some benefits are specific to coffee and tea, which is where most people get their caffeine. Besides caffeine, there are some active biological substances that are specific to coffee beans and affect metabolism.
• Theobromine – is the same class of stimulant as caffeine, but give a longer lasting, more relaxed energy. It also supports brain and cardiovascular health, and is an adenosine blocker.
• Theophylline – supports lung health, acts as a bronchodilator.
• Chlorogenic acid – helps slow the absorption of carbs.
While coffee is the most popular caffeinated beverage, tea is a good source of polyphenols, providing antioxidants and helping to reduce inflammation. It is often a good alternative for people who want to get the benefits of caffeine, but in smaller doses. It’s important to note that any weight loss benefits to be had from coffee or tea, are quickly negated by adding cream or sugar, or having it with a pastry or other high calorie food.
The weight loss factor
By speeding up the metabolism and stimulating fat breakdown, caffeine can be a good addition to a weight loss or weight management program. The results of one study showed that a person who consumed twice as much caffeine as another had a 22% more reduction in weight, a 17% more reduction in BMI, and a 28% more reduction in body fat. In another study, overweight people who drank four cups of coffee per day lost 3.7% of their body fat, versus people who drank the same amount of a placebo. Another study with tea, showed benefits in calorie burning for a control group drinking tea, versus a placebo group.
As with most effective and successful weight loss and weight management approaches, it’s never just one factor that is going to do it all. Just drinking coffee, or consuming caffeine will probably not get you where you want to be in terms of your weight goals. You will be best served by using caffeine moderately and as part of a healthy lifestyle that includes getting regular exercise, eating a well-balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and healthy fats, drinking plenty of water, and finally getting plenty of sleep. Sleep is the one factor that is often overlooked in many diet plans, but it’s contribution to overall health and successful weight loss cannot be overstated. To find out more about the role of sleep on your weight (as well as other things) go here
How Riize Health can help
Whether you have already lost some weight, or you’re considering starting the process, it’s helpful to consider ahead of time what you will need to do to keep the weight off in the long-term. Making lifestyle changes accordingly will contribute a lot to being able to successfully lose weight. Adding regular, ongoing semaglutide treatments can enhance those changes even more, and be part of a healthy weight loss and maintenance regimen.
Riize Health is a proven leader in oral dissolving drug delivery systems. Riize Weight Maintenance Strips provide micro-dosing of semaglutide in an oral dissolving film strip. The superior effectiveness of oral dissolving strips in delivering active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) comes from bypassing the body’s first-pass metabolism, and going straight to the bloodstream via the capillary system in oral tissue. Riize Weight Maintenance strips use state-of-the-art thin film technology, domestically manufactured under strict guidelines, and prescribed through a secure, licensed telemedicine platform. Used daily, the strips offer an innovative new, non-injectable way to sustain the effectiveness of semaglutide by blocking food-craving signals and rendering signals of fullness.
So, regardless of whether you are using semaglutide, have used semaglutide and stopped, or have never tried semaglutide for weight loss and maintenance, Riize Weight Maintenance strips offer an easy-to-use, effective way to deliver semaglutide treatment without injections, and a sustainable approach to ongoing weight management.
SOURCES
- https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/mar/14/caffeine-may-reduce-body-fat-and-risk-of-type-2-diabetes-study-suggests
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-increase-metabolism/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25750625/
- https://www.henryford.com/blog/2024/02/effects-of-caffeine-on-metabolism-what-you-should-know
- https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-impact-caffeine
- https://www.examine.com/articles/caffeine-consumption/
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/snooze-more-eat-less-sleep-deprivation-may-hamper-weight-control-202204042718
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30335479/
- https://www.healthline.com/health-news/study-finds-unsweetened-coffee-is-linked-to-weight-loss
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/caffeine-metabolism-7551953
- https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519490/
