Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa and Risk of Stroke

Influence of Sex Differences on Serum Lipid Profiles among Habitual Coffee Drinkers: Evidence from 23,072 Taiwan Biobank Participants

The bioactive compounds of coffee are involved in lipid metabolism, and sex differences may play an important role. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of sex differences on serum lipid profiles among habitual coffee drinkers. We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study of 23,628 adults using data obtained from the Taiwan Biobank database. Adults who drank more than one cup of coffee per day and those who drank less than one cup per day were compared with non-drinkers. After adjusting for baseline demographics and lifestyle, a generalized linear model was used to estimate the change in serum lipid profiles in men and women and in postmenopausal and premenopausal women among different coffee-drinking behaviors. We found that habitual coffee consumption changed the serum lipid profiles of men and women. Further, coffee drinkers had higher serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and lower serum triglyceride levels than non-drinkers. Compared with premenopausal women, both men and postmenopausal women had increased serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Menopausal status may play an important role in modulating the effect of habitual coffee intake on dyslipidemia. Moreover, premenopausal women potentially benefit more from habitual coffee drinking than men and postmenopausal women.

Activation of ROS-PERK-TFEB by Filbertone Ameliorates Neurodegenerative Diseases via Enhancing the Autophagy-Lysosomal Pathway

The molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease remain enigmatic, resulting in an unmet need for therapeutics development. Here, we suggest that filbertone, a key flavor compound found in the fruits of hazel trees of the genus Corylus, can ameliorate PD via lowering the abundance of aggregated α-synuclein. We previously reported that inhibition of hypothalamic inflammation by filbertone is mediated by suppression of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). Here, we report that filbertone activates PERK through mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) production, resulting in the increased nuclear translocation of transcription factor-EB (TFEB) in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. TFEB activation by filbertone promotes the autophagy-lysosomal pathway (ALP), which in turn alleviates the accumulation of α-synuclein. We also demonstrate that filbertone prevented the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and striatum of mice on high-fat diet (HFD). Filbertone treatment also reduced HFD-induced α-synuclein accumulation through upregulation of the ALP pathway. In addition, filbertone improved behavioral abnormalities (i.e., latency time to fall and decrease of running distance) in the MPTP-induced PD murine model. In conclusion, filbertone may show promise as a potential therapeutic for neurodegenerative disease.

Overview of Nutraceuticals and Cardiometabolic Diseases following Socio-Economic Analysis

The importance of functional food and nutraceutical products to deal with cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) has gained attention in the past few years. The aim of this narrative review is to highlight the potential and effectiveness of nutraceutical in the improvement of CMDs and MetS biomarkers, alongside their burden of disease and economic health expenditure. A science database search was conducted between May and June 2021. A total of 35 studies were included in this paper. We included male and female subjects, children, and adults, in good health or with cardiovascular or metabolic disease. CMDs and MetS have gradually become worldwide health problems, becoming two of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in western countries. The results indicate a positive link between daily consumption of nutraceutical products and an improvement in cardiometabolic and anthropometric biomarkers. In this paper we included a wide range of nutraceutical products. Most of them showed promising data, indicating that nutraceuticals could provide a new therapeutic treatment to reduce prevalence and pharmaceutical expenditures attributed to CMDs and MetS. Unfortunately, there is a huge vacuum of data on nutraceutical usage, savings, and burden reduction. Therefore, further clinical and pharmaco-economic research in the field is highly required.

Role of Phenolic Compounds in Human Disease: Current Knowledge and Future Prospects

Inflammation is a natural protective mechanism that occurs when the body's tissue homeostatic mechanisms are disrupted by biotic, physical, or chemical agents. The immune response generates pro-inflammatory mediators, but excessive output, such as chronic inflammation, contributes to many persistent diseases. Some phenolic compounds work in tandem with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to inhibit pro-inflammatory mediators' activity or gene expression, including cyclooxygenase (COX). Various phenolic compounds can also act on transcription factors, such as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) or nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2), to up-or downregulate elements within the antioxidant response pathways. Phenolic compounds can inhibit enzymes associated with the development of human diseases and have been used to treat various common human ailments, including hypertension, metabolic problems, incendiary infections, and neurodegenerative diseases. The inhibition of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) by phenolic compounds has been used to treat hypertension. The inhibition of carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzyme represents a type 2 diabetes mellitus therapy, and cholinesterase inhibition has been applied to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). Phenolic compounds have also demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties to treat skin diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Plant extracts and phenolic compounds exert protective effects against oxidative stress and inflammation caused by airborne particulate matter, in addition to a range of anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-aging, antibacterial, and antiviral activities. Dietary polyphenols have been used to prevent and treat allergy-related diseases. The chemical and biological contributions of phenolic compounds to cardiovascular disease have also been described. This review summarizes the recent progress delineating the multifunctional roles of phenolic compounds, including their anti-inflammatory properties and the molecular pathways through which they exert anti-inflammatory effects on metabolic disorders. This study also discusses current issues and potential prospects for the therapeutic application of phenolic compounds to various human diseases.

UDP-glucuronosyltransferases mediate coffee-associated reduction of liver fibrosis in bile duct ligated humanized transgenic UGT1A mice

BACKGROUND

Coffee consumption has been shown to reduce the risk of liver fibrosis and is capable of inducing human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A genes. UGT1A enzymes act as indirect antioxidants catalyzing the elimination of reactive metabolites, which in turn are potent initiators of profibrotic mechanisms. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of UGT1A genes as effectors of the protective properties of coffee in bile duct ligation (BDL) induced liver fibrosis.

METHODS

Fourteen days BDL with and without coffee pre- and co-treatment was performed in htgUGT1A-WT and htgUGT1A-SNP mice. Hepatic UGT1A mRNA expression levels, serum bilirubin and aminotransferase activities were determined. Liver fibrosis was assessed by collagen deposition, computational analysis of Sirius red tissue staining and expression of profibrotic marker genes. Oxidative stress was measured by hepatic peroxidase concentrations and immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS

UGT1A transcription was differentially activated in the livers of htgUGT1A-WT mice after BDL, in contrast to a reduced or absent induction in the presence of SNPs. Co-treated (coffee + BDL) htgUGT1A-WT-mice showed significantly increased UGT1A expression and protein levels and a considerably higher induction compared to water drinking WT mice (BDL), whereas in co-treated htgUGT1A-SNP mice absolute expression levels remained below those observed in htgUGT1A-WT mice. Collagen deposition, oxidative stress and the expression of profibrotic markers inversely correlated with UGT1A expression levels in htgUGT1A-WT and SNP mice after BDL and coffee + BDL co-treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Coffee exerts hepatoprotective and antioxidative effects via activation of UGT1A enzymes. Attenuated hepatic fibrosis as a result of coffee-mediated UGT1A induction during cholestasis was detected, while the protective action of coffee was lower in a common low-function UGT1A SNP haplotype present in 10% of the Caucasian population. This study suggests that coffee consumption might constitute a potential strategy to support the conventional treatment of cholestasis-related liver diseases.

