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Green Coffee Bean For Weight Loss: Does This Supplement Really Work?
Published on September 10, 2024
Obesity isn’t just a giant issue across the globe; it reigns as the top troublemaker, piling up mountains of health issues and dropping a hefty sum in healthcare bills every year. You heard that right, the stats speak for themselves. The brainy team at the NCSL (1) reports a staggering 78 million adults in the US are battling obesity. But hey, it’s not only grown-ups facing this fight; 12 million youngsters in the US are tipping the scales too, wrestling with weighty woes. If you’re on a mission to shed some pounds and curious about its ripple effects on you and our nation, hang tight for some jaw-dropping facts.
Being overweight or obese have multiple adverse impacts on a person’s health. Considered a disease in the modern world (2), obesity has a strong link to type 2 diabetes, causes damage to the cardiovascular system, and causes people to experience emotional trauma as well. Obesity also adds excess pressure on the joints, which leads to a higher risk of osteoporosis and other conditions that affect the joints and bones in the body.
Green coffee bean for weight loss is a trend that has been receiving an increasing amount of interest in the last few years, especially after being recognized as a “miracle weight loss solution” on the popular Dr. Oz show.
While some believe that green coffee bean extracts are great for weight loss and some scientific research studies also hold evidence of its potential effectiveness, the topic is controversial, as many experts do believe that green coffee bean extract is not an effective solution to assist in the treatment of obesity.
In this post, we’ll take a look at what green coffee beans are, how this supplement works in the body, what to look for when deciding to try them for weight loss, and we’ll consider how green coffee beans may help you lose weight effectively – by implementing the supplement into a well-crafted weight loss plan.
What Are Green Coffee Beans?
Green coffee beans are sometimes referred to as raw coffee beans. They are the same as the beans you buy to brew up a batch of coffee, but they have not yet been roasted. Coffee that you buy in a store has undergone a roasting process to make them dark brown and to ensure you can enjoy a delicious cup of coffee on-the-go.
When coffee beans are roasted, some changes occur in the bean – and one of these changes include a reduction of a specific chemical, known as chlorogenic acid. The chemical is thought to possess many benefits for the human body. When you see supplements promoting green coffee beans for weight loss, the pills primarily utilize chlorogenic acid extracts in order to help you achieve the desired weight loss results.
The use of green coffee beans for weight loss is still a relatively new trend. In 2012, the Dr. Oz show presented dietary supplements that contain extracts from the green coffee bean. Dr. Oz provided a comprehensive explanation of how these supplements could help to burn fat and reduce weight in a relatively short period of time. After this review on the Dr. Oz show, the world quickly started to become “obsessed” with supplements that contain green coffee bean extracts, not only for weight loss but for other purposes as well.
Today, many companies that specialize in the manufacturing of natural supplements have started to take advantage of the benefits that the chlorogenic acid in coffee bean as. Green coffee beans are no longer used as the only ingredient in weight loss supplements as well since many companies in the supplement industry have started to experiment with formulas where green coffee bean extracts are mixed with other ingredients to produce more significant results in terms of helping the user reduce their body weight.
What Are The Possible Benefits Of Taking Green Coffee Beans?
The main reason why the majority of people buy supplements that contain extracts from green coffee beans is due to the fact that this natural compound is being promoted as a weight loss option for people with excess fat accumulated in their bodies. Most studies that are conducted on green coffee bean extracts also tend to focus on the potential weight loss benefits that the chlorogenic acid found in these beans may yield for a person taking such a supplement.
There are some studies that have provided positive results in terms of the evidence they supplied after a clinical trial was performed among human subjects. Several animal studies have also been performed on this particular supplement.
One study (3) that was conducted in South Korea looked at how green coffee bean extracts affected weight gain in laboratory mice that were fed a high-fat diet. The study compared the results to a placebo group. Mice fed a high-fat diet and provided with green coffee bean extracts had gained less weight than the placebo group. Liver weight was also lower in the green coffee bean group, and it seems like lipolysis hormones in the adipose tissue was better regulated, which led to a lower weight of white adipose tissue as well.
In a scientific review (4), a total of three previous human studies on the weight loss benefits of green coffee bean extracts were analyzed. The following data was reported:
- A four-week study yielded an average weight loss of 1.35 kg among participants who took green coffee bean supplements, compared to an average weight loss of 0.81kg in the placebo group.
- In a 12-week study, participants provided with a daily dose of green coffee bean extract lost an average of 5.4 kg. The placebo group only lost an average of 1.7 kg.
