Caffeine, coffee and appetite control
What it found
Caffeine taken 0.5 to 4 hours before a meal may reduce how much people eat in that sitting, while coffee drunk 3 to 4.5 hours before a meal had little effect on food or nutrient intake.
Results for stomach emptying, appetite hormones and hunger feelings were mixed.
What they found
Studies in people
Coffee before meals
Coffee given 3 to 4.5 hours before a meal had minimal influence on how much food and macronutrients people ate.
Caffeine before meals
Caffeine taken 0.5 to 4 hours before a meal may suppress acute energy intake.
Stomach emptying and hormones
Evidence on how caffeine and coffee affect stomach emptying, appetite hormones and appetite perceptions was equivocal.
Other findings
Genetics and taste
The influence of factors such as the genetics of caffeine metabolism and bitter taste phenotype remains unknown.
What the authors conclude
“The influence of covariates such as genetics of caffeine metabolism and bitter taste phenotype remain unknown; longer controlled studies are needed.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say longer controlled studies are needed.
- They note that the influence of covariates such as genetics of caffeine metabolism and bitter taste phenotype remain unknown.
How it was done
Coffee and caffeine are popular worldwide, but it was still unclear whether they affect how much people eat, how the gut works, or how hungry people feel.
The authors looked at studies that measured the effects of caffeine and coffee on energy intake, stomach emptying, appetite-related hormones and perceived appetite.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- The evidence on stomach emptying, appetite hormones and appetite perceptions was mixed, so no clear effect can be stated.
- The review cannot show whether any effect on how much people eat would last or change body weight.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Auburn University at Montgomery, USA; Griffith University, Australia
The paper
- Title
- Caffeine, coffee, and appetite control: a review
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Schubert MM, Irwin C, Seay RF, Clarke HE, Allegro D, Desbrow B (2017). Caffeine, coffee, and appetite control: a review. International journal of food sciences and nutrition. doi:10.1080/09637486.2017.1320537PubMed 28446037DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error