Higher caffeine intake tied to favourable metabolic profile in overweight and obese people

Caffeine is the most studied pharmacologically active substance in tea, coffee, and soft drinks, chocolate, cola, and cocoa. Coffee is the most important source of caffeine from the caffeine dietary sources. It is one of the world's most popular beverages; it is estimated that each year four hundred billion cups of coffee are consumed.

Recent studies have shown some conflicting results about the caffeine's health effects. These studies are inconsistent regarding population design and source of consumed caffeine. Yasir A. Atia, University of Baghdad, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq, and colleagues aimed to assess the possible health effects of the intake of dietary caffeine among obese and overweight individuals.

The study included 488 healthy individuals with obesity and overweight. Dietary intake was evaluated by a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and calculation of the amount of dietary caffeine was done.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was used to determine body composition. Enzymatic methods were used to evaluate serum lipid, insulin, and glucose concentrations.

The study led to the following findings:

· Those at the highest tertile of dietary caffeine intake had a lower percentage of fat mass, higher fat-free mass and appetite score.

· Lower total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) were observed in higher tertiles of dietary caffeine intake compared with lower tertiles.

· In multinomial adjusted models, those at the second tertile of dietary caffeine intake were more likely to have higher serum insulin and lower homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values compared with the first tertile in the crude model.

· While, in the age, body mass index (BMI), sex, physical activity, socio-economic status (SES) and energy intake–adjusted model (Model III), those at the third tertile of dietary caffeine intake were more likely to have low serum LDL concentrations [odds ratio (OR) = 0.957].

· With further adjustment to dietary vegetable, fibre and grain intake, those at the third tertile of dietary caffeine intake were more likely to have low LDL, SBP and high HDL levels compared with those at the first tertile.

"In the study, we revealed that obese and overweight individuals at the highest tertile of dietary caffeine intake, had more favourable body composition, lower SBP, serum LDL cholesterol and lower insulin resistance," the researchers wrote.

"Further interventional and longitudinal studies in human models can help for generalization of our results and find the behind causality," they concluded.

Reference:

Alshahrani, S.H., Atia, Y.A., Badir, R.A. et al. Dietary caffeine intake is associated with favorable metabolic profile among apparently healthy overweight and obese individuals. BMC Endocr Disord 23, 227 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12902-023-01477-1