Can Coffee Help You Lose Weight? Myths about the Coffee Cleanse Diet [U.S. News & World Report]

Dr. Quebbemann was recently featured in an article in U.S. News & World Report.

This article originally appeared on June 8, 2020 and was written by contributing writer, Elaine K. Howley. Read the full article on U.S. News & World Report by clicking here.

Caffeine does this by stimulating the nervous system and releasing the hormone epinephrine. Also known as adrenaline, epinephrine signals fat cells to break down and release fats into the blood. This makes the fat more available to be used as fuel. This increase in fat metabolism “occurs in all people regardless of race, sex or age,” says Dr. Brian Quebbemann, a bariatric surgery specialist based in Newport Beach, California, and author of “World’s Greatest Weight Loss: The Truth That Diet Gurus Don’t Want You to Know.” However, these effects appear to be lower in people with obesity.

Caffeine can also boost your resting metabolic rate, which means you may end up burning more calories around the clock. Quebbemann says drinking coffee regularly “decreases the amount of weight a person gains over time. The reason for this is likely due to not only decreased calorie intake but an increase in resting metabolism.”

But, he notes that “the details are important.” For example, “If you drink coffee 30 minutes to three hours before eating, you’ll generally consume fewer calories. The decrease in appetite diminishes significantly after four hours.” This trick works for both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, “so, the appetite suppression effect is not completely dependent on caffeine.”

Both the metabolic boost and the suppression of hunger that coffee can provide are dose-dependent, and drinking up to about four cups per day may optimize those effects, Quebbemann says.