Healthy Information

The Skinny on Caffeine Oct 30, 2008
Dr. Carlos Santo

    

Ok, we know coffee makes us wired. It gives us that extra edge when we need it. Some of us cannot imagine leaving the house without that morning ritual – the aroma, the taste, the buzz.  Maybe we look forward to a quick drive-thru on the way to the office. Either way, our fix is quickly and easily satisfied since wherever we are, our first sip is just moments away.

Caffeine and coffee are usually thought of as one and the same. You might be surprised that coffee does not corner the market on caffeine, though. Caffeine occurs naturally in green tea as well. More on this life-enhancing leaf in a future Inspiration. Right now, let's focus on the effect of caffeine on your metabolism.

    

Does caffeine make us burn fat, or store it for later on? Tough question, actually. Common sense tells us that a drink that revs us up should make us thinner. That's what I would think. However, guess what? In the long run, regular caffeine intake might actually make you fat. Yes, I'm telling you that in addition to possibly making you more anxious and irritable, and maybe even messing up your sleep pattern or raising your blood pressure, caffeine could be the reason you've been having trouble losing that little extra around your mid-section - no matter how many crunches you might do.

The reason? A stress hormone named cortisol. Cortisol plays a role in determining whether we burn fat, or store it for a winter day. This vital chemical is essential for our survival. But when called upon too frequently (e.g. regular stimulants like caffeine), it starts to work against us in various ways. And one of those ways makes us fat!

Now does it matter whether your caffeine jolt comes from coffee, tea, or soda pop? Not likely, but when you add on the extra whip, sugar, and milk, you are probably headed down a rough road to metabolic recovery. Now, I'm not saying you need to give up your steaming latte just yet, but it might be the necessary answer to the puzzle, once you've exhausted all other means of losing your spare tire.