Acute effects of coffee on endothelial function in healthy subjects.
OBJECTIVE
Coffee is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, but its effect on the cardiovascular system has not been fully understood. Coffee contains caffeine and antioxidants, which may influence endothelial function, both of which have not yet been investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the acute effects of coffee on endothelial function measured by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD).


METHODS
A total of 20 (10 males and 10 females) healthy non-obese subjects underwent a double-blind, crossover study. Subjects ingested one cup of caffeinated (CC) and one cup of decaffeinated (DC) Italian espresso coffee in random order at 5- to 7-day intervals.


RESULTS
Following CC ingestion, FMD decreased progressively and significantly (mean+/-s.e.m.: 0 min, 7.7+/-0.6; 30 min, 6.3+/-0.7; 60 min, 6.0+/-0.8%; ANOVA (analysis of variance), P<0.05), but it did not significantly increase after DC ingestion (0 min, 6.9+/-0.6; 30 min, 8.1+/-0.9; 60 min, 8.5+/-0.9%; P=0.115). Similarly, CC significantly increased both systolic and diastolic blood pressure; this effect was not observed after DC ingestion. Blood glucose concentrations remained unchanged after ingestion of both CC and DC, but insulin (0 min, 15.8+/-0.9; 60 min, 15.0+/-0.8 muU/ml; P<0.05) and C-peptide (0 min, 1.25+/-0.09; 60 min, 1.18+/-0.09 ng/ml; P<0.01) blood concentrations decreased significantly only after CC ingestion.


CONCLUSIONS
CC acutely induced unfavorable cardiovascular effects, especially on endothelial function. In the fasting state, insulin secretion is also likely reduced after CC ingestion. Future studies will determine whether CC has detrimental clinically relevant effects, especially in unhealthy subjects.
Buscemi
S
S
Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Malattie Cardiovascolari e NefroUrologiche; Facoltà di Medicina, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. silbus@tin.it
Verga
S
S
Batsis
J A
JA
Donatelli
M
M
Tranchina
M R
MR
Belmonte
S
S
Mattina
A
A
Re
A
A
Cerasola
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D001916:Brachial Artery; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D040503:Coffea / Q000737:chemistry*; D003069:Coffee; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012016:Reference Values; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D003069:Coffee; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002110:Caffeine