Coffee drinkers have less fat, more muscle, and surprising hormone differences
Coffee drinkers may be getting more than an energy boost. A Finnish study found that people who drank more coffee tended to have less total and abdominal fat, more muscle, and healthier metabolic markers despite having similar BMIs. Higher coffee intake was also linked to lower levels of certain amino acids associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes risk.
Coffee enthusiasts in Finland have been found to exhibit healthier body composition, improved metabolic markers, and unique hormone profiles, according to a new study from the University of Oulu. Researchers examined 2,264 participants aged 46, all part of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, to assess the link between coffee consumption and various health indicators.
The study revealed that individuals consuming more coffee tended to have lower total and visceral body fat, along with increased skeletal muscle mass, regardless of their body mass index. Higher coffee intake was also associated with lower levels of branched-chain amino acids, which have been linked to insulin resistance and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes when chronically elevated.
Among men, greater coffee consumption was linked to a more favorable glucose-insulin profile, higher total and bioavailable testosterone levels, and increased sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). However, free testosterone and the free androgen index were slightly lower in men. In women, higher coffee consumption mainly resulted in increased SHBG and reduced free androgen levels.
The study's lead author, Luca Verroest, notes that the findings unveiled a distinct hormonal signature that persisted even after accounting for BMI and lifestyle factors, with some associations differing between men and women. While the research is observational and cannot prove causation, it offers valuable insights into the potential hormonal pathways that may explain coffee's association with metabolic health.
Finland ranks among the top coffee-consuming nations, with an average annual consumption of around 11.8 kilograms per person. The results pave the way for further studies to determine whether coffee itself induces these biological changes and to identify the specific compounds responsible. Scientists are currently conducting animal studies to explore these questions, with the ultimate goal of advancing human intervention studies.
Further research will be necessary before the findings can inform dietary recommendations. 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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