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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A Finnish study found that people who drink more coffee tend to have less body fat, more muscle, and healthier metabolic markers — even when their BMI is similar to lighter drinkers. Higher coffee intake was also linked to lower levels of amino acids tied to insulin resistance and notable differences in sex hormone profiles, particularly in men. Researchers caution the findings are observational and not yet ready to shape dietary guidelines.
A new study from the University of Oulu in Finland suggests that regular coffee consumption is associated with healthier body composition, better metabolic markers, and distinct hormonal patterns — adding biological detail to coffee's already well-documented links to reduced risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Analyzing data from 2,264 middle-aged participants in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, researchers found that heavier coffee drinkers had less total and visceral fat, more skeletal muscle mass, and lower levels of branched-chain amino acids — biomarkers linked to insulin resistance — compared to lighter drinkers, despite having similar BMIs. The hormonal findings were especially notable in men, who showed higher total and bioavailable testosterone and greater sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) with increased coffee intake. Women showed more modest hormonal associations, mainly higher SHBG and lower free androgens.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: These findings offer a potential biological mechanism behind coffee's long-observed health benefits, opening the door to targeted human intervention studies. For now, the science is promising — but not yet prescriptive.