Consumption of coffee and tea and risk of developing stroke, dementia, and poststroke dementia: A cohort study in the UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have revealed the involvement of coffee and tea in the development of stroke and dementia. However, little is known about the association between the combination of coffee and tea and the risk of stroke, dementia, and poststroke dementia. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the associations of coffee and tea separately and in combination with the risk of developing stroke and dementia.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

This prospective cohort study included 365,682 participants (50 to 74 years old) from the UK Biobank. Participants joined the study from 2006 to 2010 and were followed up until 2020. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the associations between coffee/tea consumption and incident stroke and dementia, adjusting for sex, age, ethnicity, qualification, income, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, alcohol status, smoking status, diet pattern, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), history of cancer, history of diabetes, history of cardiovascular arterial disease (CAD), and hypertension. Coffee and tea consumption was assessed at baseline. During a median follow-up of 11.4 years for new onset disease, 5,079 participants developed dementia, and 10,053 participants developed stroke. The associations of coffee and tea with stroke and dementia were nonlinear (P for nonlinear <0.01), and coffee intake of 2 to 3 cups/d or tea intake of 3 to 5 cups/d or their combination intake of 4 to 6 cups/d were linked with the lowest hazard ratio (HR) of incident stroke and dementia. Compared with those who did not drink tea and coffee, drinking 2 to 3 cups of coffee and 2 to 3 cups of tea per day was associated with a 32% (HR 0.68, 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.79; P < 0.001) lower risk of stroke and a 28% (HR, 0.72, 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.89; P = 0.002) lower risk of dementia. Moreover, the combination of coffee and tea consumption was associated with lower risk of ischemic stroke and vascular dementia. Additionally, the combination of tea and coffee was associated with a lower risk of poststroke dementia, with the lowest risk of incident poststroke dementia at a daily consumption level of 3 to 6 cups of coffee and tea (HR, 0.52, 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.83; P = 0.007). The main limitations were that coffee and tea intake was self-reported at baseline and may not reflect long-term consumption patterns, unmeasured confounders in observational studies may result in biased effect estimates, and UK Biobank participants are not representative of the whole United Kingdom population.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that drinking coffee and tea separately or in combination were associated with lower risk of stroke and dementia. Intake of coffee alone or in combination with tea was associated with lower risk of poststroke dementia.

Association between hypertension and coffee drinking based on CYP1A2 rs762551 single nucleotide polymorphism in Taiwanese

Background

Hypertension increases the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is related to caffeine metabolism and the risk of CVD among coffee drinkers. CYP1A2 rs762551 influenced the risk of stroke among hypertensive patients. We examined the relationship between hypertension and coffee drinking based on CYP1A2 rs762551 SNP in Taiwanese adults.

Methods

We used data contained in the Taiwan Biobank database (2011–2018) and included 19,133 participants having complete information on hypertension, rs762551 polymorphism, coffee intake, etc. The risk of hypertension was determined using multiple logistic regression.

Results

Coffee intake was significantly associated with a lower risk of hypertension. The odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI), and p-value were 0.877, 0.807–0.954, and 0.0032, respectively. CYP1A2 rs762551 was not significantly associated with the risk of hypertension, but it had a significant interactive association with coffee drinking (p value = 0.0303). After stratification by rs762551 genotypes, the inverse coffee drinking-hypertension association was retained, but significant results were observed only in those with the AC + CC genotype (OR 0.678, 95% CI 0.722–900, p value = 0.0001). According to the combination of coffee drinking and rs762551 genotypes (reference group: no coffee drinking and rs762551 AA), the coffee drinking-AC + CC group had a lower risk of hypertension (OR 0.888, 95% CI 0.789–0.999, p value = 0.0483).

Conclusion

Coffee drinking, particularly among individuals with the CYP1A2 rs762551 AC + CC genotype was associated with lower odds of hypertension.

Metabolomic Changes after Coffee Consumption: New Paths on the Block

SCOPE

Several studies suggest that regular coffee consumption may help preventing chronic diseases, but the impact of daily intake and the contribution of coffee metabolites in disease prevention are still unclear. The present study aims at evaluating whether and how different patterns of coffee intake (one cup of espresso coffee/day, three cups of espresso coffee/day, and one cup of espresso coffee/day and two cocoa-based products containing coffee two times per day) may impact endogenous molecular pathways.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A three-arm, randomized, crossover trial is performed in 21 healthy volunteers who consumed each treatment for one month. Urine samples are collected to perform untargeted metabolomics based on UHPLC-IMS-HRMS. A total of 153 discriminant metabolites are identified. Several molecular features are associated with coffee consumption, while others are linked with different metabolic pathways, such as phenylalanine, tyrosine, energy metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and arginine biosynthesis and metabolism.

CONCLUSION

This information has provided new insights into the metabolic routes by which coffee and coffee-related metabolites may exert effects on human health.

Neuroprotective Effects of Coffee Bioactive Compounds: A Review

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide. It is usually identified as a stimulant because of a high content of caffeine. However, caffeine is not the only coffee bioactive component. The coffee beverage is in fact a mixture of a number of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, especially chlorogenic acids (in green beans) and caffeic acid (in roasted coffee beans), alkaloids (caffeine and trigonelline), and the diterpenes (cafestol and kahweol). Extensive research shows that coffee consumption appears to have beneficial effects on human health. Regular coffee intake may protect from many chronic disorders, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some types of cancer. Importantly, coffee consumption seems to be also correlated with a decreased risk of developing some neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and dementia. Regular coffee intake may also reduce the risk of stroke. The mechanism underlying these effects is, however, still poorly understood. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the neuroprotective potential of the main bioactive coffee components, i.e., caffeine, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, trigonelline, kahweol, and cafestol. Data from both in vitro and in vivo preclinical experiments, including their potential therapeutic applications, are reviewed and discussed. Epidemiological studies and clinical reports on this matter are also described. Moreover, potential molecular mechanism(s) by which coffee bioactive components may provide neuroprotection are reviewed.

