Coffee or tea: Anti-inflammatory properties in the context of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease prevention

Surma S, Sahebkar A, Banach M · Pharmacological Research · 2023 January

DOI 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106596

Objective

To explore the potential anti-inflammatory properties of tea and coffee consumption and assess their contribution to the observed clinical effects on cardiovascular risk and mortality, considering the role of inflammation as a risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

Conclusions

The study concludes that while observational studies have shown a significant reduction in cardiovascular risk and mortality associated with the consumption of tea and coffee, the anti-inflammatory effects of these beverages remain inconclusive based on a comprehensive analysis of studies and meta-analyses. Despite the uncertainty regarding the anti-inflammatory impact, the paper recommends the consumption of tea and coffee as part of a healthy diet, acknowledging potential benefits such as increased adiponectin concentrations, decreased reactive oxygen species, and LDL cholesterol concentrations.

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Insights

Consumption of tea and coffee may possibly provide anti-inflammatory effects, contributing to reduced cardiovascular risk and mortality.

The methodology of this narrative review examined the potential anti-inflammatory properties of consuming tea and coffee as a factor in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. This was done by analyzing a plethora of studies and meta-analyses that explored the impact of diet on inflammation, with a keen focus on the consumption of these beverages. The studies looked at a variety of risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, including inflammation biomarkers such as C-reactive protein, along with the impact of modern lipid-lowering treatments. In discussing the results, it was noticed that inconsistent findings were produced from the analysed studies which made a conclusive determination challenging. However, a trend was observed where drinking tea and coffee seemed to raise adiponectin levels, reduce reactive oxygen species and lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Despite these potential anti-inflammatory properties of tea and coffee being somewhat uncertain due to various confounding factors, their consumption is still recommended as part of a healthy diet.