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FAT REDUCTION
The most common beneficial finding of caffeine use is an increasing in burning of bodyfat as fuel (Costill et al 1978, IVY et al 1979).
Compared with controls up to 100% more bodyfat is burned by the subjects using caffeine.
Caffeine is a powerful lipolytic agent, promoting the breakdown of stored fats. This leads to a dumping of fats (non-esterified fatty acids, NEFA’s) into the blood where they can then be taken up by skeletal muscle to be oxidized.
Caffeine increases lipolysis by increasing blood adrenaline levels, and adrenaline is a potent internal lipolytic hormone (J. Appl Physiol 72:1297, 1992). Adrenaline can activate lipolysis not only from fat cells but also from within fat cells (muscle triglycerides).
When ingested with a meal, caffeine increases the rate at which the food is to be converted into usable energy.
When caffeine is taken between meals, it causes fats to be transferred from deposits in the cells to the bloodstream. Here, as free fatty acids they can be used as energy by most of the organs of the body. (Gilbert 1992).
A high protein, low carbohydrate, low fat diet works best with caffeine for maximum fat burning. A high carbohydrate diet negates the fat-burning effects of caffeine (Weir J et al Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1987; 19:100-106)
Caffeine also raises the activity levels of the body, which can mean that the energy derived from food is used up in exercise rather than be stored as fat. In addition, caffeine stimulates the temperature-regulating centres of the body, which in turn produces an increase in body temperature. To sustain this change, energy that might have otherwise been deposited as fat is used. Thus, even when the body is at rest, a greater amount of food is burned. (Caffeine: The most popular stimulant, Gilbert 1992).
Although caffeine achieves peak blood levels about an hour following oral ingestion, the fat burning response does not begin until 3-4 hours after ingestion. (Weir J et al Med Sci Sports Exer 1987; 19:100-105 Belect S et al Metabolism 1968; 17:702-707).
Most of the drug is removed from the body within 12 hours. However, smoking causes the body to metabolize caffeine 50% faster, whereas other substances can substantially extend caffeine’s life. Oral contraceptives can more than triple the half-life of caffeine. I remember laughing lots of times when being told that eating grapefruits with coffee for breakfast would reduce fat. But now we know it’s true. The bitter compound which is contained in the grapefruit, known as Naringin, will extend caffeine’s life in your body, slowing the breakdown of the Xanthines in the liver (British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology).
This enables a lower dose of caffeine to remain active and give the same effects as a higher dose whose duration of effect has not been extended.
While we’re on the subject of increasing the effects of caffeine, are there any other substances that can be ‘stacked’ with caffeine? Yes, there are. Another legal one is Aspirin. Like caffeine, aspirin is a methylzanthine. Bodybuilders combine Caffeine, Aspirin and Ephedrine in a thermogenic cocktail. Ephedrine is not legal without a prescription in Australia, nor is its herbal precursor Ma Huang or Ephedra herb which are classed S4 drugs. They are on the International Olympic Committees list of banned substances.
On its own, 1/2 an aspirin per day with one of your meals will help prevent the formation of gallstones which some people develop when dieting for weight loss (Dr David Powell 1997).
The thermogenic cocktail of the three drugs promotes fat burning, increasing lean body mass while decreasing muscle breakdown (Dulloo Ag, Nutrition Review 1989; 5(1):7-9). Aspirin taken under these conditions can also have a positive effect on workload capacity and anabolic drive. Methylzanthines potentiate the ephedrine activity by increasing release of the hormone nor-epinephrine (Falk B et al Can. J Physcol Pharmacol 1990; 68:889-892).
The ratio of caffeine to ephedrine is 10:1 (Int J Obesity 17: Suppl 1, 51-578, 1993) in combination with 300mg Aspirin. (This combination is actually patented). Prolonged daily use of Aspirin can blow ulcer holes in your gut. Agents that work like Aspirin (prostaglandin blockade) may exert the same synergistic effect without the risk of finding blood in your stools. Several plant derived compounds share aspirin’s actions, like curcumin from the spice tumeric and gingerols from ginger root.