14 DAY TRIAL // Now it's clear why women crave for coffee: it's about nice legs. For most westerners, there's no breakfast without coffee, and coffee is clearly the world's most important trade crop. Some researchers are trying to show the beneficial effects that coffee has on our health, whereas others look at it as the devil's beverage. There are voices saying that it's rather a bogus.
A new research, published in the "Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology", claims that caffeine really turns thighs thinner. The Brazilian team made its study on 99 female subjects, who received a cream having as main ingredient a 7 % caffeine solution. The women had to smear their legs twice a day with the caffeine cream, for 30 days.
At the end of this period, the effects were clearly visible. Over 80 % of the subjects experienced a decrease in the circumference of their upper and lower thighs, and 68 % also in their hips.
The research did not show that caffeine would fight off cellulite. Cellulite patterns were determined through a handheld imaging device, detecting microcirculation in fat tissue. There was a non significant change in cellulite, even in the cases of hips and thighs slimming. The scientists agreed that 30-day could be a too short interval for the cream to take effect on cellulite.
"This is no cure for cellulite. But it can help women who want to look thinner. Exercise is still the best way to go", said lead researcher Omar Lupi, from the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro.
A 2007 research showed that caffeine could cut the risk of skin cancer. 6 cups of caffeinated coffee daily lowered the likelihood of developing skin cancer by 35 %, while 2-3 cups lowered it by 12 %. Caffeine is believed to impede cells dividing in the tumor, or to work as an antioxidant.
One research found that coffee and exercise fight against sun-induced skin cancer by 40 %. Other researches suggested that coffee could be beneficial against breast cancer as well.