Higher coffee consumption is associated with less body fat, more muscle mass, and distinct hormone patterns, according to a Finnish study. The research found that individuals who drank more coffee tended to have lower total and abdominal fat. These individuals also exhibited greater skeletal muscle mass.
These differences were observed even in participants with similar body mass indexes (BMI). The study also linked higher coffee intake to lower levels of branched-chain amino acids. Elevated levels of these amino acids are associated with insulin resistance and an increased risk of type two diabetes.
Researchers at the University of Oulu analyzed data from 2,264 participants in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. The study investigated the relationship between habitual coffee intake and circulating metabolites, cardiometabolic risk indicators, and sex hormone levels. The lead author, Luca Verroest, noted a distinct hormonal signature that persisted even after accounting for BMI and lifestyle factors.
In men, greater coffee consumption correlated with a more favorable glucose-insulin profile. It also showed higher levels of total and bioavailable testosterone, and increased concentrations of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Free testosterone and the free androgen index were modestly lower. For women, higher coffee consumption was primarily associated with increased SHBG and lower measures of free androgens.
These findings suggest that hormonal pathways may help explain the observed connections between coffee consumption and metabolic health. However, the observational nature of the study means it cannot establish a direct causal link. Further research, including human intervention studies, is needed to determine if coffee directly causes these biological changes and to identify the responsible compounds.
Finland has one of the world's highest coffee consumption rates, averaging 11.8 kilograms per person annually. The study, titled "Associations of habitual coffee intake with testosterone and cardiometabolic markers: the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 study," was published in the *European Journal of Nutrition*.
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