In the same way that there are a variety of apples, just the same, coffee has varieties that impart different flavors. The commercial production of coffee is relatively young, about 100 years old, however, it is clear that the soil and climate conditions contribute to the qualities of taste.
Coffee contains a number of phytochemicals including chlorogenic acids and melanoidins. These compounds and similarly related compounds have been suggested to act as free radical scavengers to improve overall health.
The human genome contains 3 billion DNA base pairs making it inevitable that DNA damage will occur on a daily basis. In fact we experience this every day from UV light and other environmental stressors (e.g. second hand smoke, pesticides, etc.).
Our bodies are designed in such a way to compensate for this DNA damage through repair mechanisms, however, at times this system can become overwhelmed.
DNA strand breaks are one way to determine if DNA damage is occurring and in the laboratory this can actually be quantified.
A recent study out of Germany published in the scientific journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research evaluated coffee consumption for reducing DNA strand breaks.
In a single dose human clinical trial 200 mL (i.e. about 7 ounces) was given to 14 male volunteers ranging in age 20 to 50 and a BMI of 19-25.
In this study, coffee was consumed with or without sugar and no milk. Over an 8 hour period human subjects consumed 200 mL every 4 hours.
After a single dose of 200 mL (approximately 7 ounces) a significant reduction in DNA strand breaks was observed 2 hours later. A continued trend in reduction of DNA strand breaks was observed with 800 mL of coffee (~28 ounces) after 8 hours.
Take away message: Coffee can provide some antioxidants and in moderation there could be benefits to preventing DNA strand breaks.
The message we should NOT take away from this is simply that ‘more coffee is better’. The reason we know this is that there are adverse events associated with coffee including acid reflux, irritation of the stomach and intestinal tract, agitation, anxiety and others.
Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. 2016 March; Volume 60 (Issue 3): Pages 682-6.
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Clinical Trials
Related Articles
-
Case report of pokeweed promoting recovery from Japanese encephalitis infection
-
Double blind placebo controlled trial tests myrtle in patients with HPV infection
-
Doubled blind clinical trial tested Chinese skullcap and Catechu against naproxen for osteoarthritis of the knee
-
Roasted barley extract prevents changes in skin blood flow and skin temperature from air conditioning