Daily Coffee May Help Burn Fat, Study Finds; Linked to Lower Body Fat and Higher Muscle Mass

Coffee drinkers may have a leaner body composition, with lower levels of total and abdominal fat and greater skeletal muscle mass, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Oulu.

The study analysed data from 2,264 adults aged 46 who were part of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. Researchers compared participants’ coffee consumption with body composition, blood markers, glucose and insulin measures, and sex hormone levels.

Coffee Drinkers Had Less Body Fat

Published in the European Journal of Nutrition, the study found that people who consumed more coffee generally had:

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

Interestingly, these differences were seen even though BMI was broadly similar across the different coffee-consumption groups.

BMI measures weight in relation to height but does not distinguish between fat and muscle. As a result, two people with the same BMI can have very different body compositions.

“Coffee is consumed by millions of people every day, yet we still know surprisingly little about how it relates to our metabolism and hormones,” said Luca Verroest, lead author of the study and a doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu.

He noted that the researchers found a distinct hormonal pattern that remained even after accounting for BMI and lifestyle factors, with some associations differing between men and women.

Can Coffee Help Burn Fat?

Coffee contains caffeine, which affects the nervous system and energy metabolism. Earlier research has suggested that caffeine may increase energy expenditure and influence appetite and fat metabolism.

The latest findings add to this evidence by showing that regular coffee consumption is associated with a leaner body composition. However, the study does not prove that drinking coffee directly causes fat loss.

The researchers used cross-sectional data, meaning they examined coffee consumption and health measurements at a particular point in time. Therefore, the findings show an association rather than a cause-and-effect relationship.

What About Muscle Mass?

Another notable finding was the greater skeletal muscle mass observed among people who consumed more coffee.

However, this does not mean coffee builds muscle in the same way as resistance training or adequate protein intake. The researchers identified an association between coffee consumption and muscle mass but did not establish that coffee directly stimulates muscle growth.

Coffee Linked To Metabolic Changes

The researchers also examined blood markers associated with metabolism. Higher coffee consumption was linked to 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 greater risk of type 2 diabetes. Among men, higher coffee intake was also associated with a more favourable glucose-insulin profile.

Hormonal Differences Observed

The study also identified differences in sex hormone patterns, particularly among men.

Higher coffee consumption among men was associated with higher levels of total and bioavailable testosterone as well as sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). At the same time, free testosterone and the free androgen index were lower.

Among women, the hormone-related associations were more limited. Higher coffee consumption was mainly associated with higher SHBG and lower measures of free testosterone and the free androgen index.

The findings do not suggest that coffee should be used to deliberately alter hormone levels.

Overall, the study provides an interesting association between regular coffee consumption and body composition. People who drank more coffee tended to have less total and visceral fat and greater skeletal muscle mass despite having similar BMI levels. Higher coffee intake was also associated with changes in metabolic markers and sex hormone patterns, although further research is needed to determine whether coffee itself is responsible for these differences.