Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
- Skipping Breakfast a Big No-No for Sustainable Weight Loss
- Healthy Fats Added to Coffee Do Not Make it Breakfast!
- Skipping Breakfast in favor of Bulletproof Coffee
- Serotonin Deficiency Harms Sleep Quality
- Must Have Your BulletProof Coffee?
- BulletProof Coffee Already Wrecked Your Sleep?
- Once You’ve Got Your Serotonin Deficiency Under Control, Now What?
- References and More Information
Bulletproof coffee has become quite the fad with fans touting its use as a way to lose weight, shrink that spare tire, and have more energy. The basic recipe calls for 2 cups of coffee, a minimum of 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter, and 1-2 tablespoons MCT oil (some people substitute virgin coconut oil) all mixed together in a blender.
This coffee drink is promoted as a replacement for breakfast by Dave Asprey of the Bulletproof Executive as a way to feel “lean, focused and energized” and helps you “transform your diet without chewing on sticks of butter”.
While I have no doubt that this choice of morning beverage will indeed produce a high level of focus and intensity due to the quick injection of caffeine and medium-chain triglycerides (used by the body for energy rather than fat storage) to the bloodstream, any weight loss benefits to a bulletproof coffee habit over the long term are completely ludicrous.
At the very least, bulletproof coffee certainly won’t be helping you lose weight and keep it off. Yes, it’s just another yo-yo scenario and here’s why.
Skipping Breakfast a Big No-No for Sustainable Weight Loss
According to Julia Ross, bestselling author of The Diet Cure, skipping breakfast and replacing it with coffee or a drink like bulletproof coffee is a big no-no and not just because it increases your chances of overeating starches and sugars later in the day.
Skipping a nutritious morning meal particularly one with a quality source of protein does a number on your body’s ability to produce the neurotransmitter serotonin which is derived from the amino acid tryptophan.
Tryptophan, like all the amino acids, is contained in protein. Meat is the best source of tryptophan but only from animals roaming on pasture.
Healthy Fats Added to Coffee Do Not Make it Breakfast!
Adding a bunch of healthy fats to coffee in no way redeems the situation and bulletproof coffee does not qualify as a meal replacement!
Protein (food) —–> Tryptophan (amino acid) —–> Serotonin (neurotransmitter) —–> Melatonin (hormone for restful sleep)
Serotonin is what helps you feel happy, calm, and self-confident even in the face of stress. Moreover, ample serotonin is important for a restful night’s sleep as the body converts serotonin into melatonin at dusk.
Inadequate melatonin results in insomnia problems.
What about adding collagen, gelatin or protein powder to bulletproof coffee? Does this make it better?
Please note that adding collagen hydrolysate or gelatin to your bulletproof coffee does not solve the problem as these protein sources are completely devoid of tryptophan-containing primarily the amino acids glycine and proline in large amounts.
Protein powder would be the worst choice, however, as all brands are highly processed (don’t be fooled!) with the delicate protein molecules denatured even if processed at low temperatures due to the powdering process.
Skipping Breakfast in favor of Bulletproof Coffee
Skipping breakfast in the morning short circuits the body’s ability to produce adequate serotonin throughout the day. While eating protein later in the day definitely helps, because none was consumed at breakfast, your body ends up playing serotonin catch up all day every day.
Ms. Ross says that we all need about 20-30 grams of protein 3 times per day to fulfill the body’s requirement for amino acids in order to produce adequate neurotransmitters like serotonin.
Drinking coffee even if it’s bulletproof coffee first thing in the morning instead of breakfast has the double whammy effect of suppressing appetite as well. It’s the caffeine that reduces appetite so not only aren’t you getting the protein you need in the morning, but you likely won’t eat enough throughout the rest of the day either which further impacts serotonin and melatonin production in a negative way.
What good is feeling “energized and focused” from bulletproof coffee during the day if it also leaves you irritable, stressed, emotionally unstable and unable to get a quality night’s sleep when you get home?
