If you want to maximize the amount of fat you burn during your next workout, consider having a cup of coffee half an hour before you start – as a new study suggests, it can make a significant difference to fat burning, especially later in life. day.
Researchers found that 3 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight – about half a single dose of caffeine, which is usually considered to be about 6 mg / kg – can increase fat burning during aerobic exercise, based on results collected from 15 male volunteers.
The coffee dose was found to increase the maximum fat oxidation rate (MFO, a measure of how efficiently the body burns fat) by an average of 10.7 percent in the morning and 29 percent in the afternoon.
It adds to what we already know about MFO: that it is lower in the morning than in the afternoon, as is the overall aerobic capacity.
“The recommendation to exercise on an empty stomach in the morning to increase fat oxidation is commonplace,” says physiologist Francisco José Amaro-Gahete of the University of Granada in Spain.
“However, this recommendation may lack scientific basis because it is not known whether this increase is due to exercise in the morning or because you have been without food for a long time.”
The researchers also wanted to take a closer look at the relationship between caffeine and exercise. The stimulant is often associated with improved athletic performance, although the science behind this link is not as extensive as it could be.
Over the course of four weeks, the 15 volunteers in the study underwent four tests in random order: a placebo at 8 a.m., a placebo at 5 p.m., a caffeine supplement at 8 a.m., and 5 p.m.
Subsequent cycling tests after the stimulant or placebo was given measured the body’s fat-burning ability, demonstrating the impact of caffeine on MFO. Maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) also received a boost, as did the intensity of the workout that MFO elicited (which the team calls Fatmax height
“The results of our study showed that acute caffeine intake 30 minutes before performing an aerobic exercise test increased maximum fat oxidation during exercise, regardless of the time of day,” says Amaro-Gahete.
This is, of course, a study with a fairly small sample of participants, so it’s important not to jump to an overly broad conclusion, but the results are clear enough to suggest that there is some kind of connection.
The findings add a new dimension to the ongoing discoveries scientists are making about how caffeine can affect the functioning of our brain and body, and there is much more to learn – from its impact on sleep to the effect it has on our intestines.
In the meantime, if you’re wondering how to get the most out of your normal exercise routine in terms of fat burning, this study provides some pointers: A cup of coffee before your next workout may provide some benefits.
“Overall, these results suggest that a combination of acute caffeine intake and moderate-intensity exercise in the afternoon provides the best scenario for people looking to increase body fat oxidation during aerobic exercise,” the researchers conclude.
The research is published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition