A new study involving thousands of United States adults over several years shows a promising connection between coffee consumption and increased skeletal muscle mass.
The findings, published Aug. 6 in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, suggest that moderate coffee consumption could be a beneficial strategy for maintaining muscle mass, especially for populations at high risk for low muscle mass, such as the elderly.
Led by a team at Guangxi Medical University in Nanning, China, the study examined data from a pool of more 8,333 adults involved in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011 to 2018.
“Although several relevant studies have been conducted, their applicability is limited due to their primary focus on Japanese and Korean populations with small sample sizes,” the authors of the new study wrote. “The relationship between coffee intake, caffeine consumption, and the prevalence of low muscle mass, particularly among Americans, remains unclear.”
The study used advanced imaging to assess muscle mass using skeletal muscle max index called ASMBMI. Low ASMBMI is associated with the progressive and general muscle disorder called sarcopenia, which leads to higher risks of falling, fractures and all-cause mortality. For the study, coffee and caffeine intake were recorded through 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires.
The research team used linear regression models to evaluate the association between coffee and caffeine intake and skeletal muscle mass, while conducting further analysis based on age, ethnicity and BMI.
They found that higher coffee intake was linked with a 13% increase in ASMBMI compared to those who drank the least amount of coffee, meaning coffee drinkers had greater skeletal muscle mass.
The positive relationships between coffee consumption and muscle mass remained significant across numerous demographic groups, including different ages, genders and ethnicities. However, the association diminished in individuals with a BMI over 30, suggesting the benefits may not extend to people with obesity.
“In general, consumption of coffee and caffeine is positively associated with skeletal muscle mass,” the study states. “Therefore, an appropriate increase in coffee and caffeine intake may be advocated in populations at high risk for low skeletal muscle mass.”
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