Beloved drink linked to less body fat and more muscle: study

Key Points:

• A study from the University of Oulu in Finland found that regular coffee drinkers tend to have leaner body compositions, with less body fat and more muscle mass compared to non-coffee drinkers.
• The research involved over 2,200 participants and showed that higher coffee intake was associated with lower levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which are linked to insulin resistance and diabetes risk.
• Despite these associations, the study did not prove that coffee directly reduces body fat or increases muscle, nor did it clarify the impact of coffee preparation methods or additives like milk and sugar.
• The study revealed gender differences in coffee’s effects on metabolism, with men showing more favorable glucose and insulin responses than women, and some men experiencing less favorable cholesterol and omega-3 fat profiles.
• Lead author Luca Verroest highlighted that coffee’s relationship with metabolism and hormones is complex and varies by sex, emphasizing the need for further research to understand these distinct hormonal signatures.