Coffee Consumption Effects on Metabolism and Hormones

A study published on August 16, 2026, by researchers at the University of Oulu and featured in the European Journal of Nutrition examined data from 2,264 participants aged 46 in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 to investigate the biological connections between habitual coffee consumption and body composition, metabolism, and sex hormones. The research revealed that higher coffee intake is associated with a leaner body composition, including lower total and visceral fat and greater skeletal muscle mass despite similar body mass index values, alongside reduced blood levels of branched-chain amino acids linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Distinct hormonal signatures emerged, particularly among men where increased coffee consumption tracked with a more favorable glucose-insulin profile, higher total and bioavailable testosterone, and elevated sex hormone-binding globulin, while women primarily exhibited higher sex hormone-binding globulin and lower free androgen measures. While these observational findings suggest potential metabolic pathways involving hormones, researchers emphasize that cause-and-effect relationships remain unproven, prompting ongoing animal model investigations and future human intervention studies before dietary recommendations can be updated.