Coffee consumption, health benefits and side effects: a narrative review and update for dietitians and nutritionists
Barrea L, Pugliese G, Frias-Toral E, El Ghoch M, Castellucci B, Chapela SP, Carignano MA, Laudisio D, Savastano S, Colao A, Muscogiuri G · Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition · 2021 August 28
DOI 10.1080/10408398.2021.1963207
Objective
To provide an updated review on the impact of coffee consumption on health outcomes, including its potential benefits in preventing inflammatory and oxidative stress-related diseases, reducing the risk of certain cancers, and contributing to lower all-cause mortality, while also addressing its side effects.
Conclusions
The review concludes that coffee consumption may contribute to preventing diseases such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes, and it is associated with a lower incidence of several types of cancer as well as a reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality. The recommended safe dose is up to 400 mg/day (equivalent to 1–4 cups per day) of caffeine. However, caution is advised regarding the time gap between coffee consumption and certain drugs to avoid potential interactions. The study emphasizes the need for randomized controlled studies to establish a causality link, considering that most existing data are based on cross-sectional or observational studies.
Critical Appraisal
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Insights
Coffee consumption may contribute to the prevention of several inflammatory diseases and types of cancer, with reduced mortality risk deemed safe up to 400mg of caffeine per day.
The methodology used in this scholarly review was based on an extensive literature review using the PubMed/Medline database. As the primary research tool, this database facilitated the authors' collation and analysis of relevant studies concerning the impact of coffee consumption on health outcomes. The focus was to determine both the positive and negative aspects of coffee consumption, with an additional aim of providing dosage recommendations. The data collated from these studies was then summarised and analysed through a narrative approach, making the findings more digestible and interpretable.
The findings suggested that coffee consumption may play a significant role in preventing inflammatory and oxidative stress-related diseases such as obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. In addition, findings indicated that coffee consumption also seemed to have an association with a lower incidence of several types of cancer and a reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality. However, notable is the need for a time gap between coffee consumption and the intake of some drugs to avoid potential interactions. It was also concluded that the consumption of up to 400mg/day of caffeine was generally found to be safe for the average person.
Related insights
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