Coffee Study Good News for Seniors Watching Their Weight

The latest research has found that a chemical compound commonly found in coffee may help prevent some of the damaging effects of obesity and weight gain. Researchers at the University of Georgia report in Pharmaceutical Research that chlorogenic acid, or CGA, significantly reduced insulin resistance and accumulation of fat in the livers of mice who were fed a high-fat diet.

Aside from weight gain, two common side effects of obesity are increased insulin resistance and the accumulation of fat in the liver. Left untreated, these disorders can lead to diabetes and poor liver function.

“Previous studies have shown that coffee consumption may lower the risk for chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” said Yongjie Ma, a postdoctoral research associate in UGA's College of Pharmacy and lead author of the paper.

“Our study expands on this research by looking at the benefits associated with this specific compound, which is found in great abundance in coffee, but also in other fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, tomatoes and blueberries.”

“We're not suggesting that people start drinking a lot of coffee to protect themselves from an unhealthy lifestyle,” said Ma, who is also a member of UGA's Obesity Initiative. “But we do think we might be able to create a useful therapy with CGA that will help those at risk for obesity-related disease as they make positive lifestyle changes.”

For more about the study, visit http://news.uga.edu/releases/article/chemical-in-coffee-may-help-prevent-obesity-related-disease/.