Finnish Study Links Habitual Coffee Consumption to Leaner Body Composition and Distinct Sex-Hormone Signature
核心洞察
A University of Oulu study of 2,264 participants from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 found higher habitual coffee intake associated with lower total and visceral fat and greater skeletal muscle mass.
Higher coffee consumption correlated with lower circulating branched-chain amino acids (搜索), biomarkers linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (搜索) risk.
The strongest sex-specific associations appeared in men, including a more favorable glucose-insulin profile and higher total and bioavailable testosterone.
A new study from the University of Oulu links habitual coffee consumption to healthier body composition and metabolic markers, while revealing distinct associations with sex hormones that differ between men and women. Published in the European Journal of Nutrition on 16 July 2026, the research analyzed data from 2,264 participants aged 46 in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, examining how habitual coffee intake relates to circulating metabolites, cardiometabolic risk markers, and sex hormones.
Despite having a similar body mass index (BMI), individuals with higher coffee consumption had lower total and visceral fat and greater skeletal muscle mass than those who consumed less coffee. Visceral fat, or abdominal fat around internal organs, is closely linked to several health issues including cardiovascular disease (搜索) and inflammatory skin conditions.
Metabolic Markers and Branched-Chain Amino Acids
In both men and women, higher coffee consumption correlated with lower circulating levels of branched-chain amino acids (搜索) (BCAAs) — leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These biomarkers have previously been linked to insulin resistance and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (搜索) when chronically elevated. However, the study authors note that while lower levels of these BCAAs may be present in a healthy metabolic pattern, the findings did not show that coffee specifically lowered these amino acids.
The study also identified some less favorable associations. In men, higher coffee consumption was linked to higher levels of some cholesterol-carrying lipoprotein particles and lower measures of omega-3 fats.
Sex-Specific Hormonal Associations
The strongest sex-specific associations were observed in men. Higher coffee consumption was linked to a more favorable glucose-insulin profile, higher concentrations of total and bioavailable testosterone, and increased levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (搜索) (SHBG). At the same time, free testosterone and the free androgen index were modestly lower.
In women, hormonal associations were more limited and were primarily characterized by higher SHBG and lower measures of free androgens. Men and women also showed different glucose responses to higher coffee intake, with men tending to have lower fasting insulin and lower insulin levels, while women showed fewer and weaker links between coffee and glucose control.
"Coffee is consumed by millions of people every day, yet we still know surprisingly little about how it relates to our metabolism and hormones," said Luca Verroest, lead author of the study and Doctoral Researcher at the University of Oulu. "What stood out in our findings was a distinct hormonal signature that didn't disappear even after we took into account BMI and lifestyle factors, with several of these associations differing between men and women."
Study Design and Limitations
Researchers asked more than 2,200 participants to answer questionnaires regarding their health, diet, physical activity, medications, diagnosed conditions, and lifestyle habits, including daily coffee intake. The amount of coffee consumed ranged from none to at least five cups per day. The study did not include details of cup size, brewing methods, or the addition of flavoring, milk, or sugar.
After fasting overnight and avoiding coffee, the team estimated body fat and muscle, collected blood, and gave participants a glucose drink to assess how their bodies handled sugar over two hours.
As an observational study, the findings demonstrate associations rather than cause-and-effect relationships. The results suggest that hormonal pathways may partly explain the relationship between coffee consumption and metabolic health, but further research is needed before the findings could inform dietary recommendations.
The study is particularly relevant in Finland, one of the world's highest coffee-consuming countries, where annual consumption averages around 11.8 kilograms per person. The researchers say the findings provide a foundation for future studies aimed at determining whether coffee itself drives these biological changes and identifying the compounds responsible. These questions are currently being investigated in animal models, with the long-term goal of progressing to human intervention studies.