Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and for many people, a cup of coffee is part of the daily routine. Now, a new study has found that people who drink more coffee tend to have a leaner body composition, with lower amounts of total and abdominal fat and greater skeletal muscle mass. Researchers from the University of Oulu analysed data from 2,264 adults who were 46 years old and part of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966.

The team compared coffee intake with body composition, blood markers, glucose and insulin measures, and sex hormones. Interestingly, people who consumed more coffee had lower body fat and visceral fat and more skeletal muscle, even though their BMI was similar to that of people who drank less coffee.

What Did The Study Find?

The study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, found a clear difference in body composition between people who consumed different amounts of coffee. Those in the higher coffee-intake groups generally had:

  • Lower body fat percentage
  • Lower total body fat
  • Less visceral fat
  • Greater skeletal muscle mass
  • Lower levels of certain branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in the blood

These differences were present even though BMI was broadly similar across the coffee-consumption groups. This is important because BMI does not show how much of a person's weight comes from fat or muscle. Someone can have the same BMI as another person but have a different amount of body fat and muscle.

"Coffee is consumed by millions of people every day, yet we still know surprisingly little about how it relates to our metabolism and hormones. What stood out in our findings was a distinct hormonal signature that didn't disappear even after we took into account BMI and lifestyle factors, with several of these associations differing between men and women," says Luca Verroest, lead author of the study and Doctoral Researcher at the University of Oulu.

Can Coffee Actually Help Burn Fat?

Coffee contains caffeine, which can affect the nervous system and energy metabolism. Previous research has suggested that caffeine may increase energy expenditure and influence appetite and fat metabolism. The new study adds to this research by showing that habitual coffee consumption is associated with a leaner body composition. However, it does not establish that drinking coffee itself caused participants to lose fat.

The researchers used cross-sectional data, meaning they looked at participants' coffee habits and health measures at a particular point in time.

What About The Extra Muscle Mass?

One of the interesting findings was that people who drank more coffee had greater skeletal muscle mass. This does not mean that coffee builds muscle in the same way as resistance training or adequate protein intake. The researchers found an association between higher coffee intake and muscle mass, but the study did not show that coffee directly stimulated muscle growth.

Coffee Was Also Linked To Metabolic Changes

The researchers looked beyond body composition and examined blood markers linked to metabolism. Higher coffee consumption was associated with lower circulating levels of branched-chain amino acids, including leucine, isoleucine and valine, in both men and women.

Persistently elevated levels of these amino acids have previously been associated with insulin resistance and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. In men, higher coffee intake was also associated with a more favourable glucose-insulin profile.

Did Coffee Affect Hormones?

The study also found differences in sex hormone patterns, particularly among men. Higher coffee consumption was associated with higher total and bioavailable testosterone and higher levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). At the same time, free testosterone and the free androgen index were lower.

In women, the hormone-related associations were more limited. Higher coffee intake was mainly associated with higher SHBG and lower measures of free testosterone and the free androgen index. These findings do not mean that coffee should be used to change hormone levels.

The study gives an interesting link between regular coffee consumption and body composition. People who drank more coffee tended to have less total and visceral fat and more skeletal muscle, despite having similar BMI. Higher coffee intake was also associated with changes in metabolic markers and sex hormone patterns.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.