Caffeine BUSTS body fat, diabetes risk

I often wonder how some studies get funded. Many of them are repetitive… and not in a good way.

Sure, scientific research has to be repeated over and over againؙ in hopes of landing on the same results. After all, one can’t make recommendations or clinical decisions based on one single study.

But did we really need another study to tell us that higher blood caffeine levels can combat body fat and type 2 diabetes?

Apparently, that answer is yes.

But before you rush to pour yourself an extra cup of coffee, there’s a caveat…

Genetic advantage

In a new study, researchers wanted to analyze the effect of caffeine on two specific genetic mutations linked to slower caffeine metabolism.

(When people with these mutations ingest caffeine, it remains longer in their system.)

And the results were rather shocking…

Those with the variants—and high blood concentrations of caffeine—experienced a 4.8 decrease in body mass index (BMI). In terms of body fat, they were also 20 pounds lighter than those without the genes. (I wish I had this genetic advantage… I also wish my body would tolerate caffeine!)

Why? Well, there’s one word here: Thermogenic.

In fact, for every 100 mg of daily caffeine consumption, your body burns about 100 calories.

Not to mention, caffeine is a stimulant. And it typically makes you less hungry—meaning you eat less.

So if those effects “linger” in your system? It just makes sense you’d have a healthier weight advantage.

The overall “buzz”

Now, researchers also landed on an observational finding for type 2 diabetes, to the tune of a 23 percent reduced risk. (This is likely due to the subjects’ having a lower BMI.)

And I’ve reported on the blood sugar-reducing effects of caffeine (coffee) before.

In fact, in another study, Swedish researchers set out to investigate the links between coffee intake and type 2 diabetes risk. But rather than relying on self-reports, scientists measured specific molecules in subjects’ blood—a technique called metabolomics—to assess the consumption of different types of coffee.

These biomarkers showed that subjects who drank two to three cups of filtered coffee daily had a 60 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes than those who drank less than one cup daily. (Another way to brew coffee is to boil it—like when you make espresso.)

Researchers speculate that brewing with a filter may capture heart-harming substances, leaving only the health-boosting phenolic compounds behind—the most noteworthy being chlorogenic acid.

Chlorogenic acid is a compound that can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce blood sugar absorption, regulate endothelial function, and more.

And coffee is the single biggest dietary source of it—which likely explains coffee’s anti-diabetes benefits.

Just keep in mind that there is too much of a good thing. If you’re not used to ingesting caffeine, beware: It can make you jittery and anxious.

If you’re a coffee or tea lover, remember that moderation is key. (To learn about specific cautions and benefits of these beverages, click here.)

Sources:

“High Caffeine Levels May Lower Body Fat, Type 2 Diabetes Risks.” Medscape, 03/14/2023. (medscape.com/viewarticle/989630)

Shi L, et al. Plasma metabolite biomarkers of boiled and filtered coffee intake and their association with type 2 diabetes risk. Journal of Internal Medicine, 2019; DOI: 10.1111/joim.13009