Consumer News: Think you should always finish your antibiotics? New research says it’s complicated

New research finds hormonal differences among coffee drinkers too

• People who drank more coffee had lower levels of body fat and visceral fat despite having similar BMIs.

• Higher coffee intake was associated with differences in metabolism and sex hormones, particularly among men.

• The study found associations, not proof, that drinking coffee directly causes these changes.

For many people, coffee is simply part of the morning routine. But new research from the University of Oulu in Finland suggests that how much coffee people regularly drink may be linked to several markers of metabolic health and to differences in sex hormones.

The study found that people who reported drinking more coffee tended to have less total body fat and visceral fat, along with more skeletal muscle mass, even though their body mass index (BMI) was similar to that of people who drank less coffee. Higher coffee consumption was also associated with lower levels of certain branched-chain amino acids, which have previously been linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes when chronically elevated.

"Coffee is consumed by millions of people every day, yet we still know surprisingly little about how it relates to our metabolism and hormones, researcher Luca Verroest said in a news release. What stood out in our findings was a distinct hormonal signature that didn't disappear even after we took into account BMI and lifestyle factors, with several of these associations differing between men and women.

How researchers studied coffee drinkers

Researchers analyzed data from 2,264 people who were part of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. All of the participants were 46 years old when the data was collected in 2012, and 47% were men.

Participants reported how many cups of coffee they typically drank each day. Researchers grouped them into non-coffee consumers, people drinking one to two cups daily, moderate coffee consumers drinking three to four cups, and high coffee consumers drinking five or more cups per day.

The researchers then compared coffee consumption with measurements including body composition, blood glucose and insulin, cholesterol, metabolites, and sex hormones. They also adjusted their analyses for factors including BMI, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity.

What the findings could mean for coffee drinkers

The researchers found some notable differences between people who drank more and less coffee.

In men, higher coffee intake was associated with a more favorable glucose-insulin profile, as well as higher levels of total and bioavailable testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). At the same time, free testosterone and the free androgen index were somewhat lower.

Women showed fewer hormonal associations, although higher coffee consumption was linked with higher SHBG and lower measures of free androgens. The researchers also found that higher coffee consumption was associated with lower levels of branched-chain amino acids in both men and women.

Theres an important catch, though: This was a cross-sectional observational study, meaning researchers looked at existing patterns rather than assigning people to drink a certain amount of coffee. So the findings cannot establish that coffee itself caused the differences.

The researchers say future studies will need to determine whether coffee drives these changes and which compounds might be responsible.

A new study finds the popular diabetes medications may not make stopping insulin more likely

• A Yale-led study looked at whether GLP-1 drugs could help people with type 2 diabetes stop using insulin.

• Researchers analyzed three years of health records from nearly 9,000 matched groups of veterans with type 2 diabetes.

• People taking GLP-1 drugs stopped insulin at about the same rate as those taking two other types of diabetes medications.

GLP-1 drugs have become a major topic in diabetes care, and previous research has found that these medications can reduce how much insulin some people need. But a bigger question remains: Can they actually help people with type 2 diabetes stop taking insulin altogether?

A new study led by researchers at Yale School of Medicine examined that question. The researchers compared people taking GLP-1 receptor agonists with people taking two other types of oral diabetes medications to see whether GLP-1 treatment was associated with higher rates of insulin discontinuation.

Insulin can be an effective treatment for people with type 2 diabetes, but it also comes with daily injections, frequent monitoring, and the possibility of low blood sugar reactions. That makes the possibility of safely reducing or stopping insulin an important question for some patients.

How did researchers study it?

The researchers used electronic health record data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. They created 8,869 matched sets of veterans with type 2 diabetes who were already using basal insulin and had started treatment with one of three types of medications: a GLP-1 receptor agonist, an SGLT-2 inhibitor, or a DPP-4 inhibitor.

The groups were matched based on similar health characteristics, allowing researchers to compare insulin discontinuation rates across the different treatments. The researchers then followed the patients' records for three years.

For the study, stopping insulin was defined as having a gap of at least 12 months between insulin prescription fills. Most people receiving GLP-1 treatment in the study were taking semaglutide, dulaglutide, or liraglutide.

What did they find?

