Daily Consumption of a Dark-Roast Coffee for Eight Weeks Improved Plasma Oxidized LDL and Alpha-Tocopherol Status: A Randomized, Controlled Human Intervention Study

Scope: Coffee consumption is widely recognized to improve the antioxidant status. We hypothesized a dark-roast coffee to reduce plasma oxidized LDL (oxLDL) and to improve alpha-tocopherol concentrations. Methods and results: After a 4 week, coffee-free run-in period, 86 healthy, randomized volunteers completed either a control (CTRL) or coffee (COFF) intervention in which either 750 mL water (CTRL) or coffee (COFF) were consumed daily for 8 weeks. Blood samples were taken at the begin and after the intervention. Mean changes in oxidized LDL concentrations after coffee consumption (-0.47 +/- 15.4 U/L) differed from those of the CTRL-G (5.69 +/- 18.8 U/L, p < 0.05). Levels of alpha-tocopherol (+3.46 +/- 16.48%, p < 0.05) as well as non-esterified fatty acids increased in the COFF-G. Conclusion: Improved plasma alpha-tocopherol levels and reduced levels of plasma oxLDL after 8 week consumption of a dark-roast coffee rich in N-methylpyridinium are hypothesized to be caused by coffee-induced lipolysis, resulting in increased alpha-tocopherol mobilisation.