Overview
- The Nature Communications study, which was published Friday, tracked 62 adults through normal use, two weeks off coffee, and a blinded return to caffeinated or decaf drinks.
- Habitual drinkers showed distinct microbiomes at baseline with higher levels of bacteria such as Eggertella and Cryptobacterium curtum.
- During abstinence, gut microbes and inflammatory measures shifted, then many returned after coffee resumed, including with decaf.
- Caffeinated coffee was linked to lower anxiety and salivary cortisol, while decaf was tied to better sleep and memory performance on tasks.
- Similar shifts with both types point to coffee’s plant compounds, like polyphenols, as key drivers rather than caffeine alone.