Caffeine can help you diet?

Caffeine can help you diet according to new research. 

Caffeine and obesity may be more closely linked than we first thought. An Australian news article reported recently that new research from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China has found a link between caffeine and tackling obesity.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/diet/new-research-finds-a-link-between-caffeine-and-tackling-obesity/news-story/0c2aae6ea974cb4525299a65c4adfd4c

In the research, diet-induced obese mice were dosed with caffeine and the effect on their exercise levels, hunger levels and weight were recorded. The research stated the “Two-week caffeine treatment significantly reduced the body weights of diet-induced obese mice”. The mice were also found to have fat cells which were much smaller in size and improved glucose tolerance seen.

As a result the mice dramatically reduced their food intake during the treatment with caffeine and they observed an increase in the amount of running on the exercise wheels. They stated that overall:

"Caffeine interacted with a part of the brain known as the adenosine receptor, which regulated the body’s energy balance and hunger"

What are the effects of caffeine?

Before we think caffeine can help you diet, what does caffeine do? 

Caffeine is a stimulant, often contained in tea, coffee and "energy drinks". Drinking large amounts of caffeine has the potential to give you side effects such as irritability, problems sleeping and restlessness. In small amounts caffeine can have a positive effect by temporarily making us feel more alert and less drowsy.

Caffeine should be limited in pregnancy and are unsuitable for toddlers and young children.

There is also research from US and UK universities, funded by US National Institutes of Health grants and published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Although not conclusive, they found consuming more than 28 cups of coffee a week may increase the risk of death from any cause when compared to those who report drinking no coffee.

According to the Eatwell Guide we should drink six to eight glasses of fluid a day. Water, lower fat milk and sugar-free drinks including tea and coffee all count. If you are following the Lipotrim total food replacement programme you are restricted to water, black tea and black coffee. 

So is caffeine the new fad diet? 

No. 

Caffeine on its own will not help you lose weight. Do not expect the effect of caffeine intake, consumed to average daily levels, to help reduce the obesity levels in Australia, the UK or anywhere else on it's own. It should be noted that the research dosed the obese mice with equivalent caffeine levels corresponding to 30 cups of coffee. This level, as a single dose, is more than the maximum limit recommended for a weekly intake of caffeine for an adult.

However when caffeine is consumed responsibly it's effect can do no harm to our hunger levels. This research shows the possibility that caffeine can in a small way contribute to any attempt to reduce hunger levels. Also any small increase in alertness from the stimulant activity of caffeine may also help a dieter feel more able to increase their exercise levels.

Even though caffeine is definitely not the new fad diet, caffeine can help you diet slightly more effectively than we may have thought.

Caffeine and the Lipotrim pharmacy weight management programme.

When using Lipotrim as a weight loss diet you must be strict and that means consuming only water, plus black tea and black coffee if you wish (not essential). You can only consume the specially designed Lipotrim formula foods. Your Lipotrim health professional will advise you on how to follow the Lipotrim programme correctly.



Consuming black coffee whilst following a ketogenic diet such as the Lipotrim Total food replacement pharmacy programme is permitted and it seems the caffeine may even help reduce the already low hunger levels associated with being in ketosis.

It is essential that when you follow the Lipotrim programme you limit your caffeine intake to the level you normally consume. It is usual for Lipotrim patients to drink more tea and coffee than normal and so we advise you to drink this extra in the decaffeinated form. With the caffeine content of coffee varying considerably from around 65mg caffeine per cup of instant coffee, up to around 165mg for brewed coffee, it is also worth considering any change of coffee style you may adopt.

You may choose to drink only water, or decaffeinated tea and coffee, but have a thought for caffeine.........it may just give you the upper hand on your hunger levels.

For diet advice please contact:

Lipotrim UK                   0800 413 735                             lipotrim@lipotrim.co.uk


Lipotrim Ireland             00353 (0) 1525 5636                  http://ireland.lipotrim.com/contact-lipotrim/