Daily coffee consumption can contribute to a reduction in body fat and a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in BMJ Medicine magazine this Wednesday (3/15).
Researchers from the UK and Sweden used a statistical technique called Mendelian randomization to assess the effects of higher levels of caffeine in the blood on body weight and the long-term risks of type 2 diabetes and major cardiovascular disease.
Using Mendelian randomization, they were able to analyze the action of two common genetic variants of the CYP1A2 and AHR genes – associated with the speed of caffeine metabolism in the body – in approximately 10,000 people enrolled in six long-term studies.
Higher levels of caffeine in the blood were associated with significantly lower body mass index (BMI). People were also less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
“Caffeine can improve people’s metabolisms, although that doesn’t mean they should overdo high-calorie caffeinated drinks like chai lattes,” said lead study author Dipender Gill of Imperial College London.
The study authors noted that individuals who carried the genetic variants metabolized caffeine more slowly and typically had a high level of the stimulating substance in their blood without needing to consume large amounts, compared to those who processed caffeine quickly.
The first group of participants had a lower BMI and risk of type 2 diabetes, leading the researchers to support the theory that caffeine was responsible for the difference.
Previous observational research has shown that drinking three to five cups of coffee every day is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
An average cup of coffee contains 70 mg to 150 mg of caffeine. It is estimated that a daily intake of 100 mg increases energy expenditure by about 100 calories daily.
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