The Effects of Caffeine on Your Metabolism

Caffeine is one of the most commonly used drugs in our culture. From coffee to soft drinks, caffeine intake is widespread due to its pervasiveness in our popular refreshments. However widely used it may be, caffeine has several negative effects on our metabolism and should be avoided by anyone trying to control their weight.

Elevated Cortisol Levels

• Caffeine tells the body to release the stress hormone cortisol, which tells your metabolism to slow down and start storing fat, rather than using it.

Increased Adrenaline

• Caffeine causes a release of adrenaline, which prepares the body for increased activity. If you regularly consume caffeine, your metabolic balance will be thrown off and you will feel hungry at times when you really are not, disrupting your metabolism's ability to process what you eat.

Increased Insomnia

• Caffeine disrupts the normal sleep cycle, causing insomnia which leads to the slowing of the metabolism and storing of fat.

Increased Appetite

• Caffeine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, causing it to constrict blood vessels and trick the body into thinking it's blood sugar is low. This translates to feelings of hunger as the metabolism doesn't understand that is has enough nutrients already.

Slower Insulin Response

• Caffeine impairs the body's insulin response, or ability to correctly process sugars. This slows the metabolism even when taken in small amounts.