- In another 12-week study, participants were also divided into two groups. The green coffee bean group were able to lose an average of 4.97 kg in body weight, compared to 2.45 kg on average among the participants in the placebo group.
Green coffee bean supplements may be beneficial for individuals who are obese and have developed a condition like insulin resistance as well. In one scientific study (5) by the Yonsei University in the Republic of Korea, scientists analyzed the effects that this extract has on diet-induced insulin resistance and obesity among a group of laboratory rats.
The scientists reported that the laboratory rats who were fed a diet that contained green coffee bean extracts were able to lose weight and their insulin resistance improved. Visceral adipose tissue inflammation also seemed to be reduced with the use of this particular supplement.
Supplements that contain extracts of raw coffee beans are sometimes also used to assist in the treatment of high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as to assist with the management of Alzheimer’s disease. According to one publication (6), the extract is sometimes also taken to assist in fighting against infections caused by bacterial microorganisms in the body.
Are There Side-Effects Associated With Green Coffee Bean Extracts?
There are a couple of risks and side-effects associated with the use of green coffee bean extract. It is important that you understand these risks and only utilize supplements that contain this extract if it is safe.
Firstly, green coffee beans still contain caffeine, just like roasted coffee beans do. Thus, if you have a sensitivity toward caffeine or stimulants in general, then you may experience adverse effects like restlessness and nervousness when you take one of these supplements. The caffeine content may also cause side-effects like headaches, an increase in your breathing rate, a faster heart rate, nausea, and an upset stomach.
Sufficient evidence has not yet been made available to assist in determining if these supplements are safe or not for women who are pregnant or new mothers who are still breastfeeding their babies. It is generally advised that women in these circumstances avoid using a product that has not been scientifically proven safe for them.
Some people should also try to avoid using any type of supplement that contains green coffee bean extracts as it may cause interactions with drugs they are taking or problems with specific conditions that they might have been diagnosed with. These situations include:
- Individuals who have existing anxiety disorders, since the anxiety that is found in these beans may cause further anxiety and aggravate existing symptoms.
- Individuals with homocysteine levels that are considered abnormally high. The chlorogenic acid in green coffee beans may further elevate levels of homocysteine in the body. This may lead to a higher risk of heart disease, or worsen existing heart-related problems.
- Individuals with glaucoma are also advised to avoid green coffee bean supplements since the caffeine inside these beans may cause excess pressure in the eyes for a minimum of 90 minutes. This may be damaging to the eyes of people who have been diagnosed with glaucoma
- Caffeine has been found to cause more calcium to be expelled from the body through urination. Calcium is essential for bone strength, which is why individuals with conditions like osteoporosis are generally advised to limit their intake of caffeine. Green coffee beans contain caffeine, which means osteoporosis may be aggravated through the use of these supplements.
What Is The Recommended Dosage?
Various doses of green coffee bean extracts have been used in studies. It has been suggested that a dose of up to 480 mg on a daily basis is safe for healthy individuals without any existing conditions that may become worse with the use of this supplement. This dose may be taken for as long as 12 weeks at a time. Studies have not yet looked at the possible side-effects with long-term use of green coffee bean supplements.
How To Take Green Coffee Bean Supplements
Most supplements that contain green coffee bean extracts as an active ingredient comes in the form of a pill. The pill is taken by mouth with a full glass of water at certain times of the day. The number of pills and timing of each dose depends from one brand to another, as manufacturers of these supplements tend to use various doses of green coffee bean. It is important always to consider the instructions provided on the label of the bottle.
Implementing Green Coffee Bean Supplements Into A Weight Loss Plan
Green coffee bean extracts in supplements may not yield impressive results alone, but should rather become part of a complete weight loss plan. It is important to follow a healthy, balanced diet that includes a large number of fruits and vegetables. Exercise should also be a vital part of such a weight loss plan. A higher number of calories should be burnt through physical activity on a daily basis than the number of calories that are consumed through food and drinks.
Conclusion
Green coffee bean for weight loss does seem to hold some valid scientific evidence to back up the claims that have been made, but it is important to realize that these supplements are not likely to produce effective results alone.
To achieve real weight loss results with the help of green coffee bean supplements, these pills should be combined with an effective and well-planned weight loss plan. Eating a healthy diet and exercising while taking these supplements are both crucial to successfully reduce your body weight and reduce the effects that obesity might be having on your physiological and psychological well-being.
References
(1) http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/obesity-statistics-in-the-united-states.aspx
(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4988332/
(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27393090
(4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2943088/
(5) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003760/
(6) https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1264/green-coffee