Coffee drinkers in this study had less fat and more muscle.

A new study from Finland shows that individuals who regularly consume more coffee, despite having a similar body mass index, on average have less total fat and visceral fat, and more skeletal muscle mass.

Researchers from the University of Oulu examined data from 2,264 individuals aged 46 from the “Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966” study and assessed the relationship between coffee consumption and body composition, metabolic indicators, and sex hormones.

In both genders, higher coffee consumption was associated with lower levels of certain branched-chain amino acids; compounds whose chronic increase has previously been linked to insulin resistance and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

However, the hormonal differences between women and men were more interesting. In men who consumed more coffee, total testosterone, bioavailable testosterone, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels were higher, while free testosterone and free androgen index were reported to be slightly lower. In women, hormonal associations were more limited and were mostly related to increased SHBG and decreased levels of some free androgen indicators.

However, these results do not mean that coffee directly causes weight loss or hormonal changes. This research is observational and only shows the association between coffee consumption and these indicators, not a causal relationship. Researchers say future studies should determine whether coffee itself is the factor behind these changes or specific compounds present in it.
Source: Euronews