Abstract

LOPES, Márcia Daniela M  and  CAPELA, João Paulo. Study on the Composition of Thermogenic Food Supplements Containing Caffeine Available in Portugal. Acta Port Nutr [online]. 2017, n.10, pp.24-36. ISSN 2183-5985.  https://doi.org/10.21011/apn.2017.1005.

Introduction: Promoting weight loss is the main goal of thermogenic dietary supplements, commonly referred as “fat burners”. The presence of caffeine in these supplements is based in studies that reveal a thermogenic effect for this substance promoting lipolysis and fat oxidation, eventually accompanied by weight loss. ObjectiveS: To study availability of thermogenic food supplements containing caffeine in the Portuguese market highlighting the risks associated with their caffeine dosage. Methodology: Thermogenic food supplements available in Portugal were searched in the usual selling channels for these products, including shops and websites. Results: Data from 43 supplements was collected. Regarding the recommended daily dose of anhydrous caffeine, the median corresponded to 250 mg, the minimum value was 64 mg in supplement 35 and the maximum value was 846 mg in supplement 42. It was found that 10 supplements recommended daily caffeine doses between 405 mg and 846 mg, well above the 400 mg/day dosage considered safe for regular caffeine consumers. The green tea and green coffee extracts are present in many supplements and can contribute for increasing the daily caffeine intake. Conclusions: Few studies prove the efficacy and safety of caffeine to promote weight loss. Users of these supplements should be advised on the health risks from high caffeine doses, in particular cardiovascular problems, tolerance and dependence.

Keywords : Caffeine; Weight loss; Risks; Dietary supplement; Thermogenesis.

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