Strong coffee before exercising increases fat-burning

Acute caffeine ingestion half an hour before aerobic exercise led to maximum fat oxidation

Washington: Good news for all the coffee lovers! A cup of strong coffee might do a lot more good than just helping you overcome the morning drowsiness. According to a new study, just one cup of strong coffee before exercising can help in weight loss.

The findings of the study were published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.Scientists from the Department of Physiology of the University of Granada (UGR) have shown that caffeine (about 3 mg/kg, the equivalent of a strong coffee) taken half an hour before aerobic exercise significantly increased the rate of fat-burning.

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“The recommendation to exercise on an empty stomach in the morning to increase fat oxidation is commonplace.

However, this recommendation may be lacking a scientific basis, as it is unknown whether this increase is due to exercising in the morning or due to going without food for a longer period of time,” explained the lead author of this research, Francisco Jose Amaro-Gahete of the UGR’s Department of Physiology.

A total of 15 men (mean age, 32) participated in the research, completing an exercise test four times at seven-day intervals. Subjects ingested 3 mg/kg of caffeine or a placebo at 8 am and 5 pm (each subject completed the tests in all four conditions in random order).

The conditions prior to each exercise test (hours elapsed since last meal, physical exercise, or consumption of stimulant substances) were strictly standardised, 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 regardless of the time of day,” explained Francisco J. Amaro.