Coffee and Health

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death in the Western world and are directly connected to lifestyle.
In the past, coffee was considered a bitter enemy of the heart. However, this was because studies never took into account the patients’ lifestyle, including such aspects as sedentariness, alcohol abuse, smoking and an unhealthy diet.

Also, the type of coffee consumed must be taken into consideration – a cup of instant coffee may have very different effects on the body than a cup of espresso, since they contain different bioactive molecules. Finally, when studying correlations between the heart and coffee, it is necessary to consider whether the patient is a regular or infrequent consumer, since regular consumers develop a tolerance for the effects of caffeine (which begins after three days and is lost after one day). It should be pointed out that tolerance does not mean dependence.

Numerous studies have shown that excessive coffee consumption is dangerous, but “normal” consumption is not.
While research is still ongoing, the current results suggest that moderate coffee consumption (from 200 to 600 mg of caffeine, approximately 4 espressos) in a healthy person does not pose a serious risk of cardiovascular disease and in fact may have a protective effect.

• Coffee and blood pressure: moderate consumption of coffee, including caffeinated coffee, has no significant effect on blood pressure.
• Coffee and cholesterol: there is no link between coffee consumption and an increase in LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in the blood.
• Coffee and diabetes: several recent epidemiological studies have demonstrated a close correlation between regular coffee consumption and a decreased risk of Type II diabetes, although the mechanism is not fully understood. In addition, coffee is a significant source of magnesium and therefore has a beneficial effect on glucose metabolism in the blood.
• Coffee and antioxidants: as a source of antioxidants, coffee defends against the oxidative damages of bad cholesterol, protecting the body from atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

In the past, it was believed that coffee interfered with blood pressure and had an intense diuretic effect that could cause dehydration of the body. This is absurd since the studies only observed the subjects for a couple of hours after consuming the coffee, without considering the entire day. The increased amount of urine passed during the three hours immediately after drinking coffee is balanced with a lower amount passed during the rest of the day.

Coffee can be viewed as a source of minerals and it has even been demonstrated that coffee consumption is just another way to obtain the liquids and minerals that our bodies need.

It has been recognized that coffee has a slight “dietetic” effect when it is consumed without sugar, milk or cream.
Coffee is categorized as a “non nutritive dietary component”, meaning that it is not a significant source of nutrients or energy. A cup of coffee has about two calories (practically none). In addition, research has shown that moderate regular coffee consumption causes a 10% increase in metabolic activity (reducing the absorption of calories and increasing energy expenditure). This effect on the metabolism is even greater in slender individuals. It improves the use of fat as an energy source when performing physical work. This means that fat deposits in the body are burned to produce energy.

In short, coffee has a slight “dietetic” effect, even without taking into account the fact that by feeling less tired coffee drinkers are able to perform more physical activities and therefore expend more energy.

Coffee and the stomach: Caffeine stimulates the production of saliva (an initial stage of digestion in the mouth), the secretion of stomach acid (promoting faster digestion), the secretion of bile and intestinal motility. Overall, it contributes to better and faster digestion. Since it increases the amount of gastric juices, it should be consumed in small quantities by those who suffer from gastritis. However, it must be emphasized that there is no relationship between the onset of gastric diseases and coffee consumption. It is recommended that people who suffer from this problem should limit not only coffee, but also tea, beer, soft drinks and carbonated beverages.
Coffee and the liver: Coffee consumption substantially reduces the risk of cirrhosis of the liver (both in alcoholics and non-alcoholics). Several studies have shown a significant decrease in the incidence of gallstones in coffee drinkers. Caffeine causes an increase in contractions of the gall bladder and therefore reduces the risk of stone formation (for those who regularly drink two or three cups per day). Finally, certain diterpenes present in coffee, such as cafestol and kawheol, have antimutagenic properties. This means that they are involved in protecting our bodies against mutagenic agents. Specifically, coffee consumption reduces the risk of colon and rectal tumours. Other molecules found in coffee (melanoidins) defend the gastrointestinal tract from external oxidative aggression.

