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

Coffee consumption, health benefits and side effects: a narrative review and update for dietitians and nutritionists

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide; however, its impact on health outcomes and adverse effects is not fully understood. The current review aims to establish an update about the benefits of coffee consumption on health outcomes highlighting its side effects, and finally coming up with an attempt to provide some recommendations on its doses. A literature review using the PubMed/Medline database was carried out and the data were summarized by applying a narrative approach using the available evidence based on the literature. The main findings were the following: first, coffee may contribute to the prevention of inflammatory and oxidative stress-related diseases, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes; second, coffee consumption seems to be associated with a lower incidence of several types of cancer and with a reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality; finally, the consumption of up to 400 mg/day (1-4 cups per day) of caffeine is safe. However, the time gap between coffee consumption and some drugs should be taken into account in order to avoid interaction. However, most of the data were based on cross-sectional or/and observational studies highlighting an association of coffee intake and health outcomes; thus, randomized controlled studies are needed in order to identify a causality link.

Neurodegenerative Diseases: Can Caffeine Be a Powerful Ally to Weaken Neuroinflammation?

In recent years, there has been considerable research showing that coffee consumption seems to be beneficial to human health, as it contains a mixture of different bioactive compounds such as chlorogenic acids, caffeic acid, alkaloids, diterpenes and polyphenols. Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are debilitating, and non-curable diseases associated with impaired central, peripheral and muscle nervous systems. Several studies demonstrate that neuroinflammation mediated by glial cells—such as microglia and astrocytes—is a critical factor contributing to neurodegeneration that causes the dysfunction of brain homeostasis, resulting in a progressive loss of structure, function, and number of neuronal cells. This happens over time and leads to brain damage and physical impairment. The most known chronic NDs are represented by Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington’s disease (HD). According to epidemiological studies, regular coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we summarize the latest research about the potential effects of caffeine in neurodegenerative disorders prevention and discuss the role of controlled caffeine delivery systems in maintaining high plasma caffeine concentrations for an extended time.

Effect of different patterns of consumption of coffee and a cocoa-based product containing coffee on the nutrikinetics and urinary excretion of phenolic compounds

BACKGROUND

Coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases in a dose-dependent manner. Chronic intake results in the transient appearance of bioactive phenolic metabolites in the circulatory system. However, there is a lack of information on the impact of different patterns of coffee consumption on plasma and urinary profiles of phenolic metabolites.

OBJECTIVES

Plasma and urinary phenolic metabolites were investigated following regular consumption of different daily dosages of coffee or cocoa-based products containing coffee (CBPCC) under a real-life setting.

METHODS

A repeated-dose, randomized, crossover human intervention was conducted with 21 healthy volunteers. For 1 mo, participants consumed 1) 1 cup of coffee (1C), 2) 3 cups of coffee (3C), or 3) 1 cup of coffee + 2 CBPCC twice daily (PC). Plasma and urine samples were collected over a 24-h period after each treatment. The nutrikinetics and urinary excretion of native, human phase II, and colonic metabolites were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 51 (poly)phenolic metabolites were quantified, with 41 metabolites being strictly related to coffee consumption. Significant differences were observed among treatments for most of the metabolites. The metabolites present in the highest amounts were the hydroxycinnamate, phenylpropanoic acid, benzaldehyde, and benzene classes, along with (-)-epicatechin and phenyl-γ-valerolactone derivatives after PC treatment. Daily average concentrations did not exceed 200 nmol/L and were <100 nmol/L for most of the metabolites. The excretion of coffee phenolics ranged from 40% to 70% of intake, indicating that coffee hydroxycinnamates are notably more bioavailable than previously thought. Interindividual variability was also investigated.

CONCLUSIONS

The absorption, metabolism, nutrikinetic profile, and bioavailability of coffee phenolics were established for different patterns of coffee consumption under real-life conditions. This work provides the basis for further nutritional epidemiology research and mode-of-action cell-based studies. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03166540.

Effect of Coffee and Cocoa-Based Confectionery Containing Coffee on Markers of DNA Damage and Lipid Peroxidation Products: Results from a Human Intervention Study

The effect of coffee and cocoa on oxidative damage to macromolecules has been investigated in several studies, often with controversial results. This study aimed to investigate the effect of one-month consumption of different doses of coffee or cocoa-based products containing coffee on markers of DNA damage and lipid peroxidation in young healthy volunteers. Twenty-one volunteers were randomly assigned into a three-arm, crossover, randomized trial. Subjects were assigned to consume one of the three following treatments: one cup of espresso coffee/day (1C), three cups of espresso coffee/day (3C), and one cup of espresso coffee plus two cocoa-based products containing coffee (PC) twice per day for 1 month. At the end of each treatment, blood samples were collected for the analysis of endogenous and H2O2-induced DNA damage and DNA oxidation catabolites, while urines were used for the analysis of oxylipins. On the whole, four DNA catabolites (cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), 8-OH-2'-deoxy-guanosine, 8-OH-guanine, and 8-NO2-cGMP) were detected in plasma samples following the one-month intervention. No significant modulation of DNA and lipid damage markers was documented among groups, apart from an effect of time for DNA strand breaks and some markers of lipid peroxidation. In conclusion, the consumption of coffee and cocoa-based confectionery containing coffee was apparently not able to affect oxidative stress markers. More studies are encouraged to better explain the findings obtained and to understand the impact of different dosages of these products on specific target groups.