Effects of Matcha Green Tea Powder on Cognitive Functions of Community-Dwelling Elderly Individuals

Matcha Green Tea Powder contains a variety of active ingredients beneficial to health, such as tea catechins, lutein and vitamin K. It is also known that these ingredients confer benefits upon cognitive functions of elderly people. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the relationship between a daily supplementation of Matcha and the change in cognitive functions of community-dwelling elderly people. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 12-week trial was performed. Sixty-one participants were recruited and randomly assigned to receive test drink containing 3 g powder from fresh Matcha or placebo powder per day. Changes in cognitive function were assessed utilizing a psychometric test battery. Daily food intake was assessed by a Brief-type Self-administered Diet History Questionnaire (BDHQ). In the gender-specific analysis, a significant cognitive enhancement was observed in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score in the active group of women. In dietary analysis, we found a significant inverse correlation between consumption of vitamin K in daily diet, excluding test drinks, and change in MoCA. The present study suggests that daily supplementation of Matcha Green Tea Powder has protective effects against cognitive decline in community-dwelling elderly women.

Neuroprotective and Neurodegenerative Aspects of Coffee and Its Active Ingredients in View of Scientific Literature

Coffee and its components have several neuroprotective properties that lower the risk of cognitive decline and other neurodegenerative diseases. This study reviews the mechanisms by which coffee and its respective compounds affect the brain and its pathologies. Many epidemiological studies in this literature review have shown coffee to reduce the risk of developing dementia, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease. It may also have a positive impact on the disease course of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and depression. The optimal benefits achieved from coffee in these pathologies rely on higher daily doses. Most of its effects are attributed to caffeine by the antagonism of adenosine receptors in the central nervous system; however, other coffee constituents like chlorogenic acids have also shown much promise in therapeutic value. Existing research considers coffee to have great potential, but additional studies are still needed to clarify the mechanisms and actual causal relationships in certain neuropathologies.

Interaction between Coffee Drinking and TRIB1 rs17321515 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism on Coronary Heart Disease in a Taiwanese Population

A complex interplay of several genetic and lifestyle factors influence coronary heart disease (CHD). We determined the interaction between coffee consumption and the tribbles pseudokinase 1 (TRIB1) rs17321515 variant on coronary heart disease (CHD). Data on CHD were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) while genotype data were collected from the Taiwan Biobank (TWB) Database. From the linked electronic health record data, 1116 individuals were identified with CHD while 7853 were control individuals. Coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of CHD. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was 0.84 (0.72-0.99). Association of CHD with the TRIB1 rs17321515 variant was not significant. The OR (95% CI) was 1.01 (0.72-0.99). There was an interaction between TRIB1 rs17321515 and coffee consumption on CHD risk (p for interaction = 0.0330). After stratification by rs17321515 genotypes, coffee drinking remained significantly associated with a lower risk of CHD only among participants with GG genotype (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.45-0.85). In conclusion, consumption of coffee was significantly associated with a decreased risk of CHD among Taiwanese adults with the TRIB1 GG genotype.

The Effect of Nano-Epigallocatechin-Gallate on Oxidative Stress and Matrix Metalloproteinases in Experimental Diabetes Mellitus

Background: The antioxidant properties of epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG), a green tea compound, have been already studied in various diseases. Improving the bioavailability of EGCG by nanoformulation may contribute to a more effective treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) metabolic consequences and vascular complications. The aim of this study was to test the comparative effect of liposomal EGCG with EGCG solution in experimental DM induced by streptozotocin (STZ) in rats. Method: 28 Wistar-Bratislava rats were randomly divided into four groups (7 animals/group): group 1—control group, with intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of 1 mL saline solution (C); group 2—STZ administration by i.p. route (60 mg/100 g body weight, bw) (STZ); group 3—STZ administration as before + i.p. administration of EGCG solution (EGCG), 2.5 mg/100 g b.w. as pretreatment; group 4—STZ administration as before + i.p. administration of liposomal EGCG, 2.5 mg/100 g b.w. (L-EGCG). The comparative effects of EGCG and L-EGCG were studied on: (i) oxidative stress parameters such as malondialdehyde (MDA), indirect nitric oxide (NOx) synthesis, and total oxidative status (TOS); (ii) antioxidant status assessed by total antioxidant capacity of plasma (TAC), thiols, and catalase; (iii) matrix-metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and -9 (MMP-9). Results: L-EGCG has a better efficiency regarding the improvement of oxidative stress parameters (highly statistically significant with p-values < 0.001 for MDA, NOx, and TOS) and for antioxidant capacity of plasma (highly significant p < 0.001 for thiols and significant for catalase and TAC with p < 0.05). MMP-2 and -9 were also significantly reduced in the L-EGCG-treated group compared with the EGCG group (p < 0.001). Conclusions: the liposomal nanoformulation of EGCG may serve as an adjuvant therapy in DM due to its unique modulatory effect on oxidative stress/antioxidant biomarkers and MMP-2 and -9.

Tea consumption and risk of stroke in Chinese adults: a prospective cohort study of 0.5 million men and women

BACKGROUND

Many cohort studies have explored the relation between tea consumption and stroke risk; however, the conclusions have been inconsistent. In addition, evidence is lacking in China, where the patterns of tea consumption and main types of tea consumed differ substantially from those in high-income countries.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to systematically assess the association of tea consumption with the risk of stroke based on a Chinese large-scale cohort study.

METHODS

A total of 487,377 participants from the China Kadoorie Biobank were included in the present study. Detailed information about tea consumption (including frequency, duration, amount, and tea type) was self-reported at baseline. After ∼4.3 million person-years of follow-up, 38,727 incident cases of stroke were recorded, mainly through linkage with mortality and morbidity registries and based on the national health insurance system.

RESULTS

Overall, 128,280 adults (26.3%) reported drinking tea almost daily (41.4% men, 15.9% women), predominantly green tea (86.7%). Tea consumption had an inverse and dose-response relation with the risk of stroke (Ptrend < 0.001). Compared with nonconsumers, those who consumed tea occasionally, weekly, and daily had adjusted HRs and 95% CIs of 0.96 (0.94, 0.99), 0.94 (0.90, 0.98), and 0.92 (0.89, 0.95) respectively, with little difference by stroke type. Among those who consumed tea daily, the HRs for stroke decreased with the increasing duration and amount of tea consumed (all P < 0.001). These inverse associations were significant for green tea but not for other types of tea. Among men, but not women, the inverse relations could be detected, and similar inverse associations could be found for male noncurrent alcohol-consumers and noncurrent smokers as well.

CONCLUSIONS

Among Chinese adults, higher consumption of tea, especially green tea, was associated with a lower risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

[Primary Prevention of Acute Stroke]

Primary Prevention of Acute Stroke Abstract. Strokes are frequent. Vascular risk factors are increasing the stroke risk. Most vascular risk factors are treatable. Their therapy is important in the primary prevention of stroke. According to the INTERSTROKE study, arterial hypertension, inactivity, overweight, dyslipidemia, smoking, unhealthy diet, cardiac pathologies such as major arrhythmia, diabetes mellitus, stress/depression and overconsumption of alcohol are the most important treatable vascular risk factors. In this article, we will also report on at present less well known treatable vascular risk factors such as sleep apnea, atheromatosis of the aortic arch and of arteries supplying the brain, migraine with aura and chronic inflammatory disorders and infections.