Serotonin Deficiency Harms Sleep Quality
The research is ominous regarding serotonin deficiency causing insufficient melatonin production with the resulting effect of unwanted weight gain – even obesity over the long term.
According to Dr. Mercola, “it’s also well proven that lack of sleep is linked to obesity, while if you’re not getting enough sleep, there’s a good chance your melatonin production is not up to par either. The disturbance to your melatonin levels caused by lack of sleep may be one more reason why it leads to weight gain, and this could have far-reaching impacts on your health.”
In addition, Science Daily reported that scientists found that proper melatonin levels stimulate the production of beige fat, a heat-generating type of fat (also known as “good” or “thinning” fat) that helps your body to burn calories rather than store them.
Must Have Your BulletProof Coffee?
Long story short, if you must drink bulletproof coffee, at the very least, wait until after a protein-rich breakfast to do it!
This way, the impact on your serotonin and melatonin levels will not be as severe as drinking it as a replacement for breakfast with its appetite-suppressing effects affecting the rest of the day’s protein consumption as well.
You may find that this one simple change alone will leave you feeling happier, more emotionally flexible, less stressed, and with increased ability to tackle whatever challenges you face each day with improved self-confidence.
BulletProof Coffee Already Wrecked Your Sleep?
If you suspect that your serotonin levels are in the tank and you need neurotransmitter supplementation to help you with worry, anxiety, OCD thoughts or actions, depression, panic attacks, and/or chronic insomnia, Julia Ross recommends this dosage with the amino acid tryptophan:
- 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP – sources): 50 mg in the mid-afternoon and before bedtime.
OR
- L-tryptophan (sources): 500 mg in the mid-afternoon and again before bed especially if insomnia is a problem.
Note that 5-HTP is cheaper than L-tryptophan but some people get nausea from it, so switch to L-tryptophan if 5-HTP doesn’t work for you.
Raise the dosage as needed to eliminate low serotonin symptoms.
Once You’ve Got Your Serotonin Deficiency Under Control, Now What?
Once you’ve started eating breakfast again and eliminated or at least delayed your cup of bulletproof coffee until after you eat in the morning, you might perhaps feel motivated to try and wean yourself off coffee completely.
According to Julia Ross:
People who crave chocolate, coffee, alcohol, and even exercise are typically low in the neurotransmitter endorphin.
Using supplementation of the amino acids that are precursors to endorphin may really help in trying to shake the bulletproof coffee habit.
- Amino acid d-phenylalanine (DPA): 500 mg, 2-4X/day (sources). Use DPA if you are addicted to coffee and also an anxious person.
OR
- Amino acid d-phenylalanine (DPA) bound to the amino acid I-phenylalanine (LPA) – known in combination as DLPA: 500 mg, 2-3X/day (sources). Use DLPA if you crave the energizing effects of coffee and are not typically an anxious person.
Do you think a deficiency of neurotransmitters might be the reason some folks love their bulletproof coffee so much?
References and More Information
Why You Need to Change WHEN You Drink Coffee
Melatonin Regulates our Mood, Weight, Reproduction and May Fight Cancer
BC Recipe
Melatonin helps control weight gain
Why You Need to Change WHEN You Drink Coffee
Healthy Coffee Substitutes
Coconut Oil for Weight Loss
Coconut Oil Capsules: As Beneficial as Straight Up?
The Truth About Your Morning Coffee Fix
I think you’re missing some information, but I’m glad you’re looking out for the well being of others. The purpose of drinking bulletproof coffee is not a meal replacement. Its purpose, instead, is to help change the metabolism type from sugar and carb burning to fat burning. As you train the body to burn fat as its primary source of fuel, it begins to seek out body fat even when you skip meals. The result is that you just don’t feel hungry.
I intermittently fast; I go 20-21 hours per day without eating. Then after 21 hours, I do an explosive, high intensity workout. The energy I have is incredible during this time and I feel like I can fly. Then, after the workout, I eat foods mainly consisting of saturated fats (and a little bit higher in protein just on those workout days). I do not have starch cravings. I do not have blood sugar crashes. I also just started bulletproof coffee in addition to what I do.
