It increases by 30% the amount of fat a person can “burn” per hour when they exercise.
Sport allows you to burn fat at different levels: running is ideal for losing belly fat, swimming tones the thighs, weight training targets the arms… But to burn fat even more effectively, you should drink a particular drink before your session, suggest researchers in a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
To reach this conclusion, they followed 15 athletic men aged on average 32 years, non-smokers and without chronic illness or treatment. The participants were divided into two groups: the first group had to consume this famous drink at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and the second group had to ingest a placebo drink at the same times. Both drinks were served in opaque, indistinguishable containers. All participants then had to perform a progressive exercise test 30 minutes after taking. During physical exercise, researchers measured FatMax, which represents the maximum amount of fat that an athlete can “burn” per hour (often expressed as energy (kcal) per hour). At the end of the follow-up, the researchers showed that:
► Consuming the drink at 8 a.m. increased FatMax by 11% compared to the placebo
► Consuming the drink at 5 p.m. increased FatMax by 29% compared to the placebo
Although taking this drink increased the rate of fat burning, the impact was greater in the afternoon than in the morning. Furthermore, fat burning was higher for so-called “aerobic” sports (a low intensity but sustained effort over a prolonged period) such as running or swimming.
“This drink is known to increase maximum fat oxidationindicate the researchers in their study, but it also stimulates the central nervous system, increasing heart rate, blood pressure and releasing adrenaline. According to scientists, all of these factors combine to increase a person’s motivation and concentration, improve blood circulation in the body and to the muscles used during exercise, while reducing the perceived difficulty during exercise. This drink taken 30 minutes before a session of physical activity is a drink that many consume on a daily basis since it is coffee. For a maximum “fat-burning” effect, the coffee must be strong (50 mg of caffeine or a 3 cl espresso) and without sugar, the researchers indicate.