High levels of caffeine in the blood lower the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.
- According to a new study, a high level of caffeine in the blood reduces the risk of adiposity and type 2 diabetes.
- However, this phenomenon would be linked to two genetic mutations.
- New studies are needed to understand the link between caffeine and reduced risk of obesity and diabetes.
Could coffee become a way to fight obesity and diabetes? A study, published in BMJ Medicine on March 14, 2023, shows that a high level of caffeine in the blood would reduce the risks of adiposity and type 2 diabetes. However, this link is only visible in certain genetically predisposed people.
Caffeine and diabetes: a genetic mutation at play
Several observational studies have found a positive link between coffee consumption and reduced diabetes. Swedish and British scientists decided to take a different approach to verifying this association. They used a method called Mendelian randomization: it consists of determining whether genetic factors come into play in the observed phenomenon.
Through her, the team discovered that two common genetic mutations affect the rate of caffeine metabolism. She used them to determine caffeine levels in the blood and whether this was associated with lower BMI and body fat or even a lower risk of diabetes.
Generally, people who carry the genes associated with slower caffeine metabolism drink less coffee. But, they have higher levels of caffeine in the blood than the others.
The results show that individuals genetically predisposed to having high levels of caffeine in the blood were less likely to have a high BMI, high body fat or even type 2 diabetes. The researchers estimate that about 43% of the risk less diabetes is due to lower weight.
Diabetes and caffeine: mechanisms remain to be identified
While the link between diabetes and caffeine is not yet fully understood, several plausible mechanisms could explain it. Caffeine is known to reduce appetite in the short term. It may also increase people’s ability to burn fat or expend energy.
For the researchers, new studies would shed light on these hypotheses, but also to find new ways of preventing obesity and type 2 diabetes.
“Randomized controlled trials are warranted to assess whether non-caloric caffeinated beverages might play a role in reducing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes”they add in their study.
