In 2023, researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, the University of Bristol in the UK, and Imperial College London in the UK conducted a study that found a link between caffeine levels, body fat, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Type 2 diabetes patients also have a high risk of cardiovascular diseases, especially in low- and middle-income countries. About 38 million Americans have diabetes ,and around 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes.
The researchers stated that calorie-free caffeinated drinks could be explored as a potential means of helping reduce body fat levels. The study analyzed genetic markers to establish a more definitive relationship between caffeine levels, BMI, and the risk of type 2 diabetes.
According to their findings, higher plasma caffeine concentrations were associated with lower BMI and whole body fat mass. Additionally, higher plasma caffeine concentrations were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, with approximately half of the effect of caffeine on type 2 diabetes liability estimated to be mediated through BMI reduction.
The study involved data from just under 10,000 people collected from existing genetic databases, focusing on variations in or near specific genes known to be associated with the speed at which caffeine is broken down.
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Variations affecting the genes CYP1A2 and AHR, which regulates it, tend to break caffeine down more slowly, allowing it to remain in the blood longer. However, those with these variations also tend to drink less caffeine in general. The researchers used Mendelian randomization to determine likely causal relationships between the presence of the variations, illnesses like diabetes, body mass, and lifestyle factors.
While the study found a significant link between caffeine levels, BMI, and the risk of type 2 diabetes, no relationship emerged between the amount of caffeine in the blood and cardiovascular diseases including atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and stroke.
Previous studies have linked a moderate and relative increase in caffeine consumption to better heart health and a lower BMI. The new research adds more detail to what we already know about the effects that coffee has on the body.
Although caffeine has some positive effects on the body, it is important to keep in mind that it can also have negative effects. Therefore, care must be taken when weighing up the benefits of drinking it. The researchers explained that small, short-term trials have shown that caffeine intake results in weight and fat mass reduction, but the long-term effects of caffeine intake are unknown.
The researchers think the association between caffeine and lower BMI could be because caffeine increases thermogenesis and fat oxidation in the body, which both play an important role in overall metabolism. However, more research will be needed to confirm cause and effect. Although this study involved a large sample, Mendelian randomization is not infallible, and it is still possible that other factors are at play that were not accounted for in this study.
The extensive intake of caffeine worldwide means that even its small metabolic effects could have important health implications, according to the researchers.
This news is a creative derivative product from articles published in famous peer-reviewed journals and Govt reports:
References:
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