Three cups of coffee a day could curb obesity and prevent diabetes, researchers have revealed.
Scientists believe calorie-free caffeinated drinks should be investigated as a new tool to tackle obesity and type 2 diabetes.
And the greatest benefit was in those who are genetically predisposed to metabolize caffeine more slowly, leaving more of it in their blood.
Research has linked drinking 3-5 cups of coffee a day with lower risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The stimulant is already known to boost metabolism, increase fat burning and reduce appetite.
Consuming 100 mg a day, around one cup of coffee, increases energy expenditure by an estimated 100 calories daily.
In the latest development, Karolinska Intitutet, Sweden, found being genetically predisposed to metabolize caffeine slowly increased the amount of caffeine in the blood.
This increased the fat-burning impact of the stimulant and reduced type 2 diabetes.
To reach their conclusions, the team reviewed earlier studies to reveal caffeine’s effect on body fat and type 2 diabetes.
They investigated how the link between caffeine and the body changes with people’s genetic makeup.
Scientists focussed on two common genetic variants that dictate how fast caffeine is metabolized in the body: CYP1A2 and AHR genes.
Participants were found to consume less caffeine when genetically predisposed to metabolize the stimulant slowly.
Despite that, the same people have more of the substance in their blood than those who metabolize it quickly.
High blood caffeine levels were linked with lower weight, body fat, and risk of type 2 diabetes – provided they were among the group genetically inclined to metabolize the drug slowly and clock high blood-level scores.
Further results revealed weight loss drove 43 percent of caffeine’s effect on type 2 diabetes risk.
Writing in BMJ Medicine, the team said: “Our finding suggests that caffeine might, at least in part, explain the inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes.
“Randomized controlled trials are warranted to assess whether non-caloric caffeine-containing beverages might play a role in reducing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.”
The team also studied the effect on cardiovascular disease risk, but no strong links were discovered between genetically-predicted blood caffeine levels.
They studied 10,000 people, predominantly of European descent, all of whom were already taking part in six long-term studies.
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
