More Good News for Coffee Lovers
A team of scientists at ZOE has recently published a new paper looking into the fascinating relationship between drinking coffee and the gut microbiome, and it is more good news for coffee lovers.
The study, taking data from more than 22,000 participants and published in the leading journal Nature Microbiology, revealed how gut bacteria interact with certain chemicals found in coffee, providing clues about how coffee might support health.
1. Knowing how coffee affects the microbiome
In previous research, ZOE looked for links between specific food components and distinct gut microbiome signatures. Out of around 150 food and drinks, coffee had the strongest food-microbiome association.
2. People love coffee
While dietary patterns can vary drastically between countries, cultures and even members of the same family, coffee is unusual in that it is enjoyed worldwide.
Therefore, if coffee drinkers located in countries from all corners of the globe all have an abundance of one species of gut bacteria, compared with non-coffee drinkers in the same regions, then it can be safely assumed that it is due to coffee as this would be one of the few overlaps between the varied diets.
3. A regular ritual
Because most people either drink coffee every day or not at all, people tend to report their consumption more accurately than for less common items.
4. Unique chemistry
On a chemical level, coffee is unlike anything else we consume, as it contains many compounds that we rarely get from other foods. This quality makes it easier for scientists to trace the compounds in the body. Also, many foods can change from country to country, or vary due to the way they are cooked or processed. Coffee, on the other hand, has a fairly consistent chemistry on a global level.
5. Coffee-microbiome-health links
Drinking coffee is linked to observed health benefits, including gut, brain, and heart health. Some experts suggest that these benefits might be due to the interactions between compounds in coffee and gut microbes, which makes it of particular interest to scientists who want to understand how gut bacteria and their metabolites support our health.
What did ZOE find?
ZOE identified 115 species of bacteria that were linked to drinking coffee. Interestingly, the top 10 bacteria with the strongest relationship to coffee were also strongly correlated with drinking decaffeinated coffee. This means that the relationship isn’t purely caffeine-related and could help explain why decaffeinated coffee also has health benefits.
Incredibly, ZOE found they could determine with high accuracy who drank coffee just by analysing their gut microbiome! By far, the microbe with the strongest association with coffee was L. asaccharolyticus, which was on average 6 to 8 times more abundant in coffee drinkers compared with non-drinkers.
A glimpse into metabolic pathways
ZOE then moved into the laboratory to see what else could be learned about the links between coffee and L. asaccharolyticus.
Chlorogenic acid is one of the main polyphenols in coffee. As gut bacteria feed on it, they produce a wide range of other compounds, like quinic acid, of which experts believe might be important for coffee’s health benefits. Studies show that quinic acid is an antioxidant and helps fend off bacteria and viruses. It may also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, slow cancer and reduce pain.
ZOE also found that people with L. asaccharolyticus in their gut microbiome had increased levels of hippurate, which is a marker of metabolic and gut health. Hippurate is formed by gut bacteria as they metabolize polyphenols, like those in coffee.