KOMPAS.com – Caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee and cocoa plants.
Caffeine has been proven to have positive effects on the body and mind, if consumed in sufficient quantities. There is some evidence that caffeine can help improve memory and improve concentration.
However, some people are very sensitive to the effects of caffeine. Caffeine can cause headaches, stomach aches, and may cause difficulty sleeping or feeling restless.
Effect of caffeine on fat
Caffeine levels in the blood can affect the amount of body fat, a factor that can in turn determine a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
This is the finding of a 2023 study that used genetic markers to establish a more definitive link between caffeine levels, BMI and the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Also read: What are the symptoms of a caffeine overdose?
The research team from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, the University of Bristol in the UK, and Imperial College London in the UK, said calorie-free caffeinated drinks could be explored as a potential way to help reduce body fat levels.
The researchers said higher plasma caffeine concentrations were genetically predicted to be associated with lower BMI and whole body fat mass.
Additionally, higher plasma caffeine concentrations, which were genetically predicted, were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. About half of caffeine’s effect on type 2 diabetes is thought to be mediated through a reduction in BMI.
The study involved data from less than 10,000 people collected from existing genetic databases, focusing on variations at or near certain genes known to be associated with the speed of caffeine breakdown.
Also read: Facts about caffeine, a substance that is thought to be addictive
In general, caffeine with variations that affect the gene, namely CYP1A2 and the gene that regulates it, called AHR, tends to break down caffeine more slowly, thereby keeping it in the blood longer.
An approach called Mendelian randomization is used to determine possible causal relationships between the presence of variations, diseases such as diabetes, body mass, and lifestyle factors.
Although there was a significant association between caffeine levels, BMI, and risk of type 2 diabetes, no association emerged between the amount of caffeine in the blood and cardiovascular disease including atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and stroke.
Previous research has linked moderate and relative increases in caffeine consumption to better heart health and lower BMI, and this new research adds more detail to what we already know about coffee’s effects on the body.
Currently, more research is still needed to confirm cause and effect. Although this study involved a large sample, Mendelian randomization is not infallible, and it is still possible that there are other factors at play that were not taken into account in this study.
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2024-02-09 10:00:00
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