Green tea consumption and mortality in Japanese men and women: a pooled analysis of eight population-based cohort studies in Japan

The aim of our study was to assess the association between green tea consumption and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a pooled analysis of eight Japanese population-based cohort studies. Pooled hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), derived from random effects models, were used to evaluate the associations between green tea consumption, based on self-report at baseline, and risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality. During a mean follow-up of 17.3 years, among 313,381 persons, 52,943 deaths occurred. Compared with individuals who consumed < 1 cup/day, those in the highest consumption category (≥ 5 cups/day) had a decreased risk of all-cause mortality [the multivariate-adjusted HR was 0.90 (95% CI 0.87-0.94) for men and 0.82 (0.74-0.90) for women]. A similar inverse association was observed for heart disease mortality [HR 0.82 (0.75-0.90) for men, and 0.75 (0.68-0.84) for women], and cerebrovascular disease mortality [HR 0.76 (0.68-0.85) for men, and 0.78 (0.68-0.89) for women]. Among women, green tea consumption was associated with decreased risk of total cancer mortality: 0.89 (0.83-0.96) for the 1-2 cups/day category and 0.91 (0.85-0.98) for the 3-4 cups/day category. Results for respiratory disease mortality were [HR 0.75 (0.61-0.94)] among 3-4 cup daily consumers and [HR 0.66 (0.55-0.79)] for ≥ 5 cups/day. Higher consumption of green tea is associated with lower risk for all-cause mortality in Japanese, especially for heart and cerebrovascular disease. Moderate consumption decreased the risk of total cancer and respiratory disease mortality in women.

Acute Kahweol Treatment Attenuates Traumatic Brain Injury Neuroinflammation and Functional Deficits

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions worldwide with devastating long-term effects on health and cognition. Emerging data suggest that targeting the immune response may offer promising strategies to alleviate TBI outcomes; kahweol, an anti-inflammatory diterpene that remains in unfiltered coffee, has been shown to be beneficial in neuronal recovery. Here, we examined whether kahweol could alleviate brain trauma-induced injury in a mouse model of TBI and its underlying mechanisms. TBI was induced by controlled cortical impact (CCI) and various doses of kahweol were intraperitoneally administered following injury. Contusion volume, brain edema, neurobehavioral deficits, and protein expression and activity were evaluated in both short-term and long-term recovery. We found that kahweol treatments significantly reduced secondary brain injury and improved neurobehavioral outcomes in TBI mice. These changes were accompanied by the attenuation of proinflammatory cytokine secretion, decreased microglia/macrophage activation, and reduction of neutrophil and leukocyte infiltration. In addition, continuous kahweol treatment further improved short-term TBI outcomes compared to single-dosage. Collectively, our data showed that kahweol protects against TBI by reducing immune responses and may serve as a potential therapeutic intervention for TBI patients.

Is chocolate consumption associated with health outcomes? An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The literature regarding the potential health benefits of chocolate consumption are unclear and the epidemiological credibility has not been systematically scrutinized, while the strength of the evidence is undetermined. We therefore aimed to map and grade the diverse health outcomes associated with chocolate consumption using an umbrella review of systematic reviews.

METHODS

Umbrella review of systematic reviews of observational and intervention studies (randomized placebo-controlled trials, RCTs). For each association, random-effects summary effect size, 95% confidence interval, and 95% prediction interval were estimated. We also assessed heterogeneity, evidence for small-study effect and evidence for excess significance bias. For significant outcomes of the RCTs, the GRADE assessment was furtherly used.

RESULTS

From 240 articles returned, 10 systematic reviews were included (8 of which included a meta-analysis), including a total of 84 studies (36 prospective observational studies and 48 interventional). Nineteen different outcomes were included. Among observational studies, including a total of 1,061,637 participants, the best available evidence suggests that chocolate consumption is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) death (n = 4 studies), acute myocardial infarction (n = 6), stroke (n = 5) and diabetes (n = 6), although this was based on a weak evidence of credibility. Across meta-analyses of intervention studies, chocolate consumption was positively associated with flow-mediated dilatation at 90-150 min (n = 3) and at 2-18 weeks (n = 3), and insulin resistance markers (n = 2). However, using the GRADE assessment, the evidence for these outcomes was low or very low. Data from two systematic reviews, reported that chocolate consumption was not associated with better depressive mood or cognitive function.

CONCLUSIONS

There is weak evidence to suggest that chocolate consumption may be associated with favorable health outcomes.

Epicatechin Gallate Protects HBMVECs from Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury through Ameliorating Apoptosis and Autophagy and Promoting Neovascularization

Green tea is one of the most beverages with antioxidants and nutrients. As one of the major components of green tea, (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG) was evaluated for its antioxidative properties in the present study. Cell proliferation assay, tube formation, cell migration, apoptosis, and autophagy were performed in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMVECs) after oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) to investigate potential anti-ischemia/reperfusion injury properties of ECG in vitro. Markers of oxidative stress as ROS, LDH, MDA, and SOD were further assayed in our study. Data indicated that ECG could affect neovascularization and promote cell proliferation, tube formation, and cell migration while inhibiting apoptosis and autophagy through affecting VEGF, Bcl-2, BAX, LC3B, caspase 3, mTOR, and Beclin-1 expression. All the data suggested that ECG may be protective for the brain against ischemia/reperfusion injury by promoting neovascularization, alleviating apoptosis and autophagy, and promoting cell proliferation in HBMVECs of OGD/R.

Cardiovascular Effects of Flavonoids

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Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the major cause of death worldwide, especially in Western society. Flavonoids are a large group of polyphenolic compounds widely distributed in plants, present in a considerable amount in fruit and vegetable. Several epidemiological studies found an inverse association between flavonoids intake and mortality by CVD. The antioxidant effect of flavonoids was considered the main mechanism of action of flavonoids and other polyphenols. In recent years, the role of modulation of signaling pathways by direct interaction of flavonoids with multiple protein targets, namely kinases, has been increasingly recognized and involved in their cardiovascular protective effect. There are strong evidence, in in vitro and animal experimental models, that some flavonoids induce vasodilator effects, improve endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance, exert platelet antiaggregant and atheroprotective effects, and reduce blood pressure. Despite interacting with multiple targets, flavonoids are surprisingly safe. This article reviews the recent evidence about cardiovascular effects that support a beneficial role of flavonoids on CVD and the potential molecular targets involved.

