Diet and exercise. We hear it everywhere and from everyone. The regiment has been the only true method for weight loss since the dawn of time. There have been postulated shortcuts to shaving off those pounds without having to do all the hard work or demonstrate discipline, and most of these gimmicks are nothing but ponzi schemes. However, what if the actual answer was right underneath our noses as we take a sip of it in the morning. Caffeine. Dr. Matthew M. Schubert and many of his colleagues at Griffith University have very recently found a correlation in a double blind study that caffeine when combined with moderate exercise actually increases energy expenditure, when compared with exercise alone. The article published in the Journal of Applied Physiology states that when 14 caffeinated (3mg/kg 90 minutes before and 3mg/kg 30 minutes after) individuals were exercising for one hour at ~65% power at maximum O2 consumption had higher energy expenditure and higher fat oxidation compared with exercise alone. Not only do the subjects burn more fat, the consciously feel better while working out too. "Caffeine also led to exercise being perceived as less difficult and more enjoyable (P<0.05)" (Schubert).
Caffeine works its magic by mimicking the effects of one of the bodies naturally made chemicals, adenosine. As the day wears on, more and more adenosine passes through its unique A1 receptors which have a down stream effect of making you tired. What crafty caffeine, an analog of adenosine, does is block these receptors, preventing adenosine from causing its eyelid weighting effect (Reilly).
Although the results of Dr. Schubert's study has the alluring and promising outcomes we all desperately hope for, there is still more to be done. The culmination of this small study is promising, but no long term research has been done to solidify its place in the history books. But until then, I would keep drinking that morning brew.
Resources:
Schubert, Matthew M. "Caffeine Consumption around an Exercise Bout: Effects on Energy Expenditure, Energy Intake, and Exercise Enjoyment." Journal of Applied Physiology (2014): n. pag.Http://jap.physiology.org/. 1 Oct. 2014. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. <http://jap.physiology.org/content/117/7/745>.
Reilly, Lucas. "How Does Caffeine Work?" Mental Floss. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2014. <http://mentalfloss.com/article/54536/how-does-caffeine-work>.
Muscle glycogen is spared early during sub maximal exercise following caffeine ingestion of approximately 5-9 mg per kg of body weight. Do you think that the glycogen sparing is occurring because of caffeine's ability to increase fatty acid utilization in the skeletal muscle or because of something else entirely?
ReplyDeleteJared-
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting and it makes me want to look into the long term affects of drinking caffeine and doing moderate exercise. Will bodies get used to having caffeine before exercise and cause the individual to not feel any sort of increase in energy expenditure. Is there a limit as to how much caffeine a person should ingest before other side effects come into play? I found an article from the American Center for Sport Medicine and it talked about caffeine consumption and exercise. The article mentioned there being a restriction of the amount of caffeine consumption for athletes competing in the olympics. The International Olympic Committee allows athletes to have 12 ug caffeine per milliliter of urine before it is considered illegal. It is said that consumption of caffeine above 10-15 mg/kg causes side effects to worsen. An example given in the article," if a 70 kg person rapidly drank about 3-4 mugs, or 5-6 regular size cups of drip-percolated coffee (~9 mg/kg bw) one hour before exercise, exercised for 1-1.5 hours and then gave a urine sample, the urinary caffeine level would only approach the limit (12 ug/ml)." It makes you wonder how many athletes are consuming caffeine before a sporting event and if it increases their overall performance. Also, if this Should the practice of ingesting caffeine be discouraged, as it promotes the “doping mentality” and may lead to more serious abuse?
Citation:
Spriet, L. (n.d.). Caffeine and Exercise Performance. Retrieved January 1, 2014, from http://www.acsm.org/docs/current-comments/caffeineandexercise.pdf