Insights & Discussion
Higher consumption of coffee and specifically decaffeinated coffee raises the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, while caffeinated coffee, tea and caffeine intake doesn't.
In the methodology, a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies was carried out to evaluate the association between dietary caffeine, and different types of coffee and tea consumption with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Relevant research papers were identified through a database search in PubMed/Medline, Scopus and EMBASE until July 2021. The studies considered different types of coffee, caffeinated or decaffeinated, tea or caffeine exposure with RA as the main or one of the outcomes. Out of 742 publications, five studies were selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Pooled relative risks were calculated through a fixed-effects model. Both linear and non-linear dose-response analyses were conducted to inspect dose-response relations.
The analysis of results revealed a significant association between the consumption of coffee, especially decaffeinated coffee and increased risk of RA, when comparing between extreme categories of consumption. For each additional cup of coffee consumed daily, there was a notable increase in the risk of RA. However, this study found no significant link between the intake of caffeinated coffee, tea or caffeine intake and the risk of RA.
Discover Related Insights
Beverages, through their diverse nutritional contents, have notable effects on rheumatoid arthritis progression by interacting with immune signaling pathways and altering the microbiome.
2020 Nutrients Beverages in Rheumatoid Arthritis: What to Prefer or to Avoid Dey M, Cutolo M, Nikiphorou E
Review Article Coffee Rheumatoid Arthritis Tea
The researchers reviewed existing literature to assess the role of various beverages in the context of rheumatoid arthritis. The primary focus of their study was understanding how the molecular contents of beverages such as coffee, tea, and wine, are contributing to the development and progression of the disease by interfering with immune signaling pathways. Moreover, they examined how these beverages affect the microbiome, leading to downstream effects on inflammatory pathways.
The outcomes of the analysis indicate that beverages indeed play a pivotal role in the autoimmunity of rheumatoid arthritis. They found evidence that certain components present in beverages could either benefit the disease progression or negatively contribute to it. The researchers also discovered that considering beverages in the wider context of dietary patterns can help to better understand their role in disease management.