4 like 0 dislike
in General Factchecking by
Coffee has caffeine which can help increase your metabolism and help you lose weight.
by Novice (610 points)
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Do you think people have started to create diets that involve large amounts of caffeine in an effort to lose weight?
by Newbie (220 points)
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I agree that there is some truth to your statement. However, it is exaggerated and somewhat misleading because there is truth in the fact that drinking coffee can aide to a faster metabolism; but it does not directly affect weight loss
by Newbie (200 points)
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While fact-checking this, I found the main source of all information within the article to be from the National Library of Medicine, which is a .gov website. Typically, government-operated websites like this are trustworthy, creating this claim's legitimacy, but what I didn't expect is that the website used by the National Library of Medicine is the world's largest medical library operated by the US federal gov.

9 Answers

3 like 0 dislike
by Novice (680 points)

I agree with your claim, it is scientifically proven that coffee does increase metabolism. Metabolism is how fast your body can convert food to energy for the body. Therefore the increase of metabolism turns food or fat into energy for your body resulting in weight loss. I agree with your source as it is very credible however, I also found that coffee increases your RMR and promotes fat loss found in Henry Ford Health. This source was reviewed and verifies by Allegra Picano RDN.

https://www.henryford.com/blog/2024/02/effects-of-caffeine-on-metabolism-what-you-should-know

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-increase-metabolism#:~:text=In%20the%20short%20term%2C%20caffeine,and%20helps%20you%20eat%20less.

by Newbie (380 points)
0 0
I like what you said and I thought that the facts you made to start it was quite good, and added a lot to the factcheck.
I checked the source that you posted, and it backs your claim. As someone who drinks coffee I wouldn’t say that others who drink it use it to gain energy not so much to lose weight, but I thought your sources back your claim well. Overall great job on this!
by Newbie (220 points)
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I like how you brought up the science behind metabolism
by Apprentice (1.4k points)
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Well done finding an additional source beyond the one provided!
by Newbie (200 points)
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I find it interesting to wonder how someone with a largely built tolerance to caffeine is affected differently. How about factors like height and current weight?
ago by Apprentice (1.0k points)
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Good work on this fact-check. I appreciate you including multiple pieces of citations. In addition, I liked how your claims showed how coffee can help with weight loss. One thing I would work on is to explain the validity of your sources.
ago by Newbie (370 points)
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I appreciate the fact that you explained the biology regarding metabolism. Your point about credible sources like Henry Ford Health adds strength to your argument. I’d also like to add that Healthline highlights caffeine’s role in promoting thermogenesis, which could further enhance fat oxidation and calorie burning. Otherwise, you've clearly explained yourself and provided a strong argument.
1 like 0 dislike
by Apprentice (1.1k points)

The scientific evidence regarding coffee's role in weight loss is kind of mixed. Most studies end up verifying that coffee does aid in weight loss with its effects on metabolism and appetite. Coffee might modestly aid weight loss through increased metabolism, fat oxidation and appetite suppression but its effects are limited and dependent on other factors like diet and activity level. But overall, I would say that this claim is true. 

Study findings: Critical reviews in food science and nutrition noted that caffeine can increase energy expenditure by 3-11% depending on the dose and individual response Oxidation which may promote fat oxidation which is the process of breaking down fat for energy.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/clipboard/

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by Novice (870 points)
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Your response shows attention to detail. The link you attached didn't work for me, but I may have found the same article which I linked below, which states that "Overall, the current meta-analysis demonstrated that caffeine intake might promote weight, BMI and body fat reduction."

I agree that this claim is true.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30335479/
by Newbie (420 points)
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I think you've done a really good job highlighting the nuanced role coffee can play in weight loss in your response. The detailed insights into metabolism, fat oxidation, and appetite suppression are really helpful and give your response more credibility.
by Apprentice (1.1k points)
0 0
Great response you have here. Noting that it only helps a little bit is crucial since this claim can be misleading at first sight. The only thing I say you should add is maybe one more source to help back your claim a little bit more. But overall great fact-check, and great attention to detail as well.
by Newbie (440 points)
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I like that you included the study findings. Also I like how you talked about how yes coffee can aid in weight loss but theres other things that factor into that as well.
by Newbie (220 points)
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I like how you added that there is some truth to the claim but also disagree with the claim as a whole
by (140 points)
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I really like your response and how you recognized that the results found on this topic are mixed, which I think is something that's important to consider when factchecking. Unfortunately the link didn't work for me, but I think that you provided efficient insight!
ago by Newbie (460 points)
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You do a good job of considering both sides of the scientific evidence on coffee's role on weight loss which is important when evaluating an important claim. You have a very balanced view point and you cited a relevant study explaining the link between coffee and weight loss which adds credibility to your response. To make this fact check better, it would strengthen your feedback to mention why the evidence is inconsistent and what factors play into it. While you mention the potential positive effects of drinking coffee, it would be beneficial to include possible limitations or risks associated with consistently consuming caffeine everyday.
1 like 0 dislike
by Novice (980 points)

