A cup of coffee is something many of us reach for at least once daily, and researchers have long been interested in analyzing the health benefits and risks that come with regular doses of caffeine.In a new study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, researchers looked specifically at coffee's relationship to metabolites (chemicals produced by the body's natural processes), cardiometabolic markers (heart and blood-sugar health indicators), and sex-related hormones (such as testosterone).The study team, led by researchers from the University of Oulu in Finland, found that those who drink more coffee tend to have less stored fat in their bodies and greater skeletal muscle mass (the muscles linked to movement) – despite body mass index (BMI) scores being broadly similar.Coffee could improve metabolic health through hormonal pathways, especially in men, the researchers suggest. (Verroest et al., Eur. J. Nutr., 2026)What stood out the most, however, was the sex hormone analysis. In men, higher coffee consumption was associated with a better glucose-insulin profile, higher concentrations of total and available testosterone, and levels of the protein sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), which carries sex hormones around the body in the blood.The associations in women were weaker, with more coffee linked to more SHBG and less freely available androgen hormones (a group of sex hormones that includes testosterone).