Fueling the Burn

We’re passionate about natural health and wellness

Fueling the Burn

We’re passionate about natural health and wellness

Chlorogenic Acid (CGA)

Unlock Your Weight Loss Potential with Chlorogenic Acid: A Closer Look at the Science

If you’re thinking about ways to manage your weight and boost your energy, you might have heard about Chlorogenic Acid (CGA). This cool compound is found in lots of plants, especially in green coffee beans before they’re roasted. Scientists have been studying CGA, and it looks like it could have some interesting effects on your body, especially when it comes to weight and how your body uses energy. Let’s break down what the science says in a way that’s easy to understand.

How CGA Might Help You Manage Your Weight: The Science Explained

Think of your body like a car. It needs fuel (food) to run, and it stores extra fuel as fat. CGA seems to influence how your body uses this fuel and stores the extra. Here’s a more detailed look:

  • Working on Fat:
    • Studies on animals suggest that CGA can help lower body weight and the amount of fat stored1.
    • It might do this by messing with certain helpers in your body called enzymes that are involved in making fat. CGA can slow down these fat-making enzymes1.
    • At the same time, CGA can help your liver break down stored fat for energy. This process is called fatty acid beta-oxidation1.
    • Another way CGA might help with fat is by boosting something called PPAR-alpha in the liver. Think of PPAR-alpha as a traffic controller that helps move fats out of the liver1.
    • Even in people, drinking coffee that has a lot of chlorogenic acids has been linked to a decrease in belly fat3.
  • Handling Sugar (Glucose):
    • CGA could also play a role in how your body deals with sugar from food. It might slow down how quickly sugar gets absorbed from your gut into your blood4. This could help prevent big sugar spikes.
    • Scientists think CGA might make your body more sensitive to insulin, a hormone that helps move sugar from your blood into your cells for energy5. If your body is more sensitive to insulin, it’s better at using sugar and less likely to store it as fat.
    • CGA can also activate something called AMPK in your muscles6. AMPK is like an energy sensor in your cells. When it’s active, it tells your muscles to take up more sugar from the blood to use for energy.
    • Some research even suggests that CGA can interfere with an enzyme in your liver that releases sugar into your blood8. By blocking this enzyme, CGA could help keep blood sugar levels steady.
  • Influencing Hormones:
    • Hormones are like messengers in your body. CGA seems to affect some hormones that are linked to weight.
    • In animal studies, CGA has been shown to lower levels of leptin, a hormone that tells your brain you’re full1.
    • It can also reduce insulin levels1.
    • There’s some thought that CGA might encourage the release of GLP-1, a hormone that helps with blood sugar control4. However, some studies have seen changes in another related hormone called GIP instead4. So, the exact hormonal effects are still being figured out.
  • The Power of AMPK:
    • We mentioned AMPK before, but it’s really important. Think of it as your body’s master switch for metabolism11. When your energy levels are low, AMPK gets activated and tells your body to start burning fat and sugar for fuel.
    • CGA’s ability to turn on AMPK is a big reason why scientists think it can help with metabolism and weight management1.

Getting CGA into Your Diet

If you’re interested in the potential benefits of CGA, green coffee bean extracts are a common way to get a concentrated dose. Remember, green coffee beans haven’t been roasted, which is why they’re rich in CGA1.

What This Means for You

The science suggests that Chlorogenic Acid, found in things like green coffee beans, could be a helpful tool for weight management and boosting your metabolism. It seems to work by influencing how your body handles fat and sugar, affecting certain hormones, and activating a key energy regulator called AMPK.

It’s super important to remember that CGA isn’t a quick fix. For the best results, it should be part of a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and regular exercise.

Before you start taking any new supplements, it’s always a good idea to chat with your doctor or a healthcare professional to make sure it’s right for you.

References:

