Caffeine as a Food That May Induce Lipolysis

Research Findings

The following study examines the role of caffeine in lipolysis. If you're not exactly sure what lipolysis is, refer to our weight loss glossary here.

Research Title:Caffeine as a lipolytic food component increases endurance performance in rats and athletes.

Year Published: 2001

Research Summary: Rats were administered 6mg/kg caffeine and then put on a treadmill to run at 20m/minute. The rats were then killed at 0, 30, 60 minutes of exercise and at the point of exhaustion.

Human subjects were also tested and given 5mg/kg of caffeine 1 hour before exercising on a cycle ergometer. Every 10 minutes during exercise, breathing and blood samples were collected and analyzed.

Free fatty acids found in the blood and blood lactate levels of both the rats and the althletes were increased.

Researchers reported that the increase in free fatty acids and glycerol levels spared glycogen stores during exercise as compared with the placebo group. That is the group that received caffeine were able to accentuate lipolysis of adipose tissue and burn fat instead of the glucose stored in muscle tissue.

National Library of Medicine:

Ryu S, Choi SK, Joung SS, Suh H, Cha YS, Lee S, Lim K. Caffeine as a lipolytic food component increases endurance performance in rats and athletes. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2001 Apr;47(2):139-46. Abstract

A Word about Glycogen Sparing as the Mechanism by Which Caffeine Works:

Some researchers have expressed doubts as to whether caffeine works by sparing the body's glycogen supplies and using the available free fatty acid supplies instead for energy. The findings of different research trials have indicated contradictory results.[1]

While the research on caffeine and lipolysis discussed above is still valid, it is wise to consider it a part of a jigsaw puzzle which may have missing parts.

Sources:

[1] Paluska, Scott (MD) Caffeine and Exercise.

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