Researchers find strong link between coffee and gut microbiome

Is coffee good for gut health? A new groundbreaking study says yes.

The effects of coffee on our body have been widely studied — especially when it comes to heart health, brain health and even if it can help you live longer. But when it comes to the connection between coffee and your gut microbiome, the effects have been widely unknown — until now.  

In the largest-ever study on the relation of coffee and your gut microbiome, published in Nature Microbiology, scientists studied fecal matter from 20,000 participants who tracked their daily coffee consumption (before you get grossed out — let us remember that it is no surprise that coffee makes most people poop).

What’s the connection between coffee and gut health?

Scientists of the study found that regular coffee drinking was linked to the growth of a specific gut bacterium called “Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus” — a species of bacteria that, you guessed it, is part of the human gut microbiome.

Also known as L. asaccharolyticus, this species of bacteria was first described in 2018 and has been relatively understudied. It’s known to produce butyrate, an indicator of adequate gut fermentation indicative of proper digestion and nutrient absorption. TL;DR — it’s a good gut bacteria.

This species of bacteria, since it’s relatively new, needs to be studied more. However, in this study, researchers discovered that coffee drinking — including decaf — correlated with an increase in several bacteria species, and its correlation with L. asaccharolyticus was strongest. Looks like I found my new favorite gut bacteria.

“It’s very unique that we found this very strong, very distinct one-to-one match,” Harvard University Epidemiologist Mingyang Song said. He was co-senior authored of the study.

So is coffee good for your gut health?

To see what L. asaccharolyticus might be brewing in your gut, scientists looked at metabolites from a few hundred study participants’ blood. They found an increase in quinic acid, a natural compound in many plants (including coffee) that has many antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. This increase in quinic acid was found to be strongly associated with L. asaccharolyticus, as well as hippurate, another compound whose levels indicate greater microbial diversity and better gut health.

More needs to be studied on this connection, but so far, it indicates that the presence of these bacteria are positively connected to coffee consumption — so next time you ask yourself if you need another cup of coffee, just trust your gut.

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[Featured Image Source: Clay Banks via Unsplash]