Coffee, renowned as the world's most consumed beverage, harbors numerous chemical compounds known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, among which caffeine stands out as a principal constituent. Fortunately, the majority of studies have found that coffee consumption has numerous health advantages and can reduce the risk of various chronic diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, stroke, and many cancers (26–28). However, there is currently limited research assessing the impact of caffeine intake on muscle mass in the general population. Guo and colleagues (20) investigated the impact of caffeinated coffee consumption on muscle mass, strength, regeneration ability, and the inflammatory environment within muscle tissue using an elderly mouse model. They found that the mice who drank caffeinated coffee had larger muscle weights and greater strength than the mice who drank water. Similarly, our study showed a significant positive correlation between caffeine intake and skeletal muscle mass. Several other studies, including a cross-sectional study involving 2,578 individuals from Korea, which found a positive relationship between coffee consumption and skeletal muscle mass, partially corroborated our findings (29). Another cross-sectional study comprising data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which included 6,905 participants, found that small amounts of coffee consumption prevented sarcopenia in men (30). Our study did not find such a gender difference, but it is noteworthy that women seem to benefit more. we found that obesity appears to mask the benefits of coffee consumption on skeletal muscle mass. For obese individuals, the body often accompanies chronic inflammation, which impairs muscle cell metabolism, affecting muscle regeneration and repair capabilities, leading to a decrease in muscle mass and strength (31, 32). Secondly, obesity is closely associated with insulin resistance, affecting muscle cells' uptake and utilization of glucose, leading to insufficient energy supply to muscle cells, affecting normal muscle function and metabolism (33). Additionally, obesity increases the mechanical load on muscles and bones, increasing muscle workload and accelerating muscle aging (34).
The pathological and physiological mechanisms by which coffee affects skeletal muscle mass remain unclear. Potential mechanisms may include the following characteristics, as discovered through animal and in vitro cell models. Firstly, a study has revealed that coffee can trigger autophagy in various human tissues, including skeletal muscle (35). For healthy mitochondrial turnover and renewal, the removal of inflammatory agents, and the preservation of energy metabolism, autophagy is essential (36–38). Skeletal muscle exhibits one of the highest baseline rates of autophagy among human tissues and responds to various cellular stresses that can activate it (39). According to an experimental findings, rats who are autophagy-deficient experience severe muscular atrophy and weakness (40).
Autophagy, a complex biological process, is orchestrated by a diverse array of autophagy proteins (ATGs) and trophic sensors such as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). Upon activation, AMPK initiates various cellular processes, including autophagy, to enhance ATP levels, often in response to elevated AMP levels. AMPK triggers autophagy by phosphorylating and inhibiting mTORC1. In their study, Mathew and colleagues (41) demonstrated that caffeine enhances autophagy by facilitating calcium-dependent activation of AMPK. By boosting autophagic flow and encouraging CaMKKβ/AMPK-dependent decreases in protein synthesis, Hughes et al. (42) demonstrated that brief caffeine treatment dramatically decreased skeletal muscle tube diameter.
In addition, coffee has been suggested to enhance skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake, although this conclusion is controversial. Skeletal muscle, as one of the primary target organs for insulin action, undergoes reduced synthesis and increased breakdown when insulin resistance occurs, leading to muscle mass loss in the end (43, 44). In the liver and skeletal muscle of KK-A(y) mice, Kobayashi et al. (45) showed that coffee consumption significantly boosted insulin-induced threonine phosphorylation of Akt, indicating that coffee consumption may help improve insulin resistance. In a study by Loopstra-Masters et al. (46) caffeine-containing coffee was found to be positively correlated with insulin sensitivity, while decaffeinated coffee was positively associated with β-cell function markers. Through animal studies, Jia et al. (47) discovered that coffee consumption reduced insulin resistance by raising the tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor submater-1 (IRS-1), the p85/IRS-1 complex, and pAkt/PKB (protein kinase B). Additionally, their study indicated that coffee intake could alleviate inflammation in skeletal muscle by downregulating pro-inflammatory genes such as activating transcription factor 3, FBJ osteosarcoma oncogene, heat shock protein1A, heat shock protein1B, synaptosomal-associated proteinγ, and inflammation-related insulin signaling genes stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 and protein phosphatase1. On the other hand, an investigation by Lee and colleagues (48) discovered a favorable correlation between insulin resistance and caffeine and its metabolites. Consequently, more investigation is required to define the underlying mechanisms and the link between caffeine and insulin sensitivity.
This study has the following limitations. Firstly, because the study was cross-sectional, there was no way to determine a causal association between caffeine consumption and muscle mass loss. Secondly, because this is an observational study, residual confounding may still occur despite careful evaluation of covariates encompassing a wide variety of potential confounding variables and their incorporation in the regression models. Thirdly, coffee contains various bioactive compounds and trace elements, different active ingredients, as well as trace elements, may all have an impact on muscle mass. Fourthly, due to data limitations, individuals over 60 years old were not included in this study, while a decrease in skeletal muscle mass is more prevalent in the elderly population. Lastly, according to Ye et al. (49) and Sartorelli et al. (50) the method and timing of coffee consumption can have different effects on health. Due to the lack of data, this study did not analyze the impact of coffee consumption method and timing on muscle mass.
However, our study also has certain advantages. Our study utilized NHANES data, which is nationally representative, and had a large sample size, enhancing the generalizability and external validity of our findings. Furthermore, we have increased the reliability of our results by adjusting for confounding variables. Best of all, this study provide new perspective for people with sarcopenia or fitness enthusiasts, as it reveals that coffee consumption has a beneficial effect on muscle mass. Due to the lack of data on individuals aged 60 and above in this study, we suggest that future research on this topic should consider factors related to the elderly population.