Over the three-year follow-up period, 16.7% of people who started a GLP-1 drug discontinued insulin. That compared with 17.9% of those taking an SGLT-2 inhibitor and 17.1% of those taking a DPP-4 inhibitor. Researchers did not find a comparative advantage for GLP-1 drugs when it came to stopping insulin.

That doesn't mean GLP-1 drugs can't reduce insulin needs. Instead, the study suggests that simply adding a GLP-1 medication does not necessarily make a person more likely to stop insulin than taking the other medications studied.

It's very complex, researcher Kasia Lipska, M.D., MHS, said in a news release. Patients often add or switch medications over time, so it becomes very difficult to disentangle.

The researchers also pointed out some limitations. This was not a randomized clinical trial, and patients' treatments could change over time. In addition, people in the study did not advance to the full doses of GLP-1 drugs currently available, which may have affected the results.

For consumers, the findings also highlight a less-discussed issue: There isn't a standard approach for knowing when and how to safely withdraw insulin. According to the researchers, more guidance may be needed to help clinicians determine when reducing or stopping insulin is appropriate.

Most training for diabetes care is about starting and adjusting dose, not stopping or withdrawing, Dr. Lipska said.

The lesson may be that prescribing a GLP-1 receptor agonist is only the first step. If we want to help people safely come off insulin, we also need to know when and how to withdraw it. Right now, clinicians have very little guidance for doing that.

Local XChange lets buyers and sellers use secure USPS lockers instead of arranging an awkward meetup with a stranger

• USPS Local XChange lets local buyers and sellers exchange items without meeting face-to-face.

• The seller pays a flat $5.51 fee and leaves the item inside a participating USPS Smart Locker.

• It doesn't protect you from payment , so sellers are encourages to complete the sale and make sure they've been paid before putting anything in the locker.

Selling something on Facebook Marketplace typically ends with one slightly awkward question: "Where do you want to meet?"

Maybe it's a grocery store parking lot. Maybe it's outside a coffee shop. Or maybe you give a complete stranger your home address and hope they're normal.

The U.S. Postal Service now has another option.

Its new Local XChange service allows local buyers and sellers to complete the physical handoff using a USPS Smart Locker meaning the two people never have to meet.

The cost: $5.51, paid by the seller.

For anyone who's ever sat in a parking lot wondering whether the Marketplace buyer is actually going to show up, it could be five bucks well spent.

Exactly how it works

The seller first completes the transaction with the buyer, including payment, and gets the buyer's name and email address.

Then the seller signs into a free USPS.com account, uses Click-N-Ship to find a participating Smart Locker and pays the $5.51 fee.

Package the item, take it to the selected locker, and drop it inside. Once the locker closes, USPS emails the buyer a QR code.

The buyer goes to the locker when it's convenient, scans the code, and retrieves the item.

No coordinating schedules. No stranger coming to your house. And no sitting in your car wondering if the person who said "I'll be there in five minutes" actually means 25.

Many USPS Smart Lockers are also accessible 24/7, although some are available only during Post Office lobby hours.

The big catch: USPS isn't handling your payment

Local XChange handles the handoff, not the actual transaction. USPS specifically instructs sellers to complete the transaction, including payment, before using the service.

So don't put a $300 phone in a locker because someone emailed you a screenshot supposedly showing that they paid.

Always be sure to verify that the money is actually in your account first.

The service also won't protect you from fake-payment emails, overpayment , or someone asking you to send money back.

Pro tip: Never rely on a payment confirmation sent by the buyer. Open Venmo, PayPal, or whatever payment service you're using yourself and verify the transaction there.

Is $5.51 worth paying?

That depends entirely on what you're selling.

For a $10 lamp, probably not.

But if you're selling a $200 phone, collectible, pair of sneakers, or other higher-value item, paying $5.51 to avoid meeting a stranger might suddenly sound pretty reasonable.

It could also be useful when your schedule doesn't line up with the buyer's. The seller can drop off the item when convenient, and the buyer doesn't have to arrive at the same time.

Know the locker rules

There are some limitations worth knowing.

The Smart Locker must be within 50 miles of the seller's return address, and the item has to be able to fit inside. USPS says the largest locker compartment is generally 22.5 by 19.5 by 14.5 inches, although some locations have smaller maximum sizes.

