Can drinking coffee to stay awake and help you lose weight? Research: Caffeine can burn brown fat, and these two tricks can help burn fat

For many people, drinking a cup of coffee every day is a habit. Coffee not only helps to refresh the mind, but also seems to burn fat and lose weight, and is also effective in weight loss. But is this really the case? A foreign study pointed out that caffeine in the diet seems to be able to achieve the effect of burning fat by stimulating brown fat. How does caffeine promote fat burning?

There are 3 types of fat: Brown fat is the "good fat" that helps burn fat and lose weight

There are three types of fat cells: white fat, beige adipose tissue (BAT), and brown adipose tissue (BAT). Brown fat is brown in color because it has a larger number of mitochondria. In early childhood, most of the brown fat is distributed from the back of the neck to the upper back; as we grow older, the amount of brown fat gradually decreases, until in adults, when brown fat is mainly distributed above the left and right clavicles.

Research previously published in the journal Nature has shown that an adult has about 50 to 80 grams of brown fat in their body. Although this only accounts for a very small part of their body weight, it is responsible for burning 10-20% of the daily basal metabolic rate. Brown fat is rich in mitochondria, which are known as the "cell energy factory". The inner membrane of mitochondria contains a protein called "Uncoupling Protein 1" (UCP1), also known as thermogenic factor, which can accelerate the rate at which cells break down fatty acids.

Study: Caffeine stimulates mitochondrial activity in fat cells

To further understand the mechanism of how adding caffeine promotes the burning of brown fat, according to Medscape Medical News, a study conducted by Dr. Michael E. Symonds and his research team from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, and published in the journal Science Reports pointed out that drinking coffee seems to stimulate brown adipose tissue and may be a new way to address obesity and diabetes. Dr. Mack and colleagues investigated the effects of caffeine on the stimulation of brown fat (BAT) thermogenesis both in vitro and in vivo.

The in vitro experiment was conducted by culturing mouse stem cell-derived fat cells in a culture dish and then adding 1 mM caffeine (the optimal concentration for the survival and differentiation of such cells determined by research). The researchers observed the cells using an electron microscope and found that the amount of UCP1 protein located in the mitochondria increased after the addition of caffeine. In addition, increases in cellular metabolism and oxygen consumption were also found.

Study: After consuming caffeine, the temperature of the area of ​​brown fat distributed above the collarbone rises

The in vivo experiment was conducted on 9 healthy volunteers with an average age of 27 years old, including 4 males and 5 females; their BMIs were all within the normal range (average BMI 23 kg/m2). Before the infrared thermal imaging measurement, the subjects had confirmed that they had not consumed any caffeine, drugs, or alcohol, or performed any strenuous exercise for at least 9 hours before the experiment, and had completely fasted for 2 hours before the experiment.

The temperature of the supraclavicular area measured at this time was set as the baseline temperature; the subjects were then given water and instant coffee (200 mL of coffee contains approximately 65 mg of caffeine). After 30 minutes when the coffee was completely digested, it was found that the temperature of the supraclavicular area corresponding to the storage of brown fat increased significantly, which was not found when the subjects only drank water.

Although the two research results show that caffeine intake seems to promote the burning of brown fat, it does not mean that caffeine alone can effectively burn fat. It is still necessary to exercise regularly and consume fat-burning foods wisely.

[Two tips for promoting fat burning with caffeine]

1. Take moderate to high intensity anaerobic exercise:

According to a research team from Harvard Medical School, when exercising, muscles produce a hormone called "irisin", which can convert white fat that is prone to cause obesity into brown fat that helps burn fat.

In fact, medium-to-high-intensity anaerobic exercise is more likely to produce an "afterburn" effect than low-intensity aerobic exercise, and will continue to burn calories after exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) points out that the maximum heart rate calculation formula is: 206.9 - (0.67 x age). Reaching the maximum heart rate for about 30 minutes can activate the afterburn effect and help burn fat.

2. Eat fat burning foods in moderation:

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) by a research team from the University of Iowa, the ursolic acid found in apple peels can increase muscle and brown fat mass, allowing the body to burn calories. Natural arbutin is mostly found in some berries such as blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, pomegranates and other plants. It is a good fruit to help burn fat, but because berries also contain sugar, it is best to consume them in moderation.