Caffeine & Its Relationship to Weight Loss

Did you know that caffeine can help you lose weight? If you think that sounds too good to be true, think again. Scientists have just discovered that caffeine stimulates the body’s weight loss mechanisms! So, what’s the scoop behind this scientific miracle? Scientists from the University of Nottingham have discovered that drinking a cup of coffee can stimulate ‘brown fat’, the body’s natural fat-fighting defense. The research suggests that caffeine could be used to tackle obesity and diabetes.

Brown Fat Burns Calories

Brown adipose tissue (BAT), also known as brown fat, is one of two types of fat found in humans and other mammals. Initially only attributed to babies and hibernating mammals, it was discovered in recent years that adults can have brown fat too.  

Brown fat’s main function is to generate body heat by burning sugar and fat, often in response to cold. This is opposite to white fat, which is a result of storing excess calories. White fat is the kind of fat that makes people “overweight”.

Research has shown that increasing brown fat’s activity improves blood sugar control, supports healthy blood lipid levels, and assists with weight loss by burning extra calories. This is amazing news because it means that caffeine, in addition to helping with weight loss, also helps promote better health overall through its actions on blood sugar and lipid levels. 

Caffeine Stimulates Brown Fat

However, even though scientists have known about the actions of brown fat in the human body, until now no one has found a good way to stimulate the activity of brown fats in humans.

The pioneering study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, is one of the first to be carried out in humans to find compounds that could directly affect ‘brown fat’ functions, like increasing the burn rate of stored white fat.  Using caffeine as a test ingredient, the U of N team started with a series of stem cell studies to see if caffeine would stimulate brown fat. They did this, in part, to find out what dosage of caffeine would be needed to be effective.

Once they had found the right dose of caffeine, the scientists moved on to human test subjects to see if the results were similar among the caffeine-consuming (coffee drinking) population. The team used a thermal imaging technique to trace the body’s brown fat reserves. The non-invasive technique helped the team to locate brown fat in people and assess its ability to produce heat after volunteers drank a cup of coffee. (What a great study to be part of!)  The results suggest that coffee drinking seems to stimulate “brown fat” activity in the human body and therefore may potentially lead to weight loss since one of brown fat’s activities is to burn off white fat for energy. 

Caffeine and Healthy Weight Loss

While healthy weight loss combines a nutritious diet and physical activity, it is exciting to learn about how caffeine can stimulate your body’s natural ability to lose weight while making body heat. This is promising for people who are struggling to lose weight, even after changing their diet and exercise habits. And, if you’ve ever hesitated to drink a cup of coffee, or eat a delicious Seattle Gummy energy chew for health reasons, now you can confidently reach for caffeine the next time you need an energy boost. The science is in, your caffeine intake is validated.

Mocca Shot and Weight Loss

The next time you need an energy boost, try reaching for a Seattle Gummy Mocca Shot. The Mocca Shot high-energy gummies provide 2 cups worth of coffee in just one gummy. That’s two hundred milligrams of caffeine, and with a gummy, your body can quickly absorb the caffeine through the mucosal membranes, or thin skin, of the mouth. The Mocca Shot also contains brain-healthy B Vitamins. B Vitamins help your body make energy and feed your brain. In addition to B Vitamins, the Mocca Shot also has the nootropic (smart drug) and antioxidant-rich Chinese herb, Gingko Biloba. Gingko Biloba boosts circulation to the brain, so it increases brainpower.  What’s more? These gummies are also plant-based and non-GMO.  No junk ingredients — that’s the Seattle Gummy Company promise.

Journal Reference:

1.     Ksenija Velickovic, Declan Wayne, Hilda Anaid Lugo Leija, Ian Bloor, David E. Morris, James Law, Helen Budge, Harold Sacks, Michael E. Symonds, Virginie Sottile. Caffeine exposure induces browning features in adipose tissue in vitro and in vivo. Scientific Reports, 2019; 9 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45540-1