Dark chocolate modulates platelet function with a mechanism mediated by flavan-3-ol metabolites

Cocoa is a rich source bioactive compounds, i.e., flavan-3-ols, and its consumption has been associated with several beneficial effects, such as the positive modulation of the hemostasis targeted by the platelet function. However, these phenolic compounds have a very low bioavailability and extensively undergo phase I and II metabolism, with the appearing into the bloodstream of (epi)catechin conjugates and phenyl-γ-valerolactones and their conjugates, at different times.The aims of this study were to explore the effect of dark chocolate on platelet function and to investigate the relationship between this interplay and flavan-3-ol derived metabolites.Eighteen healthy male volunteers ingested 50 g of 90% cocoa chocolate within 5 minutes. Blood samples were collected immediately before chocolate ingestion (T0) and 4 hours afterwards (T1). Platelet function analyzer (PFA)-100 closure time was assessed using collagen/adenosine-5'-diphosphate (COL/ADP) and collagen/epinephrine (COL/EPI) cartridges. Plasma flavan-3-ol metabolites were identified and quantified by means of liquid chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS).Results evidenced a significant increase of COL/ADP-induced PFA-100 closure time, but not COL/EPI, 4 hours after ingestion of dark chocolate. Total plasma structurally-related (epi)catechin metabolite (SREM) concentration significantly increased at T1, together with 4 out of the 6 detected metabolites. Total phenyl-γ-valerolactone concentrations remained unchanged. Spearman correlations evidenced a strong correlation between COL/ADP closure time and SREMs, mainly led by (epi)catechin-sulfate isomers.These data confirm that the potential beneficial effect of dark chocolate on primary hemostasis may be mediated by flavan-3-ol circulating metabolites.

Coffee consumption and risk of aortic valve stenosis: A prospective study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Coffee contains many biologically active compounds with potential adverse or beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. Whether coffee consumption is associated with the risk of aortic valve stenosis (AVS) is unknown. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine the association between coffee consumption and AVS incidence.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This prospective study included 71 178 men and women who provided information on their coffee consumption through a questionnaire at baseline. Incident cases of AVS were identified through linkage with the Swedish National Patient and Cause of Death Registers. During a mean follow-up of 15.2 years, 1295 participants (777 men and 518 women) were diagnosed with AVS. Coffee consumption was positively associated with risk of AVS in a dose-response manner after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, and other risk factors (P-trend = 0.005). The multivariable hazard ratios were was 1.11 (95% confidence interval 1.04-1.19) per 2 cups/day increase of coffee consumption and 1.65 (95% confidence interval 1.10-2.48) when comparing the highest (≥6 cups/day) with the lowest (<0.5 cup/day) category of coffee consumption. The association was not modified by other risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides novel evidence that high coffee consumption is associated with an increased risk of AVS.

Chocolate consumption and risk of cardiovascular diseases: a meta-analysis of prospective studies

Objective

Studies investigating the impact of chocolate consumption on cardiovascular disease (CVD) have reached inconsistent conclusions. As such, a quantitative assessment of the dose–response association between chocolate consumption and incident CVD has not been reported. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the risk of CVD with chocolate consumption.

Methods

PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for articles published up to 6 June 2018. Restricted cubic splines were used to model the dose–response association.

Results

Fourteen publications (23 studies including 405 304 participants and 35 093 cases of CVD) were included in the meta-analysis. The summary of relative risk (RR) per 20 g/week increase in chocolate consumption was 0.982 (95% CI 0.972 to 0.992, I2=50.4%, n=18) for CVD (heart failure: 0.995 (0.981 to 1.010, I2=36.3%, n=5); total stroke: 0.956 (0.932 to 0.980, I2=25.5%, n=7); cerebral infarction: 0.952 (0.917 to 0.988, I2=0.0%, n=4); haemorrhagic stroke: 0.931 (0.871 to 0.994, I2=0.0%, n=4); myocardial infarction: 0.981 (0.964 to 0.997, I2=0.0%, n=3); coronary heart disease: 0.986 (0.973 to 0.999, n=1)). A non-linear dose–response (pnon-linearity=0.001) indicated that the most appropriate dose of chocolate consumption for reducing risk of CVD was 45 g/week (RR 0.890;95%CI 0.849 to 0.932).

Conclusions

Chocolate consumption may be associated with reduced risk of CVD at <100 g/week consumption. Higher levels may negate the health benefits and induce adverse effects associated with high sugar consumption.

Impact of Coffee and Cacao Purine Metabolites on Neuroplasticity and Neurodegenerative Disease

Increasing evidence suggests that regular consumption of coffee, tea and dark chocolate (cacao) can promote brain health and may reduce the risk of age-related neurodegenerative disorders. However, the complex array of phytochemicals in coffee and cacao beans and tea leaves has hindered a clear understanding of the component(s) that affect neuronal plasticity and resilience. One class of phytochemicals present in relatively high amounts in coffee, tea and cacao are methylxanthines. Among such methylxanthines, caffeine has been the most widely studied and has clear effects on neuronal network activity, promotes sustained cognitive performance and can protect neurons against dysfunction and death in animal models of stroke, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Caffeine's mechanism of action relies on antagonism of various subclasses of adenosine receptors. Downstream xanthine metabolites, such as theobromine and theophylline, may also contribute to the beneficial effects of coffee, tea and cacao on brain health.

The Pocket-4-Life project, bioavailability and beneficial properties of the bioactive compounds of espresso coffee and cocoa-based confectionery containing coffee: study protocol for a randomized cross-over trial

Background

Coffee is an important source of bioactive compounds, including caffeine, phenolic compounds (mainly chlorogenic acids), trigonelline, and diterpenes. Several studies have highlighted the preventive effects of coffee consumption on major cardiometabolic diseases, but the impact of coffee dosage on markers of cardiometabolic risk is not well understood. Moreover, the pool of coffee-derived circulating metabolites and the contribution of each metabolite to disease prevention still need to be evaluated in real-life settings. The aim of this study will be to define the bioavailability and beneficial properties of coffee bioactive compounds on the basis of different levels of consumption, by using an innovative experimental design. The contribution of cocoa-based products containing coffee to the pool of circulating metabolites and their putative bioactivity will also be investigated.

Methods

A three-arm, crossover, randomized trial will be conducted. Twenty-one volunteers will be randomly assigned to consume three treatments in a random order for 1 month: 1 cup of espresso coffee/day, 3 cups of espresso coffee/day, and 1 cup of espresso coffee plus 2 cocoa-based products containing coffee twice per day. The last day of each treatment, blood and urine samples will be collected at specific time points, up to 24 hours following the consumption of the first product. At the end of each treatment the same protocol will be repeated, switching the allocation group. Besides the bioavailability of the coffee/cocoa bioactive compounds, the effect of the coffee/cocoa consumption on several cardiometabolic risk factors (anthropometric measures, blood pressure, inflammatory markers, trimethylamine N-oxide, nitric oxide, blood lipids, fasting indices of glucose/insulin metabolism, DNA damage, eicosanoids, and nutri-metabolomics) will be investigated.

