Key points
- On balance, coffee appears to be possibly anti-inflammatory
- Coffee is also generally health-promoting for most people
- Individual responses can vary, and coffee can likely drive inflammation and pain responses in a small minority of people
- Coffee is associated with improved health across a range of conditions and systems in long-term observation studies. However, the idea that coffee is pro-inflammatory persists. The research to date though suggests that coffee is more likely to be anti-inflammatory than inflammatory for many people.
What does the research on coffee and inflammation tell us?
While there have been many studies looking at various health effects from drinking coffee, there are fewer specifically geared towards looking at coffee and inflammation and inflammatory markers in humans.
- In a study of habitual coffee drinkers (n = 47) who abstained from coffee for a month and then drank 4 or 8 cups (!) per day for a month showed significant reductions in the inflammatory marker interleukin 18 and increased HDL cholesterol.1
- In an analysis of 730 women without and 663 women with diabetes, healthy women showed reductions in inflammatory markers (E-selectin and C-reactive protein) with decaffeinated coffee, while those with diabetes showed reduced inflammatory markers with caffeinated coffee ingestion.2
- A cross-sectional study of people from Singapore failed to show any association between coffee and inflammation.3 A similar study of people in Japan (n = 3317) showed reduced C-reactive protein (and triglycerides) associated with coffee intake.4
- A recent systematic review of the evidence suggested an overall anti-inflammatory action of coffee (but not caffeine), while caffeine might have variable effects, by increasing interleukin-6 and 10, while reducing c-reactive protein.5
Conclusion
Coffee has shown many health benefits in both intervention and long-term observational studies.
There does not appear to be an appreciable risk of increasing inflammation by drinking coffee. However, if you don’t tolerate caffeine well (especially if it causes anxiety, alters mood, results in energy ‘crashes’, or affects sleep) then cut it back, cut it out, or switch to tea, herbal tea, or decaf.
References
1. Kempf K, Herder C, Erlund I, Kolb H, Martin S, Carstensen M, et al. Effects of coffee consumption on subclinical inflammation and other risk factors for type 2 diabetes: a clinical trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2010;91(4):950-7.
2. Hu FB, Qi L, van Dam RM, Lopez-Garcia E. Coffee consumption and markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in healthy and diabetic women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2006;84(4):888-93.
3. Rebello SA, Chen CH, Naidoo N, Xu W, Lee J, Chia KS, et al. Coffee and tea consumption in relation to inflammation and basal glucose metabolism in a multi-ethnic Asian population: a cross-sectional study. Nutrition Journal. 2011;10(1):61.
4. Yamashita K, Yatsuya H, Muramatsu T, Toyoshima H, Murohara T, Tamakoshi K. Association of coffee consumption with serum adiponectin, leptin, inflammation and metabolic markers in Japanese workers: a cross-sectional study. Nutrition &Amp; Diabetes. 2012;2:e33.
5. Paiva C, Beserra BTS, Reis CEG, Dorea JG, Da Costa THM, Amato AA. Consumption of coffee or caffeine and serum concentration of inflammatory markers: A systematic review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2019;59(4):652-63.