  1. Nguyen, V.; Taine, E.G.; Montserrat-de la Paz, S.; Rivero-Pino, F. Chlorogenic Acid: A Systematic Review on the Biological Functions, Mechanistic Actions, and Therapeutic Potentials. Nutrients 2024, 16, 924.
  2. Meng, S.; Cao, J. Roles of Chlorogenic Acid on Regulating Glucose and Lipids Metabolism: A Review. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2013, 2013, 801457.
  3. Clifford, M.N.; Jaganath, I.B.; Ludwig, I.A.; Crozier, A. Chlorogenic acids and the acyl-quinic acids: Discovery, biosynthesis, bioavailability and bioactivity. Nat. Prod. Rep. 2017, 34, 1391–1421.
  4. Cho, A.-S.; Jeon, S.-M.; Kim, M.-J.; Yeo, J.; Seo, K.-I.; Choi, M.-S.; Lee, M.-K. Chlorogenic acid exhibits anti-obesity property and improves lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced-obese mice. Food Chem. Toxicol. 2010, 48, 937–943.
  5. Gebhardt, R. Inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis in primary cultured rat hepatocytes by artichoke (Cynara scolymus L) extracts. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 1998, 286, 1122–1128.
  6. Frank, J.; Kamal-Eldin, A.; Razdan, A.; Lundh, T.; Vessby, B. The dietary hydroxycinnamate caffeic acid and its conjugate chlorogenic acid increase vitamin E and cholesterol concentrations in Sprague-Dawley rats. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2003, 51, 2526–2531.
  7. Li, S.-Y.; Chang, C.-Q.; Ma, F.-Y.; Yu, C.-L. Modulating effects of chlorogenic acid on lipids and glucose metabolism and expression of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α in golden hamsters fed on high fat diet. Biomed. Environ. Sci. 2009, 22, 122–129.
  8. Shimoda, H.; Seki, E.; Aitani, M. Inhibitory effect of green coffee bean extract on fat accumulation and body weight gain in mice. BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 2006, 6, 9.
  9. Watanabe, T.; Kobayashi, S.; Yamaguchi, T.; Hibi, M.; Fukuhara, I.; Osaki, N. Coffee Abundant in Chlorogenic Acids Reduces Abdominal Fat in Overweight Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial. Nutrients 2019, 11, 1617.
  10. Bassoli, B.K.; Cassolla, P.; Borba-Murad, G.R.; Camargo, R.L.R.; Oliveira, V.A.; Godoy, M.A.B.; Farah, A.; Pirola, L.F.; Amaral, S.L. Chlorogenic acid reduces the plasma glucose peak in the oral glucose tolerance test: effects on hepatic glucose release and glycaemia. Cell Biochem. Funct. 2008, 26, 320–328.
  11. Ong, K.W.; Hsu, A.; Tan, B.K. Chlorogenic acid stimulates glucose transport in skeletal muscle via AMPK activation: A contributor to the beneficial effects of coffee on diabetes. PLoS ONE 2012, 7, e32718.
  12. Henry-Vitrac, C.; Ibarra, A.; Roller, M.; Merillon, J.M.; Vitrac, X. Contribution of chlorogenic acids to the inhibition of human hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity in vitro by Svetol, a standardized decaffeinated green coffee extract. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2010, 58, 4141–4144.
  13. Arion, W.J.; Canfield, W.K.; Ramos, F.C.; Schindler, P.W.; Burger, H.J.; Hemmerle, H.; Schubert, G.; Michael, S.; Petersen, O.H. Chlorogenic acid and hydroxynitrobenzaldehyde: new inhibitors of hepatic glucose 6-phosphatase. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 1997, 339, 315–322.
  14. Hemmerle, H.; Burger, H.-J.; Below, P.; Schubert, G.; Rippel, R.; Kretz, R.; Fülle, H.-J. Chlorogenic acid and synthetic chlorogenic acid derivatives: novel inhibitors of hepatic glucose-6-phosphate translocase. J. Med. Chem. 1997, 40, 137–145.
  15. Ong, K.W.; Hsu, A.; Tan, B.K. Anti-diabetic and anti-lipidemic effects of chlorogenic acid are mediated by ampk activation. Biochem. Pharmacol. 2013, 85, 1341–1351.
  16. Kahn, B.B.; Alquier, T.; Carling, D.; Hardie, D.G. AMP-activated protein kinase: ancient energy gauge provides clues to modern understanding of metabolism. Cell Metab. 2005, 1, 15–25.
  17. Tunnicliffe, J.M.; Eller, L.K.; Reimer, R.A.; Hittel, D.S.; Shearer, J. Chlorogenic acid differentially affects postprandial glucose and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide response in rats. Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 2011, 36, 650–659.
  18. McCarty, M.F. A chlorogenic acid-induced increase in GLP-1 production may mediate the impact of heavy coffee consumption on diabetes risk. Med. Hypotheses 2005, 64, 848–853.
  19. Huang, Z.Z.; Chang, C.Q. Advances of study on glucose and lipids metabolism of chlorogenic acid regulating. J. Hyg. Res. 2008, 37, 637–639.
  20. Rodriguez de Sotillo, D.P.; Hadley, M. Effect of chlorogenic acid on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of (fa/fa) Zucker rats. Lipids Health Dis. 2006, 5, 16.

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