Caffeine is an Effective Stimulant, but Effects on Weight Loss are Questionable

From Your Weight Matters magazine, Fall, 2011: Caffeine is an effective and relatively safe stimulant, but does it follow that caffeine can help you lose weight? Studies have shown caffeine can increase physical performance, which could possibly lead to short-term calorie deficits. However, caffeine can also increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which causes your body to increase energy stores and also raises heart rate and blood pressure. Moreover, since it is a stimulant, caffeine’s overuse can lead to insomnia and reduced sleep. Not getting enough sleep has been shown to increase levels of a hunger hormone and to decrease levels of a hormone that causes you to feel full. Find out more about the relationship between caffeine and weight loss in an article from Your Weight Matters magazine here.

Authors: Gwyn Cready, MBA, and Ted Kyle, RPh, MBA