Different types of coffee affect cholesterol levels differently in men and women.
Researchers report that expresso drinks showed significant differences in outcomes between the sexes.
They also noted that refined coffee raises cholesterol levels in women but not men.
Alcoholism and drinking habits may be key to the link between coffee and high cholesterol levels, according to a new study published in the Open Open Journal.
Researchers have reported that espresso drinks have shown significant differences in gender levels in cholesterol levels. Coffee made with plunger (cafetière) showed little difference between the sexes.
Researchers from UiT Arctic University of Norway read data from 13,889 participants (7,167 women and 6,722 men) who responded in 2015 and 2016 to the seventh Tromso Study survey, a long-term human study initiated in 1974 involving residents of the Norwegian city. Tromsø.
Scientists asked participants how many cups of coffee they drank each day. They also asked what type of alcohol they drank: filtered; plunger (cafetière); espresso from coffee machine, pods, mocha pots, and instant.
The subjects were 40 years and older, with an average age of 56 years.
Blood samples were collected and collected material, including weight and weight, diet and lifestyle, including participants’ smoking, how much alcohol they drank, and how much exercise they did. They also recorded the attainment of participants’ level of education and whether they had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Women drank an average of less than four cups of coffee a day, while men drank about five cups on average.
Data analysis showed an association between coffee and serum total cholesterol levels, depending on how coffee is made. The “essential” gender difference was found in all types of alcohol, with the exception of coffee made from bar plunger.
“Coffee is the most widely used stimulant in the world,” wrote the authors of the study. “Because of the high consumption of coffee, even minor health effects can have many health effects.”
Research details
Researchers point out that natural chemicals in coffee, such as diterpenes, cafestol, and kahweol, raise blood cholesterol levels.
The method of drinking is important, but it is not clear what effect espresso coffee might have, and in what amounts.
Drinking three to five cups of espresso a day was significantly associated with an increase in blood cholesterol, especially in men.
Compared with non-drinkers, that drinking pattern was associated with 0.16 mmol / l (millimoles liter) higher serum cholesterol in men, compared with 0.09 mmol / l in women.
Six or more cups of plunger coffee per day were also associated with elevated cholesterol in both men and women: 0.30 mmol / l higher in women compared to 0.23 mmol / l higher in men.
Six or more cups of filtered coffee daily were associated with a high cholesterol of 0.11 mmol / l for women, but not for men, compared with those who did not drink filtered coffee.
Faster coffee was associated with an increase in cholesterol for both sexes, although it did not increase in proportion to the number of cups consumed, compared to those who did not drink at the time.
Coffee and cholesterol
“There are fatty acids in coffee beans called diterpenes, especially cafestol and kahweol, which can raise LDL cholesterol levels,” Michelle Routhenstein, a cardiologist at EntirelyNourished.com, told Healthline.
“When coffee beans are not filtered, there may be more than 30 times more of these diterpenes than filtered, causing unfiltered brews like espresso to increase LDL levels and the risk of heart disease,” he explained. “It is also important to note that caffeinated coffee is a stimulant and can raise blood pressure, and can cause a heart attack such as atrial fibrillation in some people.”
“Some people may also experience abdominal discomfort, jitters, and insomnia, so the recommended amount requires consideration of a person’s medical history, medication, and individual symptoms for better health,” Routhenstein said.
The authors of the study indicated that no standard cup size was used in their study.
“The Norwegian people are accustomed to large cups of refined coffee, and this practice can lead to large expresso cups,” he wrote.
They also admit that different types of espresso – from coffee machines, pills, or mocha pots – may contain different levels of essential chemicals in nature.
They also claim that there are no clear explanations for gender differences in the response of cholesterol to coffee consumption.
Drs. Rigved V. Tadwalkar, a cardiologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in California, said there may be other reasons for the results of the study.
“This study was a population-based study, which means there is a lot of variation in the data collected,” he told Healthline. “There are many reasons why the link between espresso consumption and total cholesterol was so strong in men.”
“Men are more likely to drink too much,” added Tadwalkar. “Feeder / cup sizes can also be larger for men. Additionally, different types of alcohol consumption, which are common for both sexes, are more likely to be responsible. ”
The authors of the study noted that the chemical composition of different types of coffee may also be important.
“Interestingly, coffee contains more than a thousand phytochemicals,” they wrote. The intake of each compound depends on the type of coffee, the degree of fermentation, the type of brewing, and the size of the supply. ”
The researchers also point out that “research studies show that cafestol and kahweol, along with increasing total cholesterol, have anti-inflammatory, anti-liver, and reduce the risk of cancer and diabetes.”
Tadwalkar said it was important to remember health benefits