What New Findings Have Scientists Made About The Habit Of Drinking Coffee?
4- 2.09.2026, 10:21
- 1,584
A morning cup of coffee has long been a daily ritual for millions of people around the world.
But scientists are still debating its actual effects on our bodies.
No matter how many studies are conducted, this beverage—which contains more than a thousand biologically active compounds—continues to present new mysteries to science, ranging from the specifics of metabolism to the subtle hormonal balance of our bodies.
The latest issue of the prestigious scientific journal *European Journal of Nutrition* features a study by European and Finnish scientists that sheds light on this process, writes New Voice.
The research team set out to examine in detail how regular coffee consumption is linked to our metabolic markers, sex hormones, and internal chemical compounds.
The authors analyzed data from 2,264 participants aged 46 and recorded their coffee-drinking habits, as well as a wide range of health indicators at a specific point in time, although the volunteers themselves were not under long-term observation during this phase. The results proved to be quite interesting for anyone who is accustomed to starting their day with this aromatic beverage.
It turned out that coffee lovers, on average, have less body fat and more skeletal muscle mass—the very muscles responsible for movement. And this is despite the fact that body mass index (BMI) values remained quite comparable across the different groups. As the researchers note, coffee can improve overall metabolism precisely because of hormonal mechanisms, and this is particularly noticeable in men.
The researchers focused most of their attention on analyzing hormones. Men who consumed more coffee clearly exhibited a more favorable glucose-to-insulin ratio, higher concentrations of total and bioavailable testosterone, as well as elevated levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), which is responsible for transporting these hormones in the blood. In women, these associations were somewhat weaker: higher coffee consumption correlated with higher levels of SHBG and, at the same time, lower levels of free androgens.
“We drink coffee every day, but we still know surprisingly little about its connection to our hormones and metabolism,” admits nutritionist Luka Verroest of the University of Oulu. According to him, a distinct hormonal profile immediately caught their attention, one that persisted even after adjusting for BMI and lifestyle habits, with these effects differing noticeably between men and women.
In addition, the researchers noted another important detail: coffee drinkers had significantly lower levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). When there are too many of these protein “building blocks” in the blood, modern medicine typically associates this with a decline in metabolic health.
Chronically elevated BCAA levels are closely linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver problems, and an increased risk of hypertension. Participants who consumed the highest amount of coffee daily showed an inverse relationship with these compounds, suggesting that coffee may act as a potential protective factor against metabolic disorders.
Of course, many factors influence exactly how coffee affects a particular person: roasting and brewing methods, the amount consumed per day, individual genetic characteristics, or unhealthy habits such as smoking. This is precisely why such studies are so important for understanding how this beverage affects us at the biological level.
The authors emphasize that larger-scale longitudinal and intervention studies will be needed in the future to help establish precise cause-and-effect relationships and identify the specific bioactive compounds responsible for this effect.
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