Coffee and Gut Health
New Small Study Links Coffee Consumption to Gut Microbes and Mood Changes
Anonymous
In a small study of 62 people, habitual coffee drinkers stopped drinking coffee for two weeks and then resumed either caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee. Resuming coffee was associated with changes in gut microbes and metabolites, as well as lower reported stress, depression and impulsivity; decaf was associated with better learning and memory test results, while caffeinated coffee was linked to less anxiety and better attention. The findings suggest coffee’s effects may involve compounds beyond caffeine and the gut-brain connection, but they do not establish that coffee directly improves mental health or cognition. Coffee may stimulate bowel activity even when decaffeinated, can worsen reflux for some people, and excess caffeine can cause problems such as anxiety or a faster heart rate.
Key Points
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The study also included 31 people who did not regularly drink coffee, providing a comparison group alongside the 31 habitual coffee drinkers, who typically consumed three to five cups a day.
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Researchers reported increases in specific gut bacteria among coffee drinkers, including Cryptobacterium curtum, Eggerthella sp. and bacteria from the Firmicutes group.
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Coffee’s polyphenols and soluble fiber may serve as food for beneficial gut bacteria, potentially helping some bacterial strains grow.
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The gut and brain communicate through several routes, including the immune system, hormones, nerves and chemicals produced as gut microbes process food and drink; scientists are still working out how these signals affect mood and cognition.
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