Discussion

Results will provide information on the bioavailability of the main groups of phytochemicals in coffee and on their modulation by the level of consumption. Findings will also show the circulating metabolites and their bioactivity when coffee consumption is substituted with the intake of cocoa-based products containing coffee. Finally, the effect of different levels of 1-month coffee consumption on cardiometabolic risk factors will be elucidated, likely providing additional insights on the role of coffee in the protection against chronic diseases.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03166540. Registered on May 21, 2017.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-017-2271-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Dietary Polyphenols in the Prevention of Stroke

Polyphenols have an important protective role against a number of diseases, such as atherosclerosis, brain dysfunction, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death worldwide: more people die annually from cardiovascular diseases than from any other cause. The most important behavioural risk factors of heart disease and stroke are unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and excess alcohol intake. The dietary consumption of polyphenols has shown to be inversely associated with morbidity and mortality by cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases. It is well-known that the protective effects of polyphenols in vivo depend on the grade how they are extracted from food and on their intestinal absorption, metabolism, and biological action with target tissues. The aim of this review was to summarise the relation between polyphenols of different plant sources and stroke in human intervention studies, animal models, and in vitro studies.

The effect of obesity and repeated exposure on pharmacokinetic response to grape polyphenols in humans

SCOPE

Evidence suggests that dietary pattern may affect polyphenol absorption and/or metabolism. Further, obesity is associated with lower circulating nutrients, though the reason is unclear. We investigated the pharmacokinetic (PK) response of polyphenols in obese/overweight versus lean individuals before and after repeated dosing of grape polyphenols.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A pilot study was conducted in which PK challenges were administered before and after 10 days of repeated dosing with polyphenols. Volunteers (6 lean, 6 overweight/obese) consumed resveratrol, grape seed extract, and grape juice (2125 mg total polyphenols) daily. On days 1 and 11, blood samples were collected for 6 h after the polyphenol dose and analyzed for deconjugated catechin, epicatechin, resveratrol, and quercetin. Area under the plasma polyphenol mass by time curves (AUCs) were greater for catechin, epicatechin, and quercetin on day 11 versus day 1 for low BMI individuals (p = 0.039) but not high BMI individuals. Further, AUCs were greater for epicatechin and resveratrol for low versus high BMI individuals (p = 0.041), with a similar trend for catechin (p = 0.065), on day 11 but not day 1.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that that obesity and repeated exposure may modify polyphenol absorption and/or metabolism in humans.

Relationship between coffee consumption and stroke risk in Korean population: the Health Examinees (HEXA) Study

BACKGROUND

Although coffee consumption is increasing rapidly, the results of previous studies regarding the association between coffee consumption and stroke risk have been conflicting. This was a multi-center cross-sectional study that aimed to evaluate the relationship between coffee consumption and stroke risk in Korean population.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Health Examinees (HEXA) Study, which involved 146,830 individuals aged 40-69 years. Coffee consumption was categorized as none, < 1 cup/day, 1 to < 3 cups/day, and ≥ 3 cups/day. We used logistic regression models to examine the association between coffee consumption and the risk of stroke while controlling for potential confounders and performed subgroup analyses.

RESULTS

After adjusting for age and various possible confounders, high coffee consumption was associated with a 38% lower odds ratio for stroke in women (none vs. ≥ 3 cups/day: OR, 0.62; 95% CI 0.47-0.81; P for trend < 0.0001). No significant association was found in men (none vs. ≥ 3 cups/day: OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.66-1.07; P for trend = 0.1515). In analyses stratified by covariates, an inverse association between coffee consumption and stroke risk was most evident among healthy women who were younger, non-obese, non-hypertensive, non-diabetic, non-smokers, and non-alcohol drinkers.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that higher coffee consumption may have protective benefits with regards to stroke risk in middle-aged Korean women.

Risk Factors for Stroke in the Chinese Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Stroke is the leading cause of death in China. According to the Chinese Stroke Screening and Prevention Project, 8 main risk factors were assessed and individuals with 3 or more risk factors were identified as high-risk population of stroke. To explore the potential impropriety of counting the risk factors but ignoring the different strength of association of each risk factor, we performed this study.

METHODS

Relevant databases were searched for case-control and cohort studies focusing on the risk factors of stroke. We systematically identified studies conducted between 1990 and 2015 that included data on the frequency of risk factors in Chinese Han populations. Pooled relative risks and odds ratios, with their 95% confidence intervals, were calculated for the cohort and case-control studies, respectively.

RESULTS

Fifteen cohort studies and 178 case-control studies were identified. Hypertension was the strongest independent risk factor for stroke (pooled odds ratio, 3.50; pooled relative risk, 2.68). Diabetes mellitus, heart disease, family history of stroke, hyperlipidemia, overweight, and smoking were also mildly predictive (pooled odd ratios, 1.82-2.68; pooled relative risks, 1.27-2.47). By contrast, physical exercise was a protective factor against stroke (pooled odd ratio, .49).

CONCLUSIONS

There was a measurable difference in the strength of association of the 8 risk factors with stroke; hypertension and diabetes were associated with the highest risks, indicating a need to focus resources on patients with these conditions. Giving risk factors equal weighting may not be an appropriate screening methodology.

Green tea (Cammellia sinensis) attenuates ventricular remodeling after experimental myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Considering the high morbidity and mortality after myocardial infarction (MI), the study of compounds with potential benefits for cardiac remodeling is reasonable. Green tea (GT) (Cammellia sinensis) is the most consumed beverage in the world. The potential action mechanisms of GT include anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, antioxidant, and lipid-lowering properties.

OBJECTIVE

This study analyzed the effects of GT on cardiac remodeling following coronary occlusion in rats.

METHODS

Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control (C), control green tea (GT), myocardial infarction (MI), and myocardial infarction and green tea (MI-GT). GT and MI-GT were fed with standard chow with 0.25% Polyphenon 60 (Sigma-Aldrich Canada, Oakville, ON, Canada). After 3months of observation, echocardiographic and isolated heart study, oxidative stress, energy metabolism, serum lipids, extracellular matrix, and apoptosis were evaluated.

RESULTS

GT reduced cardiac hypertrophy and improved systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Concerning oxidative stress, GT reduced protein carbonyl, increased Nrf-2, and restored antioxidant enzyme activity to the control pattern. Energy metabolism was affected by MI that presented with lower fatty acid oxidation and accumulation of triacylglycerol, increased serum lipids, impairment of the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. GT stimulated the glucose pathway and mitochondrial function after MI by increasing pyruvate dehydrogenase, Complex I, ATP synthase, and glycogen storage. In addition, MI changed the extracellular matrix including MMP-2 and TIMP-1 activity and increased apoptosis by 3-caspase, all of which were attenuated by GT.

