A new study provides more evidence
that your morning brew may be beneficial to your long-term health.
If you like it when science says your favorite things are good for
you, here's another one to add to the list: Coffee may help maintain strong
muscles (and hence more mobility) as you age, according to a new study by
orthopedics and physiology researchers.
With coffee's popularity at an all-time high, it's exciting that
the beloved drink has lately been linked to significant health benefits such as
improved liver health, weight loss, and more. Continue reading to discover what
this new study found about coffee and muscle health.
The study examined the preservation of skeletal muscle.
A group of Japanese researchers set out to study a trend
previously shown in animal studies: coffee drinking slows the progression of
sarcopenia, an aging-related condition in which muscle mass deteriorates
naturally.
According to research co-authored by Matthew Varacallo, MD, an
orthopedic surgeon in Pennsylvania, skeletal muscle plays a vital role in
mobility, posture, metabolism, and more. (There are two other types of muscle:
cardiac muscle, which controls heart function, and smooth muscle, which
controls many of the body's involuntary contractions in processes including
digestion, blood flow, and menstruation.) The researcher wants to see if
frequent coffee consumption affects skeletal muscle.
The scientists measured coffee drinking, muscle mass, and grip
strength.
The researchers surveyed 6,369 people aged 45 to 74 years old on
how often they drank coffee. Then, they measured participants' skeletal muscle
mass and handgrip strength using a bioelectrical tool and a spring metric device.
Coffee drinking and greater muscle mass were connected.
The researchers discovered a "significant positive
association" between regular coffee drinking and skeletal muscle mass.
While they did not find a significant link between coffee and hand
strength, they did find that coffee drinking and grip strength were related to
some extent among the male participants.
The study seemed to shoot down one theory.
The researchers hypothesized at the start of the study that if
coffee does affect muscle mass, it could be related to its role in reducing
systemic inflammation. However, after measuring for inflammation markers in the
participants, the scientists didn't find this was the case.
Staying active could play a role.
Does holding on to that coffee cup every day make you stronger?
Well, probably not by much.
However, one factor could help explain the link between coffee use
and muscle health: According to a recent Korean study, coffee consumption
appears to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease (as several other studies
have found). Since we know long-term heart health is also linked with staying
active, perhaps that same physical activity also helps keep muscles healthy.
Another possible connection is that drinking coffee before exercising has been shown to fuel a more productive workout in recent research.