When Coffee Doesn’t help Weight Loss

Most people drink coffee. In fact, caffeine is the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world! Today I want to highlight the benefits and risks of drinking this, and why you might be adding to your weight problem.

Many studies have linked drinking coffee with positive health effects such as reduced risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. However, effects of coffee on health aren’t the same for everyone, and may depend on genetics, hormones status, and other factors.

The GENE factor

Caffeine is metabolised by an enzyme in the liver that is encoded for by the CYP1A2 gene. Unfortunately, about 50 percent of the population has a variant in the CYP1A2 gene that leads to slow processing of caffeine. These people don’t get the benefits listed earlier – in fact, coffee drinking can put them more at risk!

The HORMONE factor

After you drink coffee, the caffeine is absorbed into your bloodstream and travels to your brain.

In the brain, caffeine blocks the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine.

When this happens, other neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine increases, leading to enhanced firing of neurons – making our brain sharper, and our energy levels increase.

This can be an issue is you have adrenal fatigue, as it taxes an already exhausted gland, and inhibits repair and regeneration.

If you experience no energy boost after drinking coffee, or you even feel a bit tired or sluggish not long after drinking, then you should STOP all stimulating beverages.

If you are unsure if coffee is bad for you, then this test will clearly tell you:

Reduce your consumption slowly until you’re off it and other sources of caffeine for at least 30 days. Then add it back in and see how you respond.

The THYROID factor

It is true that some people benefit from coffee, particularly those with a sluggish metabolism wanting to lose weight, or gain some energy and motivation. 

If you are taking any thyroid medication, such as thyroxine, NDT or T3, then you need to wait at least 45 minutes before enjoying a cuppa. If you have slow digestion, then it is wise to wait 60 minutes for proper absorption. Coffee lowers the intestinal absorption of both inorganic and organic compounds, and seems to physically interact with thyroid medications. 

If you have an overactive thyroid, anxiety, insomnia, headaches, frequent urination or palpitations, you will probably benefit from cutting back or even eliminating caffeine from your diet.

Coffee is a drug mugger

Coffee and the caffeine in green tea, matcha tea, black tea, soda, and yerba mate can produce symptoms such as migraines, insomnia, bladder, and anxiety issues.

Apart from stimulating adrenal hormone production, it also binds to vital minerals such as magnesium. Magnesium deficiency affects so many functions in our body as it is a common nutritional co-factor in 500 body reactions. Symptoms such as muscle tightness and cramping, nerve twitches, anxiety, headaches, restlessness and more can be due to magnesium deficiency.

Tired and Gaining Weight???

If you are fatigued and struggling with weight issues, then testing your thyroid and adrenal hormones may give you the answers you need to finally resolve the imbalance.

Our preferred test for adrenal function is a 3-point saliva test. This is done at 3 times of the day to track your diurnal cortisol production. 

If your adrenal function is in stage 2 or 3, you will find that weight issues can be due to imbalanced hormones.

We always find the thyroid is out when the adrenals are in any stage of imbalance, so a thorough thyroid test is also required for a full picture.

Results working with the Experts!

If you are suffering with symptoms of weight gain or stalled weight loss, hormone imbalance, menstrual irregularities, menopause symptoms, mood changes, digestive issues, or noticed your hair and nails are thinner and weaker, then give us a call to discuss if it could be your thyroid.