Levels of caffeine in blood could affect body fat and diabetes, suggests study

The levels of caffeine in blood could have an impact on the amount of body fat a person carries, further determining their risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, a recent study suggests.

Caffeinated drinks that are calorie-free could be analysed as a possible means of helping reduce the levels of body fat,according to researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, the University of Bristol in the UK, and Imperial College London in the UK.

"Genetically predicted higher plasma caffeine concentrations were associated with lower BMI and whole body fat mass," the researchers wrote in their paper.

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"Furthermore, genetically predicted higher plasma caffeine concentrations were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Approximately half of the effect of caffeine on type 2 diabetes liability was estimated to be mediated through BMI reduction."

The study applied data from nearly 10,000 people accumulated from existing genetic databases, concentrating on divergences in or near distinct genes comprehended to be associated with the pace at which caffeine is broken down.

The ones with variations impacting the genes, i.e.CYP1A2 and a gene that restrains it, named AHR, tend to break down caffeine gradually, permitting it to remain longer in the blood.

A technique called Mendelian randomisation was used to specify probable causal relationships between the existence of the variations, ailments like diabetes, body mass, and lifestyle factors.

The study discovered there was a crucial connection between caffeine levels, BMI, and type 2 diabetes risk.

However, no direct link occurred between the amount of caffeine in the blood and cardiovascular diseases including atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and stroke.

The studies conducted previously have established a link between a moderate and relative increase in caffeine consumption to improved heart health and lower BMI.

However, it is important to note that the effects of caffeine on the body are not all positive, which further signifies that caution must be exercised when considering the benefits of its consumption.

"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 explained.

"Considering the extensive intake of caffeine worldwide, even its small metabolic effects could have important health implications," the researchers stated in a paper published in BMJ Medicine.

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