The claim that coffee has the power to increase metabolism and aid in weight loss is supported by research showing that caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, leading to increased metabolism and promoting the breakdown of fat cells. It can also enhance physical performance and endurance during exercise, aiding in weight management. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/coffee-beneficial-healthy-diet/

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by Novice (720 points)
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I like how you included a link to another source backing up the claim, especially since Harvard can usually be trusted as a reliable source. It might help to include some information about the article itself (the author, date, outside sources referenced) in order to provide a clearer picture of its reliability, aside from just summarizing the information.
ago by Newbie (380 points)
0 0
Your factcheck helped aid the claim and adding a reliable source made its show how caffeine could support weight loss. The claim didn't show reasoning but given and stating facts on how caffeine effects the body makes the claim dependable.
1 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (440 points)
I agree with your claim and your source supports it as well. However I do believe this is misleading because it does not take into account additional calories in coffee. According to the mayo clinic coffee can help boost metabolism but only plain black coffee not creamy and sugary coffee.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/calories/faq-20058100
Exaggerated/ Misleading
2 like 0 dislike
by (180 points)

I agree with your claim, yet I feel as though it is important to make a few distinctions. According to Henry Ford Health, caffeine is effective at increasing your metabolism and also stimulates epinephrine, a hormone involved in fat breakdown. Both of these changes will help you lose fat both while eating and passively throughout the day. However, coffee isn't nearly as effective with added creams, sugars, or anything else that might be on the Starbucks menu. Per Mayo Clinic, a plain cup of coffee has only 5 calories, yet that can double or triple by adding something as simple as a teaspoon of sugar or pump of syrup. So all this being said, yes coffee has the ability to help you lose weight, but it can just as easily go the other way with all the calories present in things people put into coffee regularly. Black coffee would be the most effective form for your weight-loss goals but if you just can't live without the sweeteners I'd recommend looking into zero or low calorie options to ensure you're not canceling out the intended results.

https://www.henryford.com/blog/2024/02/effects-of-caffeine-on-metabolism-what-you-should-know 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/calories/faq-20058100

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by (140 points)
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I really like your analysis on the claim and think it is very effective. I think that you did a good job recognizing the faults in this claim and stating the options that can help someone make this claim true for them
ago by Novice (830 points)
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I like your breakdown of how caffeine is effective at increasing your metabolism and explaining how the hormone is stimulated. I also like how you used mayo clinic as your source and how that information could counteract the claim. It's true that coffee could help you lose weight, but the additives could be preventing that from happening. Great analysis!
1 like 0 dislike
by Novice (720 points)

Coffee can help people lose weight. Multiple studies have been done, like one on PubMed, stated " the current meta-analysis demonstrated that caffeine intake might promote weight, BMI and body fat reduction." Other sources have shown that coffee increases metabolism " by 3%-11%" or "lose up to 4% of body fat". However, too much caffeine can to do harm to the human body, so coffee consumption needs to monitored and not excessively used. Also, coffee should not be considered a primary driver of fat loss because while caffeine and coffee may help, fat loss and metabolism increase may be temporary. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30335479/

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/four-cups-of-coffee-modest-loss-of-body-fat/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/calories/faq-20058100

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/study-finds-unsweetened-coffee-is-linked-to-weight-loss

0 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (260 points)

This isn't entirely true or false, it helps you lose weight but it's not a long term loss weight. That being said the way it helps with weight loss is because it causes urine production which helps with the loss of water weight. But drinking coffee regularly won't show big results of weigh loss. Some people saw 4 percent less fat mass. 

can-coffee-cause-weight-loss-by-affecting-appetite-and-digestion

0 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (300 points)

This is an interesting claim relating drinking coffee to losing weight by altering metabolism. Drinking coffee does help one lose weight in a way that it increases your metabolism. This goes to show what a metabolism does to your body and how it helps turn food into energy for our body. This article by Cleveland Clinic goes in depth of what metabolism does to your body and see what drinking coffee can do to you!

Metabolism: What It Is, How It Works & Disorders

0 like 0 dislike
by (140 points)

After looking into this claim further, I think that the claim that coffee helps you lose weight is mainly true. According to the article and additional sources, coffee increases metabolism because it is a stimulant that can boost your metabolic rate. However, something that I came across was the point that some coffees contain added sugars, syrups, or high calorie creamers, all having the opposite effect of losing weight. With that being said, I found other sources agreeing with the claim that it can help with weight loss, but the other factors like added sugars is definitely something to consider, which is something that the original article did not address

Does Caffeine Cause Weight Gain or Weight Loss? Experts Weigh In | Buoy

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