Coffee and Our Gut Microbiome
- Sona Lisa Bose
- Jan 6
- 3 min read
It's at around this time of year that many of us start thinking about how we can reset our gut after the festive seasons and get healthier for the new year. Can coffee help us do this? Is coffee good for you?
Coffee is a Useful Research Tool into the Gut Microbiome
An interesting paper published by Zoe Health, the health technology and research company that shot to fame during the pandemic by helping turn us into citizen scientists, says that coffee might just be a key ingredient in making our guts healthier and happier.
It turns out that coffee actually makes for a very useful ingredient to study, because unlike many other drinks, it's drunk worldwide, and whereas diets can vary dramatically across countries and demographics, coffee tends to be pretty stable among coffee drinkers - who either drink it pretty regularly as part of their daily diet, or don't drink it very much at all.
This means that if scientists find that coffee drinkers from around the world all have an abundance of one species of gut bacteria compared with non-coffee drinkers, then it's likely that this increase in gut bacteria is due to coffee - because apart from coffee, there are few likely overlaps in diet and dietary behaviour.
Coffee can therefore act as a pretty useful constant in dietary research, and so Zoe set about analysing data from more than 22,000 people with their findings about the link between coffee and our gut microbiome published in a leading scientific journal.
What is Our Gut Microbiome?
Before we go onto what Zoe found, you might be wondering what our gut microbiome is.
Your gut microbiome is home to trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and others. Each species can interact with others in various ways—some may inhibit the growth of their neighbours, while others cooperate for mutual benefit.
As bacteria digest your most recent meal, they create small molecules known as metabolites. These metabolites can sometimes benefit your health, or they might nourish other species, which in turn transform them into new metabolites.
This dynamic ecosystem forms an intricate and ever-changing web of interconnected communities, and it is this connection and its effects on us as humans that is fascinating.
The microbiome significantly influences health by supporting digestion, producing essential nutrients, and strengthening the immune system. It also plays a role in regulating inflammation and protecting against harmful pathogens. An imbalance in the microbiome, known as dysbiosis, has been linked to various health issues, including digestive disorders, weakened immunity, mental health conditions, and chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
Maintaining a diverse and balanced microbiome is therefore essential for overall well-being.
Scientific Link Between Drinking Coffee and the Gut Microbiome
So, what did Zoe find?
In their studies, 115 species of bacteria were linked to coffee consumption, with the top 10 showing strong correlations not only with regular coffee but also with decaffeinated coffee as well.
This discovery suggests that coffee's impact on the microbiome isn’t solely due to caffeine and might explain why decaf coffee offers similar health benefits, hinting that compounds in coffee, possibly beyond caffeine, may promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. This aligns with findings that both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee can influence the gut microbiome. It would be interesting to find out what 'part' of coffee is working its magic (we'll just have to watch this space!).
Coffee Drinkers can be Identified by their Gut Bacteria!
Remarkably, ZOE found they could identify coffee drinkers with high accuracy simply by analysing the bacteria in their gut. The standout microbe? Lactobacillus asaccharolyticus. This bacterium was found to be 6 to 8 times more abundant in the intestines of coffee drinkers compared to non-drinkers.
While the specific health benefits of L. asaccharolyticus are still under investigation, other Lactobacillus species are known to contribute positively to gut health. For instance, Lactobacillus acidophilus produces lactic acid, which can inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in the intestines and support the integrity of the gut lining.
Conclusion
In essence, if coffee is your go-to beverage, there’s a good chance your gut is home to a thriving community of L. asaccharolyticus. This unique relationship between coffee and gut bacteria offers new insights into how our favourite drinks might shape our health in surprising ways.
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