title: Coffee consumption could affect the activity of some liver enzymes and other biochemical parameters in healthy drinkers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of coffee consumption on some liver function indices in adult male and female Nigerians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty apparently healthy subjects, consisting of 18 men and 12 women, were made to consume 2 g of coffee daily for a total of 30 days. Activities of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and plasma concentrations of total and conjugated bilirubin, total protein and albumin were determined using standard methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative to baseline values, coffee consumption raised mean levels of ALT by 4 IU/l (p < 0.001), AST by 2.0 1 U/l (p < 0.001), ALP by 3.0 1 U/l (p < 0.01), total bilirubin by 0.90 mg/dl (p < 0.05) and total protein by 1.1 g/l (p < 0.05). Gender differences were observed. Significantly higher mean ALP concentration was only seen in male subjects, while mean bilirubin concentration was significantly raised in female volunteers alone. On the other hand, the mean total protein and albumin concentrations in individual male and female groups were not significantly altered (p > 0.05 in each case).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The result obtained from the study suggests that short-term consumption of coffee might have a significant effect on the integrity of the liver function tests studied.
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria. ajonuegbu@yahoo.com
authors: Anaelechi J
authors: AJ
authors: Onuegbu
authors: Japhet M
authors: JM
authors: Olisekodiaka
authors: Olubukunmi E
authors: OE
authors: Adebolu
authors: Adekunle
authors: A
authors: Adesiyan
authors: Olugbenga E
authors: OE
authors: Ayodele
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000418:Albumins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003069:Coffee / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D011506:Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D003069:Coffee; D011506:Proteins; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase