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Study Shows Habitual Coffee Intake Alters Gut Microbiome and Influences Cognition, Mood in Adults
A new study published in Nature Communications reveals that regular coffee consumption affects the microbiota-gut-brain axis, with distinct impacts from caffeinated and decaffeinated varieties. Researchers examined healthy adults in Ireland, finding changes in metabolites, immune markers, and behavioral traits after coffee abstinence and reintroduction.
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Habitual coffee consumption shapes the gut microbiome and modifies host physiology and cognition, according to a study published in Nature Communications. Researchers led by S. Boscaini investigated whether these effects occur independently of caffeine in healthy adults.
1038/s41467-026-71264-8. Sixty-two healthy adults aged 30-50 from Ireland participated. Thirty-one were non-coffee drinkers, labeled NCDs, while the other 31 were moderate coffee drinkers, or CDs, who consumed 3-5 cups daily.
Participants with a history of acute or chronic coexisting illness were excluded, as were those under any medication, habitual consumers of high quantities of fermented foods, and pregnant or lactating individuals. At baseline, participants underwent a physical exam, provided blood and fecal samples, and completed questionnaires and cognitive tasks. The majority of participants were female.
CDs consumed more caffeine than NCDs, but other lifestyle factors and genetic profiles were similar between the groups. No significant dietary differences emerged, and dietary intake remained largely stable throughout the study. General well-being assessments showed no differences between groups.
Before the intervention, CDs abstained from coffee, other caffeinated beverages, and dark chocolate for two weeks. They were then randomly assigned to either a caffeinated group of 16 or a decaffeinated group of 15 in a double-blind, parallel design. The intervention lasted three weeks, with participants consuming four sachets per day of their assigned coffee.