The possible beneficial link between coffee consumption and tumours has been widely researched. Numerous studies on various types of cancer (oral cavity, oesophagus, stomach, liver, breast, ovarian, kidney, pancreatic, colon, rectal and bladder) have had promising results.

A large number of the studies on coffee and tumours have shown positive results. While some of these studies simply show that there is no relationship between coffee consumption and the development of tumours, others demonstrate that coffee plays a protective role.

Coffee, caffeine and antioxidants play an important role in defending against degenerative diseases. A brief overview of the most notable diseases:

• Parkinson’s is a degenerative disease that involves part of the central nervous system. Although a definitive cause has not yet been discovered, it is clear that the development of this disease is probably related to many factors: genetic anomalies, lifestyle and environmental factors. However, one conclusion has been drawn from all of the studies conducted to date – moderate coffee consumption can have a protective effect against the development of this disease, particularly consumption of 100-300 mg of caffeine per day (coffee, tea, cocoa, etc.). Unfortunately the mechanism of action is not yet fully understood..
• Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease that progressively destroys brain cells. This disease, which affects 26 million people around the world, has no cure and is still poorly understood. Laboratory tests on guinea pigs have demonstrated that giving caffeine to the animals slowed the onset of the disease and also brought about a significant improvement in animals with the disease, providing hope for a cure in humans.
• Multiple Sclerosis is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system. In this case as well, recent studies on rodents have demonstrated that caffeine consumption slows or prevents the onset of this disease. The studies are still in the beginning stages, but this is undoubtedly a promising result for researchers.

Drinking coffee increases attention and concentration, and helps reduce fatigue and tiredness. It stimulates brain activity, decreases reaction time, increases attention span and improves endurance. A quick search yields thousands of studies that deal with coffee and the mind. There are many practical cases in which caffeine plays an extremely beneficial role. It increases memory capacity, speeds up information processing, has a very beneficial effect on mood (some scientists even believe it may have a preventive effect on depression and drug use), helps with getting over jet lag, and improves driving and attention span.

Caffeine decidedly enhances athletic and physical performance. Numerous studies have been conducted and are underway that are looking into the effects on trained athletes, as well as regular people who occasionally take part in sports. Unfortunately the mechanisms of action are not yet fully understood. The research to date has demonstrated that caffeine is an ergogenic aid, or rather a substance that produces energy when it is transformed and that is able to improve a muscle’s ability to perform work. It therefore allows people to enhance endurance during physical activity.

Although studies are insufficient and methodologically limited, it has been clearly demonstrated that caffeine does not exacerbate pre-menstrual syndrome.

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in food consumption in pregnant and breastfeeding women, including the effects of coffee consumption during these delicate stages. Caffeine metabolism is slower in pregnant women, meaning that it has a longer bioavailability and is therefore absorbed in larger “doses” (the half-life of caffeine in a woman who is 5 months pregnant can be as long as 7 hours).

Drinking coffee during pregnancy becomes risky when consumption exceeds 4-5 cups per day (of American coffee) and becomes very risky when it exceeds 8 cups per day. As has been discussed in the preceding pages, high caffeine consumption for long periods of time is unhealthy for any individual and 8 cups of coffee per day is certainly not within the normal range.

Most international scientific bodies recommend not exceeding 300 mg of caffeine per day (approximately three cups of American coffee). The majority of studies have also demonstrated that there is no link between coffee or caffeine consumption and miscarriages and foetal deformities. In addition, recent research has shown no correlation between coffee consumption and foetal growth.

In conclusion, it is always best to exercise good judgement and not exceed the recommended intake.
Particular care must be taken when breastfeeding, since caffeine appears in breast milk. It is therefore best to opt for a good decaffeinated coffee and limit substances that are rich in alkaloids, such as tea, chocolate and other beverages that contain central nervous system stimulants.

To round out the discussion on “women and coffee”, a final topic must be considered – menopause. In the past, studies focused on the relationship between coffee and osteoporosis. Moderate coffee consumption does not interfere with increasing bone mass, nor does it cause any changes.

With respect to menopausal women, there is no clear relationship between caffeine intake and loss of bone mass and calcium. Osteoporosis is a complex multifactorial disease that involves many other factors, including diet, lifestyle and genetics.