Does caffeine help with weight loss?

Does caffeine help with weight loss?

Does caffeine help with weight loss?

You may have heard that caffeine can help you lose weight, which is true, to a certain extent. The fact is that there’s no solid proof linking increased caffeine consumption to significant or permanent weight loss.

Many beverages contain caffeine, including coffee, tea, energy drinks and cola. Cocoa and chocolate can also be found in medication and dietary supplements, including some supplements that target weight loss.

Although the jury is still out on the link between caffeine and weight, two theories explain how one might affect the other:

By suppressing appetite: although caffeine can temporarily mitigate feelings of hunger, there is no proof that long-term consumption of caffeinated products will lead to weight loss.

By burning calories: caffeine is known to help stimulate thermogenesis—the production of heat in a human or animal body—but not at levels significant enough to achieve permanent weight loss.

As if that weren’t enough, many of the studies conducted on the subject were performed on animals, making the results hard to apply to humans. Furthermore, some even concluded that decaffeinated coffee could contribute to modest weight reduction, implying that something other than caffeine may be at play.

The bottom line is that the idea of losing weight via caffeine consumption requires careful consideration. A moderate use (400 milligrams or less), especially in healthy adults, is considered safe, but too much of it can cause problems like nervousness, insomnia, nausea, and high blood pressure.

Remember that many caffeinated beverages, such as specialty coffees and soft drinks, contain high levels of calories in the form of added fats and sugars, which, we assure you, no amount of caffeine will be able to offset.

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