Time to debunk

Myth 1: Coffee creates more muscle and burns fat

This headline comes from a Finnish study published in July 2026 in the European Journal of Nutrition.

Researchers looked at 2,264 adults aged 46 and found that those who drank more coffee tended to have less total body fat, less visceral (abdominal) fat and more skeletal muscle, even though their BMI was similar to that of people who drank less coffee. Greater coffee intake was also linked to a better blood glucose and insulin profile, and in men, to higher testosterone levels.

However, the study was cross-sectional, meaning it took a snapshot at one point in time, so it showed that coffee drinking and leaner body composition go together, but not that coffee caused the difference.

A small 12-week trial in adults who were overweight or living with obesity found slight reductions in body
fat after three cups of coffee a day, but only 38 people completed the trial, and their body weight did not change.

The verdict: It’s an interesting association, but drinking more coffee will not build muscle or burn fat on its own.