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Coffee is one of the most chosen drinks in the world according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which explains that during the last decade per capita consumption grew by 1.2% annually.
In addition to having been one of the favorites for years, it is also one of the most controversial in the field of health, with conflicting opinions about its effects.
In this sense, a new study by APC Microbiome Ireland, a research center at University College Cork, sheds light on the effects of coffee -both with and without caffeine- on the gut microbiome, stress and mood.
The work was published in Nature Communications and was sponsored by the Scientific Information Institute on Coffee (ISIC).
How this study of coffee’s effects was carried out
The study analyzed the behavior of 31 coffee consumers (who drank between 3 and 5 cups a day) and 31 non-consumers through psychological tests, urine tests, stool samples and diaries of their consumption.
To evaluate the effects, the coffee consumers went two weeks without drinking coffee, continuously carrying out all the aforementioned evaluations.
Then this beverage was reintroduced into their diet, but without specifying who drank decaffeinated coffee and who had caffeine.
What the experts observed with this coffee study
The specialists explain that during the period in which coffee consumers did not drink the beverage, important changes occurred in the substances associated with the activity of microorganisms in the gut.
One of the most striking findings is that at the moment coffee returned to the participants’ daily routine, both those who drank caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee reported lower levels of stress and self-reported depressive symptoms.
“Reintroduction of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee significantly reduces impulsivity, while decaffeinated coffee alone reduces emotional reactivity. Caffeinated coffee improved anxiety and some aspects of cognitive performance, while decaffeinated coffee improved memory, sleep quality and physical activity, which suggests distinct benefits depending on the type of coffee,” the study says.
The study emphasizes the importance of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee being associated with different positive factors, given that this may have implications for health recommendations.
As for its effects on the microbiota, the bacteria associated with the secretion of intestinal gastric acids and bile acid synthesis increased in those who consumed coffee compared with those who did not.
Experts explain that Firmicutes bacteria, associated with positive emotions in women, also increased.
“As the public continues to reflect on dietary changes to achieve the proper digestive balance, coffee also has the potential to be leveraged as an additional intervention within a healthy and balanced diet,” says John Cyran, author of the study and researcher at APC Microbiome Ireland.
Not all coffee is the same
A publication from the Harvard School of Public Health explains that to take advantage of coffee’s benefits, other factors should be considered, such as
- Sugar
- Extra calories
- Saturated fats
All of these additives “can offset any health benefit that may be found in a basic black coffee,” experts explain.