According to a new study, higher blood caffeine levels may reduce the amount of body fat a person carries, as well as their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
As a result, the possible role of calorie-free caffeinated drinks in lowering the risks of obesity and type 2 diabetes is now worth exploring.
Previous research has shown that drinking 3-5 daily cups of coffee, a rich source of caffeine, is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
However, most of this research has been observational and cannot reliably establish causal effects.
Additionally, it is difficult to separate the effects of caffeine from other compounds in caffeinated drinks and foods.
In the current study, the researchers used Mendelian randomization to determine the effect of higher blood caffeine levels on body fat and the long-term risks of type 2 diabetes and major cardiovascular diseases.
Mendelian randomization is a technique that uses genetic variants as proxies for a particular risk factor to obtain genetic evidence in support of a particular outcome.
The researchers studied nearly 10,000 people of predominantly European ancestry who carried two common genetic variants of the CYP1A2 and AHR genes.
These genes are associated with the speed of caffeine metabolism in the body.
The results of the analysis showed that higher genetically predicted blood caffeine levels were linked to lower weight (BMI) and body fat, as well as a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Furthermore, the researchers used Mendelian randomization to examine the extent to which any effect of caffeine on type 2 diabetes risk might primarily be driven by concurrent weight loss.
The results showed that weight loss drove almost half (43%) of the effect of caffeine on type 2 diabetes risk.
However, no strong associations emerged between genetically predicted blood caffeine levels and the risk of any of the studied heart disease outcomes.
Although the researchers acknowledge various limitations to their findings, including the use of only two genetic variants and the inclusion of only people of European ancestry, caffeine is known to boost metabolism, increase fat burning, and reduce appetite.
A daily intake of 100 mg has been estimated to increase energy expenditure by around 100 calories a day, which could consequently lower the risk of developing obesity.
The researchers suggest that more studies are needed to determine whether non-caloric caffeine-containing beverages might play a role in reducing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about a cure for type 2 diabetes, and why insulin is more expensive for people with diabetes.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about bone drug that could lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, and results showing eating more eggs is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
The study was conducted by Dr. Susanna C Larsson et al and published in BMJ Medicine.
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