Written by Joyce Smith, BS. An analyses of phenotype and genes suggests that long-term heavy coffee drinkers with elevated LDL cholesterol may have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Globally, people drink an estimated 3 billion cups of coffee per day 1. While coffee is the most popular consumed beverage 2, it also contains many chemical compounds that have been shown to provide both harmful and healthful effects. One harmful chemical is Cafestol, a very potent cholesterol-elevating compound 3 present in coffee beans 4,5. Since it requires hot water for extraction, the highest concentrations of cafestol are found in unfiltered coffee brews, such as Scandinavian boiled coffees, French press, and Turkish/Greek coffee. Cafestol is also present in espressos which are often the base for other drinks, such as Latte, Cappuccino, Macchiato, and Caffe Americano; however, filtered and instant coffees contain only negligible amounts of this harmful substance. 6.
Previous research on the association between unfiltered coffee and unfavorable lipid profiles have been predominantly short term studies, thus prompting the need for a study of much longer duration that would explore whether long-term habitual coffee consumption negatively effects serum lipids. In a large prospective study 7, Zhou and Hyppönen analyzed data from UK Biobank participants aged 37-73 years. Using mendelian randomization (MR) and phenotypic and genetic variations along with comprehensive lipid biomarkers the team looked for a potential association between habitual coffee consumption and the following plasma lipids: low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (Total-C), and apolipoproteins A1 (ApoA1) and apolipoproteins B (ApoB).
Overall, 362,571 participants provided complete information for analysis. Researchers found that habitual coffee consumption contributes to an adverse lipid profile which can increase the risk of heart disease.
- A positive dose-dependent linear association was evident for coffee consumption and LDL-C levels, ApoB and total-C, but not for HDL-C or APOA levels.
- Highest lipid levels were seen in the long-term, heavy coffee drinkers who drank six or more cups a day.
- Compared to non-habitual drinkers, plasma triglyceride concentrations decreased in coffee drinkers who reported drinking between 3-5 cups /day.
While the jury may still be out on the health impacts of coffee, this study definitely favors the choice of filtered coffee over unfiltered coffee when possible, since over indulging may lead to an unfavorable lipid profile that could potentially increase the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Findings point to Cafestol, the lipid-soluble diterpene in coffee beans, that may well be responsible for the increased LDL levels seen in the long term heavy coffee drinkers. Study results align with a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in which researchers found that drinking boiled coffee, when compared to filtered coffees, led to a greater increase in serum lipids 8. It should be noted that, to the credit of the UK Biobank study, information on French press and filtered coffee and specific coffee choices were listed in the participants’ 24-h dietary recall which lends credence to the findings that higher habitual coffee intake may contribute towards an adverse lipid profile. Also the suggestion that filtered coffees are better choices due to their limited effects on lipids may have clinical relevance for people with elevated LDL cholesterol.
Source: Zhou, Ang, and Elina Hyppönen. “Habitual coffee intake and plasma lipid profile: Evidence from UK Biobank.” Clinical Nutrition (2021).
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.
Click here to read the full text study.
Posted April 27, 2021.
Joyce Smith, BS, is a degreed laboratory technologist. She received her bachelor of arts with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Biology from the University of Saskatchewan and her internship through the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine and the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She currently resides in Bloomingdale, IL.
References:
- International Coffee Organization. Annual Review 2015-2016. 2016.
- Fredholm BB, Battig K, Holmen J, Nehlig A, Zvartau EE. Actions of caffeine in the brain with special reference to factors that contribute to its widespread use. Pharmacol Rev. 1999;51(1):83-133.
- Urgert R, Katan MB. The cholesterol-raising factor from coffee beans. Annual review of nutrition. 1997;17:305-324.
- Weusten-Van der Wouw MP, Katan MB, Viani R, et al. Identity of the cholesterol-raising factor from boiled coffee and its effects on liver function enzymes. J Lipid Res. 1994;35:721-733.
- Ricketts ML, Boekschoten MV, Kreeft AJ, et al. The cholesterol-raising factor from coffee beans, cafestol, as an agonist ligand for the farnesoid and pregnane X receptors. Molecular endocrinology (Baltimore, Md). 2007;21(7):1603-1616.
- Moeenfard M, Erny GL, Alves A. Variability of some diterpene esters in coffee beverages as influenced by brewing procedures. Journal of food science and technology. 2016;53(11):3916-3927.
- Zhou A, Hyppönen E. Habitual coffee intake and plasma lipid profile: Evidence from UK Biobank. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland). 2021.
- Cai L, Ma D, Zhang Y, Liu Z, Wang P. The effect of coffee consumption on serum lipids: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2012;66(8):872-877.
