Why it is not advisable to consume caffeine when trying to lose weight?

If you are loking to ask about caffeine as a appetite suppressant, please see this answer by another user (Mary Siever):

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view.php/2126

This question has endless answers. . .

Some consume caffeine to reduce the pain of excercise related muscle pain or increase their endurance while exercising. This is from a 2003 study discussed on http://www.webmd.com:

"A new study suggests that caffeine reduces exercise-induced muscle pain. Researchers say pain-relieving effects of caffeine may actually help explain why caffeine has been shown to improve endurance.

Researchers say the mechanisms behind what causes muscle pain aren't clearly understood because different tissues in the body can trigger different types of pain, depending on the individual."

It is also a stimulant and diuretic which can cause you to have more problems than muscle pain while exercising. . .heart attack, severe dehydration--you get the picture.

Caffeine also blocks effective absorption of some vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to function and stay healthy. Iron comes to mind as the best example. Dieters typically decrease the amount of food they eat and some take that to dangerous extremes. Without those vital nutrients or a severe decrease in them, you could end up with some serious health problems short or long term. Caffeine consumption makes that situation much worse.

It has been said that the proper amount of sleep is helpful to those who wish to lose weight and keep it off. Caffeine will not help you get a good night's sleep--many who suffer from insomnia often find that cutting down on the amount of caffeinated foods or beverages they consume solves the problem. Another article from Web MD:

A lack of zzzzs can affect your ability to lose weight.
By Michael Breus, PhD
Thursday, May 08, 2003

To lose weight seems to be the number one resolution each new year. However, nearly 90% of these resolutions meet with either little or no success. Some people even gain weight instead. Most people never know there may be a very simple reason why: They don't sleep well.

Studies published in The Journal of the American Medical Association and The Lancet suggest that sleep loss may increase hunger and affect the body's metabolism, which may make it more difficult to maintain or lose weight.

Sleep loss:

-Makes you feel hungry even if you are full. Sleep loss has been shown to affect the secretion of cortisol, a hormone that regulates appetite. As a result, individuals who lose sleep may continue to feel hungry despite adequate food intake (Note: could have been Dorsey's problem since he was known to overeat and suffer from insomnia).

-Increases fat storage. Sleep loss may interfere with the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates, which leads to high levels of blood sugar.

-Excess blood sugar promotes the overproduction of insulin, which can lead to the storage of body fat and insulin resistance, a critical step into the development of diabetes.

It is also important to realize that the quality of sleep (that is, getting the right amount of "deep sleep") is just as important as the quantity of sleep. For example, decreased amounts of restorative deep or slow-wave sleep have been associated with significantly reduced levels of growth hormone, a protein that helps regulate the body's proportions of fat and muscle during adulthood.

Sleep Tips to Help You Shape Up

Specialists recommend that people who vow to lose weight should adjust their sleep habits as well as their eating habits. The following are useful tips to help shape up.

-Don't go to bed feeling hungry, but don't eat a big meal right before bedtime.

-Exercise regularly, but no sooner than three hours before bedtime.

***-Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol in the late afternoon and evening.***

-If you have trouble sleeping for more than a few weeks, or if sleep problems interfere with daily functioning, speak with your doctor.

Like I said, there are endless answers, but I hope this helps :)

it stimulates your metabolism and makes it harder to burn off your food. Try caffeine free diet sodas and crystal light tea is good

Caffeine is in most diet pills, because it is a stimulant, and stimulants increase your metabolism.

But the negatives are the fact that it is a diuretic, but there is also a problem with it reducing insulin sensitivity. (I believe this is fairly new information.) This can be counterproductive.

Caffeine is a diuretic, it causes liquid in the body to dehydrate.

Caffeine causes water retention. Water is needed to flush out the toxins and 'burned' fat while you are losing weight. If there is not enough water to flush all this out you will lose weight more slowly.