I have also fasted for 3.5 weeks, having only water and supplements. I can safely say, you do not feel hungry for that entire time and there are no cravings for starches and sugars, but cravings for fats and salts (if I thought about food). I had periods of explosive energy during this time, but also had the urge to rest on other days. I lost 20 lbs in body fat and 10 lbs in water weight and I have effectively kept it off due to the lack of cravings for sugars and carbs.
It’s all about changing your metabolism type to reflect the way our bodies evolved. Once you do, you simply do not crave starches and sugars because your body will not be seeking them, as it’s too busy burning up your fat stores.
Take care!
I wanted to address a few things:
1. Dave’s book offers up the BPC as a fuel source, but it’s touted as less of meal replacement beverage and more of a means to intermittent fast while healing components of the body, including gut flora, and burning fat. I have been IF with nothing but Zevia and water for four months, since starting BPC January 24 the weightloss has continued as normal with way more energy.
2. The recommendation to take a supplement for serotonin production is at mid-day which is when most people’s IF ends and most will break the fast with protein anyway.
3. I agree with what your saying, BPC should not be used as a morning breakfast. But Daves book does not recommend it as a breakfast replacement, he introduces it in the book and then immediately recommends it to be used as part of an IF protocol z I think people have taken his product and misapplied it.
Interesting. Thank you for the input. It’s a shame that the vast majority of people seem to be using BPC as a meal replacement for breakfast which is HUGELY damaging to health over the long term especially for women. Contributes to so many problems esp. as they approach menopause. I think Dave should invest more energy in attempting to dispel this gross misapplication of his product.
I have to say, this is crazy. What do you have against Dave? BPC as a means to enter ketosis and follow a anti inflamitory diet to loose weight, sure, and change your eating habits you have no clue. I started to rid my diet of any processed sugar, cut back on carbs drastically and eat whole, real food. Hard to do these days, but finding BPC was a Godsend to help achieve that with my lifestyle and intermittent fasting has changed my life. 30 days of no sugar and BPC I have little to no aches or pains, I’m mid 40’s, played sports all my life, and had plenty of injuries and a car wreck to go along with with degenerative disc disease. I have more energy that I did at 30. Nearly 6 months in and I sleep better than I did before I started this regimen. I am clear, focused, have little problem getting up in the morning and I always wanted to hit the snooze till 10 or so, I don’t do BPC every morning, but most on work days, I don’t crash or have cravings for sugar- ever. But I actually hear my body for the first time in a very long time. BPC By 7 am after a good, balanced, carbs from vegetables or fruits, very little grain and good protein and fat by 8 or so the night before let’s me intermittently fast until easily 1-2 pm when I actually feel hungry I eat, again good food to stay in ketosis and then dinner. I don’t always do that on a weekend. But I have lost over 50 lbs. I’ve tried everything in the past to reduce sugar long term and I can’t. With bpc I don’t crave anything. I didn’t even care to “cheat” during the holidays. The shift in my relationship with food is profound. My cholesterol has also improved, I don’t take blood pressure meds any longer, mostly due to no processed sugar. But I think people who could benefit may be steered away by this article. Do more research people, BPC is not bad. May be for everyone, but do more research for yourself.
Hey … it’s a free country. Guzzle that BPC if you want to. This article is for those who wish to consider the other side of the argument and the long term effects of this trend. Just because you don’t like what the article has to say doesn’t make it untrue.
