Not only cheerfulness: scientists have linked coffee with a healthier body composition

Finnish scientists have found a link between regular coffee consumption and body composition, metabolism, and sex hormone levels. People who drank more coffee had, on average, less total and visceral fat, more skeletal muscle mass, and more favorable metabolic rates with a similar body mass index. About how coffee can be related to the amount of fat, muscle mass and hormone levels, see the Izvestia article.

Coffee has been linked to body composition

Previous studies have linked coffee consumption to a reduced risk of a number of diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, scientists do not yet fully understand the biological mechanisms that may explain these connections.

A new study published in the journal Science Daily was conducted by specialists from the University of Oulu in Finland. They analyzed data from 2,264 people aged 46. The researchers studied how the usual amount of coffee consumed is related to circulating metabolites, cardiometabolic risk indicators, and sex hormone levels.

Participants who consumed more coffee had lower levels of total fat and visceral fat located in the abdominal area. At the same time, they had higher skeletal muscle mass. However, the differences persisted, despite the fact that participants with higher and lower coffee consumption had a similar body mass index.

What has changed in the metabolic rate

Regular coffee consumption was also associated with lower concentrations of branched chain amino acids in the blood in both men and women. Previously, chronically elevated levels of these biomarkers were associated with insulin resistance and a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Studies have revealed the effects of caffeine on the body

The researchers found the most noticeable differences in men. Higher coffee consumption was associated with a more favorable glucose and insulin profile, as well as increased levels of total and bioavailable testosterone.

At the same time, men who drank more coffee had higher concentrations of sex hormone binding globulin. However, their free testosterone and free androgen index were slightly lower. Thus, the relationship between the amount of coffee and the hormonal profile turned out to be ambiguous and depended on a specific indicator.

The effect was different for men and women.

In women, the association between coffee consumption and hormonal levels was less pronounced. With higher consumption of the drink, elevated globulin levels and lower levels of free androgens were mainly noted.

According to him, the nature of the hormonal differences was particularly remarkable. The researchers found a certain hormonal pattern that persisted even after taking into account body mass index and lifestyle factors.

And the observed differences in men and women, according to the publication, suggest that the possible effect of coffee on metabolism may be related not only to general metabolic processes, but also to differences in hormonal mechanisms in both sexes.

Hormones may explain the benefits of coffee

The results suggest that hormonal mechanisms may be one of the factors explaining the previously discovered link between coffee consumption and metabolic status. However, the study was observational, so it does not prove that coffee directly caused the detected changes in the body.

The authors consider the results to be a starting point for further research. Scientists have yet to find out whether coffee itself is capable of causing the detected biological changes and which compounds may be responsible for them. Currently, these issues are being studied, including in animal models, and in the future, researchers plan to move on to interventions involving humans. According to scientists, additional data is not yet sufficient to change dietary recommendations based on them.