CONCLUSION

GT attenuated cardiac remodeling after MI, associated with improvement in systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Oxidative stress, energy metabolism, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix alterations are all potential mechanisms by which GT may take part.

Lifestyle modification for stroke prevention: facts and fiction

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The purpose is to summarize recent evidence on lifestyle modifications and first or recurrent stroke risk.

RECENT FINDINGS

Weight reduction, low-risk diet, regular physical activity, smoking cessation, and low-to-moderate alcohol consumption may reduce stroke risk up to 50% or more, but level one evidence is still lacking for several interventions. Appropriate food ingredients can significantly decrease stroke risk as recently confirmed for Mediterranean diet. The optimal intensity and amount of physical exercise is still not well established before and after stroke, although modest levels of activity already show benefits. Passive smoking represents an important health hazard. The impact of tobacco withdrawal using e-cigarette is currently uncertain. Alcohol and stroke risk relation is probably J-shaped for ischaemic stroke and linear for intracranial haemorrhage. Coffee consumption is J-shaped for overall stroke. Several interventions have failed to show significant effects, including regular intake of 'healthy' forms of fatty acids, various vitamin supplements, and other antioxidants. Both individualized and public educational programmes are likely needed on a repetitive basis to induce and maintain a healthy lifestyle before or after a stroke.

Inverse Relationship between Coffee Consumption and Cerebral Microbleeds in Men, but Not Women

BACKGROUND

Studies evaluating the association between coffee consumption and neurovascular diseases have frequently yielded contradictory results. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of coffee consumption with small-vessel disease (SVD) incidence in a healthy urban population while accounting for multiple demographic and lifestyle risk factors.

METHODS

This prospective study conducted from May 2013 through March 2014 included 455 participants (314 men and 141 women) aged 25 to 92 years. All subjects completed a questionnaire on coffee consumption and received a comprehensive neurologic examination, including magnetic resonance imaging, at St. Luke's International Hospital (Tokyo, Japan).

RESULTS

Incidence of SVD was lower in male daily coffee drinkers than male nondrinkers and occasional drinkers, whereas incidence of white matter lesions was lower in female daily coffee drinkers than female nondrinkers or occasional drinkers. In multivariate analyses including age, sex, smoking status, and BMI, as well as coffee consumption, incidence of microbleeds was significantly lower in male daily coffee drinkers compared to nondrinkers.

CONCLUSIONS

Daily coffee consumption is associated with reduced risk of cerebral microbleeds in men.

Effects of dietary polyphenols on metabolic syndrome features in humans: a systematic review

Dietary polyphenols constitute a large family of bioactive substances potential beneficial effect on metabolic syndrome (MetS). This review summarizes the results of clinical studies on patients with MetS involving the chronic supplementation of a polyphenol-rich diet, foods, extracts or with single phenolics on the features of MetS (obesity, dyslipidemia, blood pressure and glycaemia) and associated complications (oxidative stress and inflammation). Polyphenols were shown to be efficient, especially at higher doses, and there were no specific foods or extracts able to alleviate all the features of MetS. Green tea, however, significantly reduced body mass index and waist circumference and improved lipid metabolism. Cocoa supplementation reduced blood pressure and blood glucose. Soy isoflavones, citrus products, hesperidin and quercetin improved lipid metabolism, whereas cinnamon reduced blood glucose. In numerous clinical studies, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects were not significant after polyphenol supplementation in patients with MetS. However, some trials pointed towards an improvement of endothelial function in patients supplemented with cocoa, anthocyanin-rich berries, hesperidin or resveratrol. Therefore, diets rich in polyphenols, such as the Mediterranean diet, which promote the consumption of diverse polyphenol-rich products could be an effective nutritional strategy to improve the health of patients with MetS. © 2016 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity.

Polyphenol rich olive oils improve lipoprotein particle atherogenic ratios and subclasses profile: A randomized, crossover, controlled trial

SCOPE

Lipoprotein particle measures performed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and associated ratios, may be better markers for atherosclerosis risk than conventional lipid measures. The effect of two functional olive oils, one enriched with its polyphenols (FVOO, 500 ppm), and the other (FVOOT) with them (250 ppm) and those of thyme (250 ppm), versus a standard virgin olive oil (VOO), on lipoprotein particle atherogenic ratios and subclasses profiles was assessed.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In a randomized, double-blind, crossover, controlled trial, 33 hypercholesterolemic individuals received 25 mL/day of VOO, FVOO, and FVOOT. Intervention periods were of 3 weeks separated by 2-week washout periods. Lipoprotein particle counts and subclasses were measured by NMR. Polyphenols from olive oil and thyme modified the lipoprotein subclasses profile and decreased the total LDL particle/total HDL particle (HDL-P), small HDL/large HDL, and HDL-cholesterol/HDL-P ratios, and decreased the lipoprotein insulin resistance index (LP-IR) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Olive oil polyphenols, and those from thyme provided benefits on lipoprotein particle atherogenic ratios and subclasses profile distribution. Polyphenol-enriched olive oil is a way of increasing the olive oil healthy properties while consuming the same amount of fat, as well as a useful and complementary tool for the management of cardiovascular risk individuals.

High consumption of coffee is associated with decreased multiple sclerosis risk; results from two independent studies

OBJECTIVE

Previous studies on consumption of caffeine and risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) have yielded inconclusive results. We aimed to investigate whether consumption of coffee is associated with risk of MS.

METHODS

Using two population-representative case-control studies (a Swedish study comprising 1620 cases and 2788 controls, and a US study comprising 1159 cases and 1172 controls), participants with different habits of coffee consumption based on retrospective data collection were compared regarding risk of MS, by calculating ORs with 95% CIs. Logistic regression models were adjusted for a broad range of potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

Compared with those who reported no coffee consumption, the risk of MS was substantially reduced among those who reported a high consumption of coffee exceeding 900 mL daily (OR 0.70 (95% CI 0.49 to 0.99) in the Swedish study, and OR 0.69 (95% CI 0.50 to 0.96) in the US study). Lower odds of MS with increasing consumption of coffee were observed, regardless of whether coffee consumption at disease onset or 5 or 10 years prior to disease onset was considered.

CONCLUSIONS

In accordance with studies in animal models of MS, high consumption of coffee may decrease the risk of developing MS. Caffeine, one component of coffee, has neuroprotective properties, and has been shown to suppress the production of proinflammatory cytokines, which may be mechanisms underlying the observed association. However, further investigations are needed to determine whether exposure to caffeine underlies the observed association and, if so, to evaluate its mechanisms of action.