Items also need to be properly packaged in a box or polybag.

And Local XChange is currently a pilot available only at participating Post Offices with Smart Lockers, so don't assume your local Post Office offers it yet.

Don't leave your purchase sitting there

Buyers have five days after receiving their notification to retrieve the package using the QR code. If the buyer misses that window, the USPS will remove it from the locker and hold it at the counter.

The buyer then gets another 10 days to pick it up with photo identification. After 15 days total, USPS will send the package back to the seller.

Federal investigators are examining pricing throughout the beef supply chain

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The Justice Department has expanded its beef-price investigation to eight major retailers, including Walmart, Costco, Amazon and Kroger.

• Investigators are examining whether market concentration or anticompetitive practices have contributed to rapidly rising beef prices.

• A historically small U.S. cattle herd remains a major cause of high prices, suggesting consumers may not see relief anytime soon.

The U.S. Justice Department has expanded its investigation into rising beef prices, bringing eight of the nations largest grocery retailers under federal scrutiny.

The retailers are Walmart, Costco, Amazon, Kroger, Publix, Albertsons, Aldi and Ahold Delhaize, the parent company of such chains as Food Lion, Giant Food and Stop & Shop.

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward sent letters to the companies concerning recent increases in retail beef prices, according to the department. The action expands an antitrust investigation that initially focused on the companies that process most of the nations beef.

Beef prices are a critical concern to Americans, and a priority for this Justice Department, the agency said in announcing the expansion.

The investigation does not mean the retailers have been accused of wrongdoing. Federal officials have not disclosed whether they are investigating a specific pricing practice or requesting particular records from the companies.

The retailers had not publicly responded to the investigation when it was announced.

Investigation began with meatpackers

The Justice Department launched its current investigation in May, focusing on the four dominant meatpacking companies: JBS, Cargill, Tyson Foods and National Beef.

Together, those companies control more than 85% of U.S. beef processing, according to the department. Federal investigators are examining whether the high level of concentration has reduced competition or contributed to higher prices.

The government says it has reviewed more than 3 million documents and interviewed industry participants as part of that investigation.

By turning its attention to major grocery companies, the department is examining another stage of the beef supply chain the point at which wholesale beef is priced and sold to consumers.

Retail beef pricing can be affected by several factors, including the price stores pay suppliers, transportation and labor costs, promotions, local competition and the profit margin retailers apply to meat sales.

Antitrust investigators may examine whether companies coordinated prices, exchanged competitively sensitive information or used their size to limit competition. However, the department has not publicly alleged that any of the eight retailers engaged in those practices.

Beef prices have risen sharply

The investigation comes as families are paying historically high prices for hamburger, steaks and roasts.

The average price of a pound of ground beef reached $6.89 in July, up about 10% from a year earlier and nearly 57% from July 2021, according to federal inflation data. Steak prices increased by approximately 35% over the same five-year period.

A lack of cattle is widely considered one of the biggest reasons for the increase. The United States had approximately 86.2 million cattle and calves at the beginning of 2026, the smallest herd since 1951, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Years of drought, high feed costs and other financial pressures caused many ranchers to reduce their herds. Restrictions on cattle imports from Mexico, imposed because of concerns about the New World screwworm, also tightened supplies.

Strong consumer demand has allowed prices to remain elevated despite the higher cost.

What it means for consumers

The expanded investigation could eventually result in enforcement action if officials uncover evidence of price-fixing, collusion or other violations of federal antitrust law. It could also end without charges if investigators determine that market forces, rather than illegal conduct, explain the price increases.

Consumers should not expect the investigation itself to lower supermarket prices immediately. Even if competition problems are identified, rebuilding the U.S. cattle herd could take several years because of the time required to breed and raise cattle.

In the meantime, shoppers can reduce costs by watching weekly promotions, comparing unit prices and choosing less expensive cuts such as chuck roast, round steak or higher-fat ground beef. Chicken and pork may also offer lower-cost alternatives when beef prices rise.

The central question for the Justice Department is whether todays high beef prices are entirely the result of tight supplies and strong demand or whether business practices by dominant processors and retailers have made the problem worse.