Good news for coffee lovers: this ancient drink, thanks to the presence of caffeine, seems to be able to compensate for the negative effects of a wrong diet by reducing the accumulation of fat in fat cells. But the benefits don’t end there: it can also limit triglyceride production and weight gain. Excellent effects are also obtained by consuming the tea. Here are the results of a recent scientific study conducted by scientists from the University of Illinois. Caffeine and weight loss
During the study, conducted on an animal model, it was possible to highlight how the mice that consumed the caffeine extracted from the tea lost 16% of their body weight and reduced the accumulation of body fat by 22% compared to the rats that consumed tea. decaffeinated. Similar effects were obtained with the synthetic caffeine extracted from coffee. Caffeine from tea and coffee
Te mate is a stimulating drink used primarily in Southeast Latin America. Particularly rich in flavonoids and amino acids, it contains 65 to 130 milligrams of caffeine per serving. Coffee, on the other hand, contains from 30 to 300 milligrams per cup. During the study, the mice who ate a diet high in fat (40%), carbohydrates (45%) and protein (15%) also ingested a dose of caffeine similar to four cups a day of coffee. After four weeks, the percentage of lean mass in the mice that ate tea, coffee, or synthetic caffeine had changed dramatically. In rats, lipid accumulation in adipocytes was significantly associated with greater body weight gain and body fat gain, according to the study. The results, therefore,Coffee and tea to fight obesity
«Considering the effects obtained, tea and caffeine can be considered anti-obesity agents. The results of this research could be adapted to humans to understand the roles of the mate and caffeine as potential strategies to prevent overweight and obesity, as well as the resulting metabolic disorders associated with these conditions, “said Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia, co-author of the study and director of the division of nutritional sciences at the University of Illinois. What happens to fat cells in the presence of caffeine
To determine the mechanism of action, the scientists conducted cell culture studies in which they exposed the fat cells of mice to synthetic caffeine or extracts of caffeine or mate. They found that, regardless of its source, caffeine reduced the accumulation of lipids in fat cells by 20% -41%. Scientists also monitored the expression of several genes associated with obesity and lipid metabolism. These included the fatty acid synthase gene (Fasn), an enzyme compound involved in the synthesis of fatty acids from glucose; and the lipoprotein lipase (Lpl) gene, which codes for an enzyme that breaks down triglycerides. Caffeine against cholesterol and obesity
The results of the study showed that all caffeine treatments, regardless of origin, significantly reduced the expression of Fasn and Lpl. In cell cultures, Fasn expression decreased by 31% -39%, while Lpl expression decreased by 51% -69% among cells treated with synthetic caffeine or caffeine from tea or caffe mate. The researchers found that in rats that consumed the caffeine of te mate, Fasn expression decreased by 39% in adipose tissue and 37% in the liver. Decreased expression of Fasn and two other genes in the liver also evoked lower production of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides in the liver. “Consuming caffeine from mate or other sources has alleviated the negative impact of a high-fat, high-sucrose diet on body composition due to the modulation of certain lipogenic enzymes in both adipose tissue and liver. The reduced expression of Fasn and Lpl led to a lower synthesis and accumulation of triglycerides in the adipose tissue », concludes de Mejia.
Lo studio e stato pubblicato sul Journal of Functional Foods.Fonti scientifiche
Fatima J. Zapata, Miguel Rebollo-Hernanz, Jan E. Novakofski, Manabu T. Nakamura, Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia. Caffeine, but not other phytochemicals, in mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hilaire) attenuates high-fat-high-sucrose-diet-driven lipogenesis and body fat accumulation. Journal of Functional Foods, 2019; 103646 DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2019.103646
Caffeine may offset some health risks of diets high in fat, sugar. Illinois EDU
