Can caffeine help with weight loss? The answer is not completely straightforward. While there is a lot of research supporting caffeine as a way to increase metabolism, not everyone consume caffeine in the same way. Sometimes what you take or do not take with your caffeine can be more important than the caffeinated beverage itself.
What’s the Research?
The research shows that caffeine may increase metabolism and reduce overall food intake. However some research also shows that coffee can lead to increased consumption of high sugar snacks and processed foods. High caffeine intake is associated with weight loss through thermogenesis and fat oxidation. Habitual caffeine use has been associated with weight loss that is greater than low caffeine use. In addition, caffeine intake is associated with increase satiety – especially in women who experience greater decreases in leptin.
However the relationship between caffeine and food can also be complicated. Most people who consume caffeine do not just take it in a tablet. Instead they consume it in beverages like coffee and tea or even in energy drinks. What you add to these types of beverages can significantly impact its usefulness at assisting in weight loss. In addition, some studies show that drinking beverages like coffee may actually increase cravings for sugary and processed snacks even though it increases thermogenesis and fat oxidation.
How Do You Take Your Coffee?
What you put in your coffee is often more important in determining how it will affect your weight loss efforts. Black coffee itself only as 2 calories per cup but this can change quickly as you add sweeteners and creamers.
Here are some examples of how the calories in your cup of coffee can quickly increase:
- Sugar: 16 calories for 1 teaspoon (4 grams)
- Heavy whipping cream: 101 calories for 2 tablespoons (1 ounce, or about 30 milliliters)
- Half-and-half: 37 calories for 2 tablespoons (1 ounce, or about 30 milliliters)
- Fat-free milk: 10 calories for 2 tablespoons (1 ounce, or about 30 milliliters)
Given the high caloric value of coffee after adding any of the above, it is often recommended that people trying to lose weight switch to drinking black coffee or tea if they drink it. If you find it difficult to switch to black coffee, it may be easier to do so slowly. Start by using ¼ less sugar or creamer, then ½ less, etc. until you are used to drinking it black. You may also find alternatives to flavoring your coffee like a low-calorie sweetener or a few drops of vanilla.
Are There Risks?
A lot of research has been done on coffee, tea, and caffeine. In general drinking a cup or two of coffee daily has not been associated with negative health effects. Taking caffeine may be an issue for you if you have a heart condition or other health concern related to blood pressure. If you do not currently take or consume any kind of caffeine and you have a health condition, you may want to first consult with your healthcare provider.
Caffeine may also affect your sleep – making it more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Not getting enough sleep has actually been associated with weight gain and increased caloric intake. The general recommendation is to not consume any caffeine within 6 hours of your bedtime. When you don’t get enough sleep, you are more likely to consume more during the day. This may be related to the higher levels of appetite-stimulating hormones that are present after sleep deprivation. It may also be related to increased waking hours leading to more opportunities to snack.
Compounding Formulations
Our pharmacy compounds a few weight management capsules that include caffeine. These include capsules combined with bupropion and naltrexone – two drugs found in FDA approved medications for weight loss. These weight loss medications are only available with a prescription from your doctor. They are only to be used in combination with diet and exercise and under the supervision of your healthcare provider.
Conclusions
There is definitely research that supports caffeine having an effect on weight. Drinking caffeinated beverages can increase your metabolism to help you manage weight when it is combined with diet and exercise. However it is important to remember that adding sugar and creamers to a beverage can quickly negate any positive effects. While the research may not be conclusive enough to recommend a non-coffee drinker start drinking it, we are getting closer to an answer on caffeine as a weight loss tool.
Articles
Body Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance in Relation to Habitual Caffeine Intake and Green Tea Supplementation – Obesity Society
Waking Up to Sleep’s Role in Weight Control – Harvard Obesity Prevention Source