Study: Regular coffee consumption linked to healthy body composition and hormonal changes - Sarmad

Several studies have linked coffee consumption to a reduced risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, but the underlying biological mechanisms behind these benefits remain unclear.

In a new Finnish study conducted by the University of Oulu on 2,264 participants from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, all aged 46, the results revealed some intriguing answers.

Researchers found that regular coffee consumption was associated with a healthier body composition, characterized by lower total and visceral fat and increased skeletal muscle mass, despite participants having similar body mass indices (BMI).

Higher consumption was also linked to lower levels of branched-chain amino acids, biomarkers associated with insulin resistance and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes when chronically elevated.

Most notably, there was a clear difference in hormonal effects between genders, with associations being stronger in men. In men, coffee consumption was linked to improved ability to regulate blood sugar and insulin, higher total and bioavailable testosterone levels, increased sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and a slight decrease in free testosterone and the free androgen index.

In women, the effect was limited and consisted of increased SHBG and decreased free androgens, indicating a distinct hormonal signature unaffected by BMI or lifestyle factors, according to lead author Lotta Verhoist.

However, the researchers acknowledge that these findings, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, are observational associations rather than causal relationships. This means they cannot definitively conclude that coffee causes these biological changes, especially since the study was conducted in Finland, one of the world’s highest coffee-consuming countries, with an average annual consumption of 11.8 kilograms per person.

Nevertheless, the results provide a solid foundation for future studies, currently underway in animal models, aiming to transition to human trials to identify the compounds responsible for these effects, before they can enrich dietary recommendations.