Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Unfiltered coffee increases plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy volunteers: a randomized trial

2000; Elsevier BV; Volume: 71; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/ajcn/71.2.480

1938-3207

M.J.A.L. Grubben, G. H. J. Boers, Henk J. Blom, R. Broekhuizen, R. de Josselin de Jong, L. van Rijt, E de Ruijter, D W Swinkels, Fokko M. Nagengast, Mira Katan,

Esophageal and GI Pathology

An elevated plasma homocysteine concentration is a putative risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Observational studies have reported an association between coffee consumption and plasma homocysteine concentrations. We studied the effect of coffee consumption on plasma homocysteine in a crossover trial. We used unfiltered coffee so as to include the possible effects of coffee diterpenes, which are removed by filtering. Sixty-four healthy volunteers (31 men and 33 women) with a mean (±SD) age of 43 ± 11 y were randomly assigned to 2 groups. One group (n = 30) drank 1 L unfiltered cafetière (French press) coffee daily for 2 wk. Such coffee is rich in the cholesterol-raising diterpenes kahweol and cafestol. The other group (n = 34) received water, milk, broth, tea, and chocolate drinks instead of coffee. After a washout period of 8 wk, both groups received the alternate intervention for another 2 wk. Consumption of 1 L unfiltered coffee/d for 2 wk significantly raised fasting plasma homocysteine concentrations by 10%, from 12.8 to 14.0 μmol/L. Unfiltered coffee increases plasma homocysteine concentrations in volunteers with normal initial concentrations. It is unclear whether the effect is caused by the cholesterol-raising diterpenes present exclusively in unfiltered coffee or by factors that are also present in filtered coffee.