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A study found yerba maté taken as a supplement prior to exercising increased fat metabolism during exercise. Published in Nutrition & Metabolism, the study investigated the effects of ingestion of yerba maté on two markers of fat metabolism—fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and energy expenditure derived from fatty acid oxidation (EE). Study participants received either 1,000 mg of yerba maté in capsule form or a placebo; after resting for an hour, both the yerba maté and control groups began an incremental cycling protocol. The researchers discovered that:

• Yerba maté increased FAO and EE by 24% during light and moderate aerobic exercise; this is important because higher FAO and EE levels are tied to improved metabolic health and enhanced exercise performance.
• Yerba maté also produced these positive effects without negatively impacting peak oxygen uptake, a measure of aerobic fitness.

This is the first study to show yerba maté boosts metabolism during exercise; however, more research is needed to determine whether yerba maté combined with exercise can be an effective weight-loss strategy.

Source: Nutrition & Metabolism