Good news for all coffee lovers! A cup of strong coffee can do a lot more good than just helping you get over morning sleepiness. According to a new study, just one cup of strong coffee before exercising can help with weight loss.
The results of the study were published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
Scientists from the Department of Physiology at the University of Granada (UGR) have shown that caffeine (about 3 mg / kg, the equivalent of strong coffee) taken half an hour before aerobic exercise significantly increases the rate fat burning.
They also found that if the exercise is done in the afternoon, the effects of caffeine are stronger than in the morning.
In their study, the researchers set out to find out whether caffeine – one of the world’s most widely consumed ergogenic substances for improving athletic performance – actually increases the oxidation or “burning” of fat during exercise.
Although its consumption in supplement form is very common, scientific evidence for its beneficial claims is scarce.
“The recommendation to exercise on an empty stomach in the morning to increase fat oxidation is common. However, this recommendation may lack scientific basis, as it is not known whether this increase is due to exercise on the morning. morning or starvation for a longer period, ”explained the lead author of this research, Francisco Jose Amaro-Gahete from the Department of Physiology at UGR.
A total of 15 men (mean age, 32) participated in the research, performing a stress test four times at seven-day intervals. Subjects ingested 3 mg / kg of caffeine or placebo at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (each subject tested under all four conditions in random order).
The prerequisites for each stress test (hours elapsed since last meal, exercise, or intake of stimulants) were strictly standardized and fat oxidation during exercise was calculated accordingly.
“The results of our study showed that acute caffeine ingestion 30 minutes before performing an aerobic exercise test increased maximum fat oxidation during exercise at any time of day,” he said. explained Francisco J. Amaro.
The existence of a diurnal variation in fat oxidation on exercise was confirmed, the values being higher in the afternoon than in the morning for equal hours of fasting.
These results also showed that caffeine increased fat oxidation during morning exercise in a manner similar to that seen without consuming caffeine in the afternoon.
In summary, the results of this study suggest that the combination of acute caffeine intake and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in the afternoon provides the optimal scenario for people looking to increase fat burning during the afternoon. ‘physical exercise.
