What is the real deal with coffee and weightloss??

[Shaun]

I spend my entire afternoon doing some reading on the effects of coffee on weight loss. I understand that caffeine has its place in an ECA stack as an energy booster and for its thermogenic effect. But the information all over the internet is conflicting. Some claim it spikes insulin and acts as a catabolic. Some claim is increases your metabolism and suppresses hunger.

I drink lots of coffee (about 6 cups a day with splenda and coffeemate) and if it is making a huge impact on my diet I will be sure to quit.

So what is the deal? There is a massive amount of knowledge on this forum so I figure this is the best place for a definitive answer.

PS. I Searched the forum until the begining of 09 and couldnt find much of anything!

[tiramisu]

The real deal is if you aren't addicted to the stuff it works well for a few days and then as the addiction and tolerance builds it doesn't do much any longer other than keep you from falling into a coma.

[Praetorian]

Caffiene is a stimulant which acts upon beta cells. By ingesting caffiene the metabolism is stimulated hence more calories are used for fuel...hence weight loss if the diet is tight and you also do cardio etc. The only issue is too much caffiene can have detrimental effect because it is a stimulant overdoing it will release excess cortisol (muscle breakdown) and overstimulationof the adrenal gland leading to adrenal fatigue...not fun. A few cups of coffee per day ie 2-3 is fine more than that is not beneficial.
P

[Ritch]

I`m guessing you`ve been reading t-nation. Don`t worry about that insulin and cortisol crap you`ve read. As long as you stay under 600mg of caffeine a day, you`ll be fine and that`s about 6-8 cups of coffee a day.

[Shaun]

Yup T-muscle and about every other fitness forum out there ha ha. Im not planning or hoping caffine (or coffee) will be a magic drink that will rid me of my beer gut as some have kind of assumed. I am more worried about it hindering my diet and exercise. I am down to a clean diet of 1600cal a day and do cardio 5 days a week for 45 min. Thanks for everyones input!

[MontrealMarek]

I am less hungry when I drink more than two cups of coffee per a day. I usually only have two in the morning before ten.

But if I drink around 4 - 5 cups a day then I get more tired in the afternoon and I feel really hungry in the evening.

I am not an expert but it is probably a good idea not to drink the same thing all day and find some alternate beverages. Maybe some herbal tea of something.

[rickyboy36]

Its not the coffee thats spiking insulin,it was people PUT in their coffee..splenda and coffeemate included.Splenda has 1gram of maltodextrin in it..where as twin sugar has none.

caffeine not only acts as a stimulant..but it also REDUCES hunger..just like ephedrine does.But after a while,like someone said,you will need more and more to get the same feeling as you once did.And when this usually occurs,adrenal fatigue settles in along with lots of cortisol..