Abstract
Coffee is one of the most popular and widely consumed beverages worldwide due to its
stimulating effects on the central nervous system as well as its taste and aroma.
Coffee is a complex mixture of more than 800 volatile compounds whereas caffeine and
chlorogenic acids are the most common compounds. During the last years, coffee has
progressively moved to a less negative position on health due to its better-known
pharmacology. Caffeine, e.g., in a cup of coffee, appears to exert most of its effects
through an antagonism of the adenosine receptors. Novel approaches in epidemiological
studies and experimental researches suggest that coffee consumption may help to prevent
several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus and liver disease. Most
prospective cohort studies have not found coffee consumption to be associated with
a significantly increased cardiovascular disease risk. There is also evidence that
decaffeinated coffee may, in some respect, have similar benefits as regular coffee,
indicating that besides caffeine other components contribute to the health protecting
effects. For adults consuming moderate amounts of coffee (3 – 4 cups/d providing 300 – 400 mg/d
of caffeine), there is little evidence of health risks and some evidence of health
benefits. This review provides up-to-date information about coffee on health. Topics
addressed include the cardiovascular system, liver diseases, and diabetes as well
as gastrointestinal disorders.
Key words
adenosine receptors - caffeine - chlorogenic acid - coffee - cardiovascular system
- diabetes - IBD - liver