Effects of the Consumption of Low-Fat Cooked Ham with Reduced Salt Enriched with Antioxidants on the Improvement of Cardiovascular Health: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The aim of the study was to analyze how cardiovascular risk factors can be modified using nutritionally improved cooked ham enriched with a pool of antioxidants to influence relevant metabolic targets. Sixty-five untreated subjects (49.2% males, 50.8% females, mean age 40.92 ± 9.03 years) with total cholesterol level ≥180 mg/dL or LDL cholesterol ≥130 mg/dL participated in a 8-weeks randomized, double-blind controlled trial. Participant in the intervention group (51.5% males, 48.5% females, mean age 41.6 ± 9.8 years and mean BMI 25.1 ± 3.6 kg/m²) consumed cooked ham enriched with antioxidants (100 g/d) and controls (49.9% males, 53.1% females, mean age 40.2 ± 8.3 years and mean BMI 26.3 ± 3.2 kg/m²) received placebo. At 8 weeks, oxidized LDL decreased significantly between experimental and placebo groups (p < 0.036). Experimental group differences were also significant (p < 0.05). Similar findings in malondialdehyde, total cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interleukin 6 were observed in the intervention group. Significant between-group differences in these variables were also found, except for total cholesterol and interleukin 6. The effects on inflammation and oxidation support the direct action of these antioxidants on the etiopathogenic factors of atheromatous plaque. We also observed an improvement in the lipid profiles among the subjects.

Effect of coffee and cocoa-based confectionery containing coffee on markers of cardiometabolic health: results from the pocket-4-life project

PURPOSE

Coffee is an important source of bioactive compounds, including caffeine, trigonelline, and phenolic compounds. Several studies have highlighted the preventive effects of coffee consumption on major cardiometabolic (CM) diseases, but the impact of different coffee dosages on markers of CM risk in a real-life setting has not been fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the effect of coffee and cocoa-based confectionery containing coffee consumption on several CM risk factors in healthy subjects.

METHODS

In a three-arm, crossover, randomized trial, 21 volunteers were assigned to consume 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. At the last day of each treatment, blood samples were collected and used for the analysis of inflammatory markers, trimethylamine N-oxide, nitric oxide, blood lipids, and markers of glucose/insulin metabolism. Moreover, anthropometric parameters and blood pressure were measured. Finally, food consumption during the interventions was monitored.

RESULTS

After 1 month, energy intake did not change among treatments, while significant differences were observed in the intake of saturated fatty acids, sugars, and total carbohydrates. No significant effect on CM markers was observed following neither the consumption of different coffee dosages nor after cocoa-based products containing coffee.

CONCLUSIONS

The daily consumption of common dosages of coffee and its substitution with cocoa-based products containing coffee showed no effect on CM risk factors in healthy subjects.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03166540, May 21, 2017.

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.

Bioavailability and Bioactivities of Polyphenols Eco Extracts from Coffee Grounds after In Vitro Digestion

Coffee grounds are a valuable source of bioactive compounds. In Romania, most of the amount obtained is lost through non-recovery; the rest is occasionally used as organic fertilizer. The coffee grounds were selected according to the roasting degree: blonde roasted (BR), medium roasted (MR), and dark roasted (DR). The study aimed to evaluate three extracts, obtained with a mixture of ethanol/water/acetic acid (50/49.5/0.5), depending on the roasting degree. The majority phenolic component, the antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effect, as well as the role that gastrointestinal transit had on the bioavailability of bioactive compounds were determined. Chlorogenic acid was inversely proportional to the roasting degree. BR showed the best correlation between antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in vitro/in vivo. The antiproliferative capacity of the extracts determined an inhibitory effect on the tumor cells. Antimicrobial activities, relevant in the control of type 2 diabetes, were exerted through the inhibition of microbial strains (Escherichia coli). Following gastric digestion, BR demonstrated a maximum loss of 20% in the stomach. The recovery of coffee grounds depended on the pattern of functional compounds and the bioavailability of the main component, chlorogenic acid.

