Tuesday June 17, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study published in 2012 in Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry found green coffee bean extract can inhibit the activity of pancreas lipase - which means that use of the dietary supplement can lead to prevention of dietary fat from being absorbed and used, which further leads to weight loss or prevention of obesity.

The Japanese scientists tested a green coffee bean extract for its inhibitory activity against porcine pancreas lipase and found that the six chlorogenic acids were responsible for more than 90% of the inhibitory activity.  

Lipase is needed for the body to absorb fat, which needs to be hydrolyzed by lipase and can then be metabolized into free fatty acids to allow the body to use.  The inhibitory activity of chlorogenic acids against pancreas lipase (pancreas is where many enzymes are produced) suggests that green coffee bean extract can be used to prevent or treat obesity.

Some studies have already shown that supplementation with green coffee bean extract can lead to weight loss in animals fed a high fat diet.  Green coffee bean extract has high amounts of chlorogenic acids, which are natural antioxidants that provide many biological functions.

Narita Y, Iwai K, Fukunaga T, Nakagiri O.  Inhibitory activity of chlorogenic acids in decaffeinated green coffee beans against porcine pancreas lipase and effect of a decaffeinated green coffee bean extract on an emulsion of olive oil.  Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2012;76(12):2329-31. 

Another Japanese study released in 2006 in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine found evidence suggesting that taking green coffee green extract can help prevent obesity or lead to weight loss.

Specifically, the study revealed that supplementation with green coffee bean extract in a dose of 0.5% and 1% for two weeks reduced visceral fat and body weight in male mice fed a standard diet.

The study indicated that caffeine and chlorogenic acid may be responsible for the reduction in visceral fat and body weight.

The study also showed that intake of green coffee bean extract in a dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg per day for 13 days reduced triglycerides in the liver of mice.  And also in mice, 60 mg of chlorogenic acid per kg per day reduced hepatic triglycerides.

The study concluded "GCBE (green coffee bean extract) is possibly effective against weight gain and fat accumulation by inhibition of fat absorption and activation of fat metabolism in the liver."

"Caffeine was found to be a suppressor of fat absorption, while chlorogenic acid was found to be partially involved in the suppressive effect of GCBE that resulted in the reduction of hepatic TG level."  (David Liu)  (Photo credit: wikipedia)

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 Mar 17;6:9.