What is good or bad about caffeine when you are trying to diet?

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Caffeine and Dieting

While it's not completely clear, caffeine does appear to increase metabolic rate. <REF>http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/33/5/989

</REF>There's some evidence that caffeine consumption can improve weight loss <REF>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8061728&dopt=Citation

</REF>Of course, there's no substitute for a healthy diet and plenty of exercise when trying to lose weight. It appears that the inclusion of moderate caffeine might aid in weight loss. Be careful though, too much caffeine near bedtime can inhibit sleep, and also too much caffeine can lead to restlessness, higher blood pressure and irritability.

Supporting input from others

• Caffeine can HELP you drop small amounts of extra weight with the proper diet and exercise and in proper doses. but always be sure to drink alot of water, because most of the weight at first will be WATER WEIGHT and if you over-do the caffeine you can easily dehydrate yourself. Also remember, while caffeine speeds up you metabolism temporarily, it also can speed up your appetite. but as a whole it can be very helpful to boost energy while dieting and help you lose a few pounds or atleast help you get started.
• Caffeine, like anything else has both good and bad points. The key is moderation. Some studies have found that small amounts of caffeine may help prevent cancer because of the antioxidants it contains. On the other hand, large amounts can cause heart palpitations and other circulatory problems.

• Caffiene causes a short-term elevation in your metabolism, which gives you a burst of energy. Like any addiction, however, as your body becomes accustomed to caffiene, it begins to compensate. Used over the long term, caffiene actually reduces your metabolism. . . you come to need increasing amounts of caffiene just to stay alert. The slower metabolism actually causes you to gain weight on less food. This makes Diet Coke the perfect product, since it is actually helping to create the problem it's trying to "cure."

An opposing view

Caffeine is very bad for you, especially if you are trying to lose weight.  It is very interesting when I see pages like this where people are constantly trying to defend their unhealthy addictions. Here are just a few reasons why caffeine is bad for weight loss:

1. It raises Cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is a hormone that is responsible for fat storage in the body. I dont think we need any help there. Have you heard of the weight loss product Corti Slim. It basically blocks Cortisol from doing it's worst, storing fat. The guy you hear on the radio and see on TV forgets to tell you that a MAJOR cause of Cortisol production is caffeine. So quit the caffeine and leave the Corti Slim on the shelf.
2. It causes your blood sugar to spike. Then after the caffeine begins to wear off your blood sugar plummets. This causes you to crave sugar. In other words you think your hungry when you're really not. This is obviously counterproductive to your weight loss goal. Have you ever noticed you crave carbs after a cup of coffee. This is why. Your body is tring to get you to eat some carbs to get your blood sugar back to where it should be.
3. The end result of caffeine is really fatigue. After caffeine wears off youare tired. Then you have more caffeine. Then you are tired. Ect... By the end of the day most people who drink coffee are exhausted and they dont know why. This fatigue makes it difficult to exercise which is a one of the most important ways we should be getting our energy.

I hope this is helpful. I have done major research on caffeine and can tell you honestly, it's bad for you. What you read here is just the tip of the iceberg.

What is important for everyone to remember is that the caffeine industry is a billion dollar industry. The truth about caffeines negative health effects are kept in the closet by many large companies.

So my advice is to give it up. You will be much happier and healthier in the end.

First answer by anonymous. Last edit by Tymothy. Contributor trust: 606 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 193 [recommend question]