An international study has identified a strong association between coffee consumption and a higher abundance of the gut bacterium Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus. The research, part of a broader project examining the relationship between diet and the intestinal microbiome, analyzed data from a large population sample to uncover the link.
According to Nicola Segata, a professor at the University of Trento involved in the research, the initial correlation was observed across diverse populations. Subsequent in-vitro experiments confirmed that coffee can directly stimulate the growth of the bacterium. This finding moves the research beyond a statistical association, suggesting a direct biological interaction between compounds in coffee and the microorganism.
The study's early results indicate that caffeine is likely not the primary compound responsible for this effect, as decaffeinated coffee also promoted the bacterium's growth. Researchers are now focused on identifying which of coffee's thousands of other chemical components, possibly including those created during roasting like quinic acid, are utilized by the bacterium. While the health implications of this relationship are not yet understood, the findings provide a new direction for research into coffee's metabolic impact.