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
Despite diet being key in shaping gut microbiota, it surprisingly does not impact the treatment outcomes in individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
2024 Rheumatology International Re-evaluation of dietary interventions in rheumatoid arthritis: can we improve patient conversations around food choices? Sharma P, Brown S, Sokoya EM
Review Article Diet Rheumatoid Arthritis
The process used to understand this paradox involved an umbrella review. This is an examination of multiple research studies and papers that address a similar question, in this case, the effects of diet on Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Through a comprehensive analysis of various scientific studies, researchers sought to determine if there was a meaningful link between diet and outcomes in RA patients.
The results of this study revealed an unexpected conclusion. Despite the gut microbiota's critical role in shaping the risk of RA, the data showed that diet, which is a dominant factor in shaping our gut microbiota, did not appear to affect the treatment outcomes in individuals with RA. This finding is surprising given the generally accepted understanding of the influence of diet on gut health and correlates with disease states. This conclusion introduces a new perspective in the understanding of RA and its relationship with diet.
Heavy coffee consumption increases the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in individuals with severe hypertension, while green tea consumption does not.
2023 Journal of the American Heart Association Coffee and Green Tea Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Among People With and Without Hypertension Teramoto M, Yamagishi K, Muraki I, Tamakoshi A, Iso H
Cohort Study Coffee Green Tea High Blood Pressure
With the use of the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study, researchers assessed 18,609 participants, both male and female, aged between 40 to 79 years. These participants had varying blood pressure levels, categorized into optimal and normal BP, high-normal BP, and two stages of hypertension. They completed a questionnaire about their lifestyle, diet, and medical history, and underwent health examinations, which were followed up until 2009. The association of coffee and green tea consumption on cardiovascular disease mortality was then calculated using a Cox proportional hazard model.
It was found over an 18.9 year follow-up period that heavy coffee consumption was linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality among those suffering from the second to third grade of hypertension. In stark contrast, people with optimal and normal, high-normal blood pressure and first grade hypertension did not show such associations between coffee consumption and cardiovascular disease mortality. Interestingly, the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality was not found to be increased across any blood pressure categories in relation to green tea consumption.
Consumption of tea and coffee may possibly provide anti-inflammatory effects, contributing to reduced cardiovascular risk and mortality.
2023 Pharmacological Research Coffee or tea: Anti-inflammatory properties in the context of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease prevention Surma S, Sahebkar A, Banach M
Review Article Anti-Inflammatory Cardiovascular Disease Coffee
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.
Intermittent fasting may potentially influence autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, by reducing inflammation and supporting cellular repair mechanisms.
2023 Autoimmunity Reviews Intermittent fasting: A promising dietary intervention for autoimmune diseases Barati M, Ghahremani A, Namdar Ahmadabad H
Systematic Review Autoimmune Diseases Intermittent Fasting Rheumatoid Arthritis
Extensive research was done through several electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science. Rigorous inclusion criteria were applied to filter the most relevant studies on the effects of intermittent fasting on autoimmune diseases. No reference to further research trials was mentioned in the methodology.
The results indicate a potential link between intermittent fasting and the management of certain autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus exhibited improvements owing to the reduction in inflammatory markers, improvement in gut microbiota, and enhanced cellular repair resulting from autophagy induced by intermittent fasting. However, results concerning other autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, thyroid diseases, and psoriasis were inconclusive.
Rheumatoid arthritis-specific inflammation can be linked directly to the intestinal microbiota, thus, nutritional interventions against gut dysbiosis could function as a causal therapeutic approach.
2023 Journal of Clinical Medicine Intestinal Microbiota Reduction Followed by Fasting Discloses Microbial Triggering of Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis Häupl T, Sörensen T, Smiljanovic B, Darcy M, Scheder-Bieschin J, Steckhan N, et al.
Clinical Study Inflammation Rheumatoid Arthritis
The study initiated by reducing the intestinal microbiome in 20 Rheumatoid Arthritis patients through bowel cleansing and a week of fasting, limiting the intake to 250 kcal/day. It also employed immune monitoring and sequencing of the microbiome. A control group constituting patients with metabolic syndrome was incorporated to serve as a non-inflammatory baseline. To understand the fluctuation and impact on disease activity, disease activity scores were calculated and cytometric profiling was performed, tracing up to 46 different surface markers. Additionally, serum levels of certain cytokines and indicators of mucosal barrier disruption were monitored.
The change in intestinal microbiota, i.e., the effect of fasting on arthritogenic bacteria and the shift in microbial composition, was analyzed using sequencing. The detection of more eukaryotic, predominantly fungal colonizers in RA patients was also observed to understand their potential involvement. Finally, the study investigated the observed increase in endogenous cortisol levels during fasting.
Sign In
Users not signed in are limited to viewing the 5 most recent items of content.