Research Update: Does Caffeine Improve Gut Health?

By Joe Zagami

First, we told you all about the many benefits of postbiotics. Then, we updated you on the role of probiotics in boosting cardiovascular health. Now, new research points to a surprising ally when it comes to improving gut health: caffeine.

Coffee and the Gut

When most people think of caffeine, they think of coffee. And if you’ve ever downed an iced triple espresso a bit too quickly, then you likely know firsthand that its relationship with the gut can get a bit… well, dicey.

So, it’s understandable that many assume coffee isn’t great for gut health.

Yet several studies have shown the exact opposite.

They’ve demonstrated that coffee intake benefits gut health, particularly in terms of gut bacteria.¹ This includes increasing "good" anti-inflammatory gut bacteria and decreasing "bad" bacteria.²

The problem is that very few studies have taken a closer look at the effect of the phytochemicals in coffee – like caffeine – on the gut microbiome. That is, until now…

The New Study

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas examined 97 donated colonic biopsies across 34 adults aged 50 to 75. When they used gene sequencing to assess the effects of caffeine and coffee consumption, they found that higher intake yielded significant benefits.

First, people who consumed more coffee and caffeine – > 3 cups of coffee or > 83 mg of caffeine, respectively – had significantly increased bacterial diversity.

They also had lower amounts of Erysipelotrichaceae, a type of bacteria associated with negative health outcomes – especially in terms of blood sugar and glucose tolerance.

The researchers wrote,

“There is growing evidence showing the adverse roles [these bacteria] play in host lipid metabolism, immune response, inflammation, depression, metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, cancer, and response to cancer immune therapy.”³

That sounds like a big deal. But what could it mean for everyday coffee drinkers – or abstainers?

Putting It All Together

As the researchers point out, coffee has long been linked to health benefits. These include lowering the risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome. But this new study stands out for one big reason: they used colonic biopsy samples.

That may not sound very exciting. But it is.

The bacteria in these samples are part of the “mucosa-associated adherent microbiota.” In short, they’re more likely to interact directly with immune cells in the mucosa. And that means they can impact host physiology.

Instead of looking at luminal gut microbiota – the bacteria hanging out in the small and large intestines – they looked at the bugs that end up in the gut barrier, which is where the action happens in terms of immunity.

(Seriously. About 70% of your immune forces are in your gut.)

In other words, the higher the coffee and caffeine consumption, the more likely these people were to have higher concentrations of beneficial gut bacteria where it matters most.

This is encouraging news for coffee drinkers and caffeine enthusiasts. (The SaltWrap Team included.) But this doesn’t mean you need to start drinking it by the gallon.

First, consider that the threshold for the high-caffeine consumption group was just 83 mg. A typical cup of coffee contains between 80 and 100 mg of caffeine.⁴

So, if you already drink coffee, you likely don’t have to change anything about your routine. Plus, this was a small study. Even the researchers say that while it’s encouraging, it “deserves further investigation.”

Our take?

This is yet another potential benefit of drinking coffee. But if you want to optimize your gut health in a meaningful way, you’re better off focusing on postbiotics.

You can learn more about postbiotics here.