Coffee is one of the most popular beverages, worldwide, and consumption of the same has been documented as early as the Paleolithic era.1,2 Most of the population tends to consume coffee as a predominate vehicle for delivering caffeine. Consequently, interest among researchers has been mounting regarding the potential beneficial effects of coffee consumption, especially as it relates to controlling oxidative stress and inflammation. As a means of appreciating such a bean beyond its commonly appreciated aroma and flavour, the following will consider how coffee might serve as a cost-effective, and safe, means of modulating systemic inflammatory markers.
As mentioned in the introduction, coffee beans have been harvested, cultivated, and consumed since the Paleolithic era, and as much as 1.5 billion cups are consumed worldwide, everyday.3 Coffee is not only a coveted beverage for its aroma and taste; coffee beans are rich in N-methylpyridine, diterpenes, trigonelline, quinides, lignanes, cholergenic acid, magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc.1(652),3(1) Of particular interest is coffee consumption and its association with a reduced rick of clinical conditions (i.e., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, autoimmune disorders, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) that share a common thread of chronic low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress; pathophysiological conditions covered in this author’s previous posts.1(652),4Moderate coffee consumption has even been associated with an inverse relationship to mortality, suggesting its ability to improve health markers and longevity.1(652)
Coffee consumption, on a regular basis, facilitates a reduction in oxidative stress and inflammatory markers.1(652) Furthermore, coffee also tends to increase serum concentrations of anti-inflammatory substances to include interleukin-4 (regulates innate and adaptive immunity), interleukin-10 (inhibits inflammatory cytokines such as interferon gamma, interleukin-2, interleukin-3, and tumor necrosis factor alpha), and adiponectin (regulates glucose and fatty acid breakdown).1(652) Paiva et al1(653) explored said markers and their relationship to oxidative stress and inflammation in greater detail by reviewing 15 clinical trials (both randomized and non-randomized) which comprised of 591 participants (37% female and 63% male). Furthermore, said studies were relatively recent dating from 2007 to 2016. Inflammatory markers that were considered included adiponectin, fetuin, 8-isoprostane, interleukin-1, interleukin-8, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein (CRP).1(654) The following sections will explore results in greater detail.
As an aggregate, the clinical trials reviewed by Paiva et al1(659) suggested that an overall decrease in inflammatory markers were observed. Between the 15 studies, the most common markers tracked included CRP (5 studies), interleukin-6 (4 studies), and adiponectin (7 studies). However, a lack of consistent results between studies was likely due to varying coffee type, age and health of participants, the amount of coffee administered, duration of intervention, and coffee preparation methods.1(659) Despite the heterogeneous nature of said studies, the researchers did observe that inflammatory markers were lowered in trials using expresso coffee, while other studies indicated a dose-response relationship; more coffee per day (8 cups instead of 4 cups) for 3 months improved the inflammatory response when compared with the no coffee group. Furthermore, progression of other disease states such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes risk, and obesity were also found to be lower in groups consuming coffee.1(659)
In conclusion, coffee has been harvested, cultivated, and consumed since the Paleolithic era, and as much as 1.5 billioncups are consumed worldwide, everyday. Furthermore, exaggerated and prolonged inflammation and oxidative stress have been linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, autoimmune disorders, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Interestingly, coffee has been associated with an anti-inflammatory/anti-oxidative effect when administered over several weeks. Considering the easy access, safety, and cost-effective nature of coffee, such a beverage could help control both inflammatory and oxidative markers associated with such common pathophysiological conditions.
References
1. Paiva CLRS, Beserra BTS, Reis CEG, et al. Consumption of coffee or caffeine and serum concentration of inflammatory markers: A systematic review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(4):652-663. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2017.1386159.
2. Schubert MM, Irwin C, Seay RF, et al. Caffeine, coffee, and appetite control: A review. Int JFood Sci Nutr. 2017;68(8):901-912. doi:10.1080/09637486.2017.1320537.
3. Bitter NQ, Fernandez DP, Driscoll AW, et al. Distinguishing the region-of-origin of roasted coffee beans with trace element ratios. Food Chem. 2020;320:1-6. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126602.
4. Askari G, Aghajani M, Salehi M, et al. The effects of ginger supplementation on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Herb Med. 2018:1-26. doi:10.1016/j.hermed.2020.100364.2.
5. Akash MS, Rehman K, Chen S. Effects of coffee on type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutrition. 2014;30:755–763. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2013.11.02.
-Michael McIsaac