Scientists just discovered what coffee is really doing to your gut and brain
Scientists just discovered what coffee is really doing to your gut and brain | ScienceDaily Science News from research organizations Scientists just discovered what coffee is really doing to your gut and brain Date: May 3, 2026 Source: University College Cork Summary: Coffee doesn’t just energize—it actively reshapes the gut and mind. Researchers found that both caffeinated and decaf coffee altered gut bacteria in ways linked to better mood and lower stress. Decaf even improved learning and memory, while caffeine boosted focus and reduced anxiety. Together, they show coffee works through multiple pathways beyond just caffeine. Share: Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email FULL STORY Coffee appears to rewire the gut-brain connection, changing microbes that influence mood, stress, and cognition. Even decaf had surprising brain benefits, hinting that coffee’s power goes far beyond caffeine. Credit: Shutterstock Researchers at APC Microbiome Ireland, a leading research center at University College Cork, have taken a major step toward understanding how coffee benefits the body. For the first time, scientists have closely examined how coffee interacts with the gut-brain axis, the communication network that links the digestive system and the brain. The findings, published in Nature Communications and supported by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC), show that regularly drinking both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee can shape the gut microbiome and influence mood and stress. How Coffee Affects the Gut Microbiome and Mood Coffee has long been associated with digestive and mental health benefits, but the biological reasons behind these effects have not been fully understood. This study focused on how coffee impacts the microbiota-gut-brain axis -- the bidirectional communication between the gut microbiome and the brain -- using a wide range of biological and psychological measurements. To explore this, researchers compared 31 regular coffee drinke
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