How Coffee Helps Your Gut And Your Brain

InnovationHealthcareHow Coffee Helps Your Gut And Your BrainByPaul Hsieh,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Paul Hsieh, M.D., covers healthcare economics, innovation, and policy.Follow AuthorMay 30, 2026, 07:00am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more. Cup of coffee being pouredgettyI am a regular coffee drinker. I have also been interested in stories about beneficial health effects of coffee, such as recent articles documenting a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and of dementia.Another recent paper highlights beneficial effects of coffee on gut health and mood. Researchers at University College Cork, Ireland, found that regular moderate coffee consumption (defined as 3 to 5 cups per day) helped promote some of the “good” bacteria within the microbiome of the human gastrointestinal tract that aid in digestion. These in turn may play a role “in eliminating unhealthy gut bacteria and stomach infections.”Another effect they found was improvements in mood, with some interesting differences in responses to caffeinated vs. decaffeinated coffee: “caffeinated coffee reduced anxiety, psychological distress, blood pressure, and improved attention and stress coping, while decaffeinated coffee enhanced sleep, physical activity, and memory.” However, both types of coffee lowered levels of stress and depression, while improving overall mood and cognition.Intriguingly, these effects seem to be related, working through what is called the “microbiota-gut-brain axis.” Although the exact linkages are not fully understood, the researchers noticed potentially intriguing correlations between coffee’s effects on gut bacteria and on the brain. For example, “both Velonella species are strongly associated with theophylline that in turn is strongly associated with several cognitive scores.”Coffee consumption also was associated with a reduction in inflammat...