Smelling coffee aroma without drinking it can change attention, alertness, and brain activity, according to new research.

Is it true that smelling coffee aroma without drinking it can change attention, alertness, and brain activity, according to new research?

Unclear. A randomized placebo-controlled trial reports that one-time coffee fragrance inhalation produced short-term improvement in working memory and alertness, though the authors describe it as preliminary. A systematic review of olfactory training and a review of coffee-bean aroma effects on brain stress markers give partial, indirect support for aroma influencing cognition and brain activity.

Verdict: PARTIAL LEAN · 3 sources for, 0 against · Last checked 2 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

DE, V., VA, D. B., V, K., JS, F., R, B., DY, C., JY, B., A, J., JN, A., K, V., K, T., KM, M., W, L., F, P., & PL, F. (2024). Does Olfactory Training Improve Brain Function and Cognition? A Systematic Review.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-022-09573-0

Effect of one time coffee fragrance inhalation on working memory, mood, and salivary cortisol level in healthy young volunteers: a randomized placebo controlled trial - PMC Lock. (n.d.). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2019.11.007

Masuo, Y., Satou, T., Takemoto, H., & Koike, K. (2021). Smell and Stress Response in the Brain: Review of the Connection between Chemistry and Neuropharmacology.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092571