Absorption, Pharmacokinetics, and Urinary Excretion of Pyridines After Consumption of Coffee and Cocoa-Based Products Containing Coffee in a Repeated Dose, Crossover Human Intervention Study

SCOPE

The present study assesses the absorption, pharmacokinetics, and urinary excretion of coffee pyridines and their metabolites after daily regular exposure to specific dosages of coffee or cocoa-based products containing coffee (CBPCC), considering different patterns of consumption.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In a three-arm, crossover, randomized trial, 21 volunteers are requested to randomly consume for 1 month: one cup of espresso coffee per day, three cups of espresso coffee per day, or one cup of espresso coffee plus two CBPCC twice per day. The last day of the one-month treatment, blood and urine samples are collected for 24 h. Trigonelline, N-methylpyridinium, N-methylnicotinamide, and N-methyl-4-pyridone-5-carboxamide are quantified. Trigonelline and N-methylpyridinium absorption curves and 24-h urinary excretion reflect the daily consumption of different servings of coffee or CBPCC, showing also significant differences in main pharmacokinetic parameters. Moreover, inter-subject variability due to sex and smoking is assessed, showing sex-related differences in the metabolism of trigonelline and smoking-related ones for N-methylpyridinium.

CONCLUSION

The daily exposure to coffee pyridines after consumption of different coffee dosages in a real-life setting is established. This data will be useful for future studies aiming at evaluating the bioactivity of coffee-derived circulating metabolites in cell experiments, mimicking more realistic experimental conditions.

Decaffeinated coffee and its benefits on health: focus on systemic disorders

The current literature has mainly focused on benefits and risks deriving from the consumption of caffeinated coffee and its implications for inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer. Today, data about the role of caffeine in many disorders are controversial and the attention has increasingly focused on decaffeinated coffee and its non-caffeine compounds, which could have mainly beneficial effects. In fact, coffee phenolic compounds not only exhibit well-known antioxidant properties, but they can also antagonize some negative effects of caffeine, for example in inflammatory pathway and in glucose metabolism and homeostasis. In this review, we consider the literature of the last two decades and critically discuss the effects of decaffeinated coffee compounds on systemic disorders, mainly inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, hepatic dysfunctions, and cancer.

Data analysis of MS-based clinical lipidomics studies with crossover design: A tutorial mini-review of statistical methods

Clinical lipidomics using mass spectrometry (MS) is important to support discovery of biomarkers for diagnosis and understanding the pathophysiology of diseases. Frequently, lipidomics data from clinical studies have large variations among individuals because the human metabolome/lipidome is strongly influenced by genotype, daily activity, diet and gut flora. This inter-personal variability makes data analysis more complex and normally requires a large cohort for robust statistical analysis. Crossover designed experiments treat each subject as his or her own control, thereby reducing the between-subject variability, such that the effects of exposure/treatment are more likely to be identified when using a relatively small number of subjects. This design repeatedly samples an individual when crossing over from one treatment/exposure to another during the course of the study. The acquired datasets have a distinct data structure resulting from repeated longitudinal measurements. A variety of statistical methods are used in published crossover studies, but many appear to ignore the data structure inherent in the experimental design. An appropriate data analysis approach is critical to discovering robust clinical biomarkers. Hereby, we summarize the statistical methodologies suitable for clinical lipidomics studies using crossover design. To help understand and apply these methods to practical cases, we focused on the general concepts of statistical models in the context of analysis of metabolomics data without spending too much effort on mathematical details. Importantly, we aim to evaluate these methods and provide suggestions for data analysis and biomarker discovery. We applied the discussed methods on a MS-based lipidomics dataset from a double-blind random crossover designed clinical dietary intervention study. The strength and potential pitfalls of each method are briefly discussed and a suggestion for analytic workflow proposed.

Pomegranate juice to reduce fecal calprotectin levels in inflammatory bowel disease patients with a high risk of clinical relapse: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent episodes of intestinal inflammation and is thought to be related to an autoimmune reaction to genetic and environmental factors. Although evidence indicates that a polyphenolic-rich diet plays an important role in modulating aspects of chronic inflammation, few studies have focused on the effect of ellagitannin (ET)-rich food consumption on long-term remission maintenance in IBD patients with a high risk of clinical relapse. Therefore, we hypothesize that supplementation with a pomegranate juice, a naturally rich source of ETs, could significantly modulate the markers of mucosal and systemic inflammation relative to a control group receiving a placebo.

Methods/design

This double-blind, randomized controlled trial includes patients with IBD involving the colorectum who have been in stable therapy for at least the three previous months and have a high risk of clinical relapse. Participants are randomly allocated to one of two groups: active supplementation (125 mL of cv. Wonderful pomegranate juice) or placebo (125 mL) taken twice daily for 12 weeks. The primary outcome is changes in the fecal neutrophil-derived protein calprotectin, a surrogate marker of mucosal improvement, between the two groups from baseline to 12 weeks later. The secondary outcomes include transcriptomic changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and intestinal biopsies and changes in circulating inflammatory markers and trimethylamine-N-oxide levels. Pomegranate ET-derived metabolites are identified and quantified in plasma and urine samples.

Discussion

The results will provide information on the possible reduction of fecal calprotectin levels following the consumption of pomegranate juice. The findings will also show the in vivo metabolism of pomegranate ETs. Finally, the effect of 12-week pomegranate juice consumption on local and systemic inflammatory markers will be elucidated, which will likely provide additional insights into the maintenance of remission in IBD patients.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03000101. Registered on 21 December 2016.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-019-3321-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.