Higher Caffeinated Coffee Intake Is Associated with Reduced Malignant Melanoma Risk: A Meta-Analysis Study

Background

Several epidemiological studies have determined the associations between coffee intake level and skin cancer risk; however, the results were not yet conclusive. Herein, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the cohort and case-control studies for the association between coffee intake level and malignant melanoma (MM) risk.

Methods

Studies were identified through searching the PubMed and MEDLINE databases (to November, 2015). Study-specific risk estimates were pooled under the random-effects model.

Results

Two case-control studies (846 MM patients and 843 controls) and five cohort studies (including 844,246 participants and 5,737 MM cases) were identified. For caffeinated coffee, the pooled relative risk (RR) of MM was 0.81 [95% confidential interval (95% CI) = 0.68–0.97; P-value for Q-test = 0.003; I² = 63.5%] for those with highest versus lowest quantity of intake. In the dose-response analysis, the RR of MM was 0.955 (95% CI = 0.912–0.999) for per 1 cup/day increment of caffeinated coffee consumption and linearity dose-response association was found (P-value for nonlinearity = 0.326). Strikingly, no significant association was found between the decaffeinated coffee intake level and MM risk (pooled RR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.81–1.05; P-value for Q-test = 0.967; I² = 0%; highest versus lowest quantity of intake).

Conclusions

This meta-analysis suggested that caffeinated coffee might have chemo-preventive effects against MM but not decaffeinated coffee. However, larger prospective studies and the intervention studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Consumption of a polyphenol-rich grape-wine extract lowers ambulatory blood pressure in mildly hypertensive subjects

Polyphenols in grape and wine have been suggested to contribute to the cardiovascular health benefits of the Mediterranean lifestyle. The reported effects of grape products on blood pressure (BP) remain, however, equivocal. In a double-blind placebo controlled crossover study, the effect of two grape extracts on BP and vascular function was assessed in 60 untreated, mildly hypertensive subjects after four weeks intervention. Both extracts (grape-red wine and grape alone) had high concentrations of anthocyanins and flavonols, but the grape alone was relatively poor in catechins and procyanidins. Parameters measured included ambulatory and office BP, flow-mediated vasodilation, arterial distensibility, platelet function and plasma lipoproteins. Results showed that 24-hour ambulatory systolic/diastolic BPs were significantly lower in the grape-wine extract intervention (135.9 ± 1.3/84.7 ± 0.8 mmHg; mean ± SEM) compared to placebo (138.9 ± 1.3/86.6 ± 1.2 mmHg), predominantly during daytime. Plasma concentrations of the vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 decreased by 10%, but other measures of vascular function were not affected. Grape juice extract alone had no effect on BP or any measures of vascular function. Polyphenol-rich food products, and may be specifically catechins and procyanidins, may thus help sustain a healthy BP and contribute to the healthy Mediterranean lifestyle.

Potential role of olive oil phenolic compounds in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) has been associated with a reduced incidence of neurodegenerative diseases and better cognitive performance. Virgin olive oil, the main source of lipids in the MD, is rich in minor phenolic components, particularly hydroxytyrosol (HT). HT potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions have attracted researchers' attention and may contribute to neuroprotective effects credited to MD. In this review HT bioavailability and pharmacokinetics are presented prior to discussing health beneficial effects. In vitro and in vivo neuroprotective effects together with its multiple mechanisms of action are reviewed. Other microconstituents of olive oil are also considered due to their potential neuroprotective effects (oleocanthal, triterpenic acids). Finally, we discuss the potential role of HT as a therapeutic tool in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.

Effects of culinary spices and psychological stress on postprandial lipemia and lipase activity: results of a randomized crossover study and in vitro experiments

BACKGROUND

Data suggest that culinary spices are a potent, low-calorie modality for improving physiological responses to high fat meals. In a pilot study (N = 6 healthy adults), we showed that a meal containing a high antioxidant spice blend attenuated postprandial lipemia by 30% compared to a low spice meal. Our goal was to confirm this effect in a larger sample and to consider the influence of acute psychological stress on fat metabolism. Further, we used in vitro methods to evaluate the inhibitory effect of spices on digestive enzymes.

METHODS

In a 2 x 2, randomized, 4-period crossover design, we compared the effects of 14.5 g spices (black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, ginger, oregano, paprika, rosemary, and turmeric) vs. placebo incorporated into a high fat meal (1000 kcal, 45 g fat), followed by psychological stress (Trier Social Stress Test) vs. rest on postprandial metabolism in 20 healthy but overweight adults. Blood was sampled at baseline and at 105, 140, 180, and 210 minutes for analysis of triglycerides, glucose, and insulin. Additional in vitro analyses examined the effect of the spice blend and constituent spices on the activity of pancreatic lipase (PL) and secreted phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂). Mixed models were used to model the effects of spices and stress (SAS v9.3).

RESULTS

Serum triglycerides, glucose and insulin were elevated following the meal (p < 0.01). Spices reduced post-meal triglycerides by 31% when the meal was followed by the rest condition (p = 0.048), but this effect was not present during stress. There was no effect of the spice blend on glucose or insulin; however, acute stress significantly increased both of these measures (p < 0.01; mean increase of 47% and 19%, respectively). The spice blend and several of the individual spices dose-dependently inhibited PL and PLA2 activity in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

Inclusion of spices may attenuate postprandial lipemia via inhibition of PL and PLA₂. However, the impact of psychological stress negates any influence of the spice blend on triglycerides, and further, increases blood glucose and insulin.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT00954902 .

Coffee and liver health

Coffee is one of the most widely used beverages in the world. It includes a wide array of components that can have potential implications for health. Several epidemiological studies associate coffee consumption with a reduced incidence of various chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Over the past 20 years, an increasing number of epidemiological and experimental studies have demonstrated the positive effects of coffee on chronic liver diseases. Coffee consumption has been inversely associated with the activity of liver enzymes in subjects at risk, including heavy drinkers. Coffee favours an improvement in hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, and a reduction in cirrhosis and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. The mechanisms of action through which it exerts its beneficial effects are not fully understood. Experimental studies show that coffee consumption reduces fat accumulation and collagen deposition in the liver and promotes antioxidant capacity through an increase in glutathione as well as modulation of the gene and protein expression of several inflammatory mediators. Animal and in vitro studies indicate that cafestol and kahweol, 2 diterpens, can operate by modulating multiple enzymes involved in the detoxification process of carcinogens causing hepatocellular carcinoma. It is unclear whether the benefits are significant enough to "treat" patients with chronic liver disease. While we await clarification, moderate daily unsweetened coffee use is a reasonable adjuvant to therapy for these patients.