Caffeine: More Than A Wake-Me-UpThe world’s most popular drug! Anyone who has ever chugged down a can of pop for a little pre-workout energy or drank a cup of coffee for an early morning boost knows the reason why caffeine has earned this title. But what many people don’t know is that
caffeine does more than enhance your alertness. For example, caffeine also jumpstarts lipolysis – a process that frees up fatty acids in order for the body to use them as energy. Pre-workout energy and fat loss all in one ingredient? Now that’s something that just about anybody could benefit from (especially bodybuilders).
Here’s how caffeine directly enhances the body’s fat-burning ability. First of all, caffeine stimulates a series of related events that eventually break the bonds of fatty acid molecules allowing them to be used up by the body during physical activity.
Caffeine also inhibits an enzyme that limits the amount of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) produced by the body. Cyclic AMP starts of string of biochemical reactions that ultimately lead to an increased metabolic rate, enhanced thermogenesis, and a better utilization of stored fat. By inhibiting the action of this specific enzyme, caffeine enables the body’s cAMP levels to flourish.
Caffeine is more than a multi-functional supplement, it is also easily accessible. Whether taken in the form of a cup of coffee, a soft drink, a piece of chocolate, or a dietary supplement, caffeine can be found just about anywhere you look. For a listing of the potencies for each source of caffeine, check out Table 1.
Caffeine is the most popular drug in the world, but it can still experience a surge in popularity. For everybody out there who isn’t aware of the various advantages of caffeine - whether you are in contest prep or just trying to drop a few for your own personal satisfaction, make caffeine a regular part of your eating regimen and you can reap its benefits in more ways than one.
Table 1
Source Potency Chocolate (3 oz.) 18 mg Soft Drinks (12 oz.) 50 mg Tea (8 oz.) 105 mg Coffee (8 oz.) 150 mg 1 bottle of Super Tea (24 oz.) 200 mg