So whats you basis for knowledge of serotonin? Have you done studies? Had blood levels run? Do you know about serotonin syndrome? Do you know that serotonin excess is one of the leading causes of insomnia, not the other way around? Have you had someone check your serotonin levels after a week of less than 3 hours sleep each night due to insomnia, only to find that the blood levels show pre-serotonin syndrome? Cause I’ve done these studies for several years. And on average, very few people that do the keto diet have issues with serotonin. In fact intermittent fasting can actually naturally rebalance a lot of hormones, including serotonin. This is a human balance system. Also, on way serotonin is released is when you feel good, or your brain triggers the “reward” part of your brain. And there are plenty of studies out there that show, for a person who loves, say bacon, eating a few pieces that you are wanting, floods your system with the same chemicals as a heroin addict. These, include dopamine, serotonin and others… and that’s regardless of time ingested. So a person who loves bacon, can not eat all day, then eat bacon in the late evening and still have more serotonin than a person eating all day. I think your research is a little askew here. Saying skipping breakfast is bad cause it will mess up your sleep, is about as great as those people who say your body goes into detrimental starvation mode if you don’t eat every two hours. neither of those statements is completely accurate. I just hope people who read this, go on to do a lot more research before deciding if they want to try BPC, or even the Keto diet. I respect your thoughts and opinions, but that’s what they are, and people need to look around more. Thank you
I add 1 – 2 tbsp of coconut oil, Virgin, unrefined, to my only morning cup of coffee but I do not drink caffeinated coffee. I can’t. It makes me shaky and crazy hyper. I buy my beans from Grounds for Change (organic, fair trade) and I buy one 16 oz bag of decaf (water process) and one 12 oz bag of regular coffee. They have many different flavors and I experiment all the time in order to “taste test” all of their delicious flavors. So what I do is mix both of the bags together so that I end up with an ALMOST half-caf blend (more decaf than regular because the bag is bigger). This satisfies my coffee fix in the morning and doesn’t make me crazy hyper and crawling the walls. I think that by adding just the coconut oil, it’s helping me ingest the oil and lose some weight, too. I used to add butter (organic) to my coffee cup sometimes, but if I do that, I don’t add the coconut oil, too. It’s either one or the other, and I do not mess around with a blender I just plop it into my hot coffee. It’s been working for me as long as I always use quality ingredients and still eat an egg or some other protein for my first meal of the day, which sometimes isn’t until around 10:00 a.m., because I’m very busy first thing every day. Too busy to eat, for sure, and I’m not hungry right away anyhow.
Hope that might help someone else with this dilemma. (BTW, I’m swedish and I cannot drink black coffee or black tea). If I want something close to black tea, I drink Oolong, I just don’t brew it long enough for the caffeine to be a problem. Very good for you, check it out. I’m burned out on Earl Grey or rooibus for a while and I do not care for green tea or white tea.
Bulletproof coffee is popular on the keto diet, and when used in conjunction with a low carb, high fat diet it will in fact help you lose weight. If your source of energy comes from fat, then drinking this for breakfast will be your main source of energy until lunch. If you intend on inhaling a carb loaded lunch or dinner, then no, I would not suggest a meal plan that started with bulletproof coffee. If your meal plan is 150-200 grams of fat a day and under 20 grams of carbs, then yes, it could help to lose weight. Do not dismiss any specific food/recipe completely when it does in fact work for perfectly for some people.
How many hours after waking do you recommend eating your first meal? Is it less stressful on the body to stop eating earlier rather than start eating later and then do still a narrower 8 hour window of eating to help reduce calories to lose body fat? Would you agree that eating more small meals (6 for example) doesn’t give enough time for your blood sugar levels to even out again before eating your next meal/snack? What is your meal scheduel like?
How is meat “the best source of tryptophan” when nuts and seeds have more?
Your response is misleading. ‘Deep creases’ implied wrinkles to me – not the hollow cheeks shown in the photo. That just seems to be a natural product of weight loss. Looked fine to me. BPC has worked for me and many studies suggest that skipping breakfast is not bad for weight loss as has been reported in the past.
Deep creases are not wrinkles to me and no they aren’t just a result of weight loss! Deep cheek creases indicate severe adrenal fatigue which some people get after doing too much coffee, energy drinks or other sources of caffeine.
I mean my mum rarely drinks black coffee(Swedes drink a lot black coffee regularly) which is only occasionally like on her birthday or something from a small cup. I doubt very much it’s good for you everyday because it’s still a toxin.