Non-alcoholic Drink That Could Boost Metabolism, Increase Fat Burning And Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk
New research published in the open-access journal BMJ Medicine suggests that having a high blood caffeine level could potentially reduce the amount of body fat a person carries and lower their risk of type 2 diabetes.
According to the researchers, this finding suggests that exploring the role of calorie-free caffeinated drinks in reducing the risks of obesity and type 2 diabetes is now a worthwhile endeavor.
Previous studies have shown that consuming 3-5 cups of coffee per day, which is a rich source of caffeine, is linked to a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. On average, a cup of coffee contains approximately 70-150 mg of caffeine.
Nevertheless, the majority of the research that has been published to far has been observational in nature, which the researchers point out makes it difficult to confidently establish causal relationships.
Furthermore, the researchers highlight that it is challenging to isolate any particular effects of caffeine from the various other compounds that are present in caffeinated drinks and foods. This presents a further obstacle to accurately assessing the impact of caffeine on the body.
The researchers employed Mendelian randomisation to address the issues at hand, investigating the impact of elevated blood caffeine levels on body fat and the long-term risk of major cardiovascular diseases (coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, and irregular heart rhythm – atrial fibrillation) and type 2 diabetes. By using genetic variants as substitutes for a specific risk factor (blood caffeine levels), the technique allowed the researchers to acquire genetic evidence supporting the study’s outcomes – in this case, weight (BMI) and the risk of type 2 diabetes.
In the study, the researchers examined the impact of two widely occurring genetic variations in the CYP1A2 and AHR genes on nearly 10,000 individuals, primarily of European descent, who participated in six long-term studies. These genes are linked to the rate at which caffeine is metabolized in the body.
Individuals with genetic variations linked to slower caffeine metabolism consume less coffee, on average. However, their blood caffeine levels are higher than those who metabolize it quickly, enabling them to reach or maintain the levels needed for its stimulant effects.
According to the analysis findings, higher genetically anticipated blood caffeine levels were linked to reduced weight (BMI) and body fat. Additionally, they were linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
The researchers subsequently employed Mendelian randomisation to probe further into the degree to which caffeine’s impact on type 2 diabetes risk might be primarily driven by simultaneous weight loss.
The findings indicated that weight loss was responsible for nearly half (43%) of the effect of caffeine on type 2 diabetes risk.
There were no significant correlations between genetically anticipated blood caffeine levels and any of the investigated cardiovascular disease outcomes.
The researchers recognized several constraints associated with their study, such as utilizing only two genetic variations and the exclusion of individuals from diverse ancestries, limiting the generalizability of their findings.
As the researchers note, caffeine is recognized for its ability to increase metabolism, promote fat burning, and suppress appetite. Moreover, consuming 100 mg of caffeine daily has been estimated to increase energy expenditure by approximately 100 calories a day, possibly lowering the likelihood of obesity development.
“Our mendelian randomisation finding suggests that caffeine might, at least in part, explain the inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes,” they write.
They further suggest that randomized controlled trials are necessary to investigate whether non-caloric caffeine-containing beverages could aid in reducing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Source: 10.1136/bmjmed-2022-000335
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