Search Results (35)

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide, primarily due to the stimulating effects attributed to its caffeine content. However, excessive intake of caffeine results in negative effects, including palpitations, anxiety, and insomnia. Therefore, low-caffeine coffee has captivated growing consumer interest, highlighting its significant market potential. Traditional decaffeination methods often lead to non-selective extraction, resulting in a loss of desirable flavor compounds, thereby compromising coffee quality. In recent years, microbial fermentation has emerged as a promising, targeted, and safe approach for reducing caffeine content during processing. Additionally, mixed-culture fermentation further enhances coffee flavor and overcomes the drawbacks of monoculture fermentation, such as low efficiency and limited flavor profiles. Nonetheless, several challenges are yet to be resolved, including microbial tolerance to caffeine and related alkaloids, the safety of fermentation products, and elucidation of the underlying mechanisms behind microbial synergy in co-cultures. This review outlines the variety of microorganisms with the potential to degrade caffeine and the biochemical processes involved in this process. It explores how microbes tolerate caffeine, the safety of metabolites produced during fermentation, and the synergistic effects of mixed microbial cultures on the modulation of coffee flavor compounds, including esters and carbonyls. Future directions are discussed, including the screening of alkaloid-tolerant strains, constructing microbial consortia for simultaneous caffeine degradation for flavor enhancement, and developing high-quality low-caffeine coffee. Full article

This narrative review examines the effects of caffeine on brain health in older adults, with particular attention to its potential for dependence—an often-overlooked issue in geriatric care. Caffeine acts on central adenosine, dopamine, and glutamate systems, producing both stimulating and rewarding effects that can foster tolerance and habitual use. Age-related pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes prolong caffeine’s half-life and increase physiological sensitivity in the elderly. While moderate consumption may enhance alertness, attention, and possibly offer neuroprotective effects—especially in Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia—excessive or prolonged use may lead to anxiety, sleep disturbances, and cognitive or motor impairment. Chronic exposure induces neuroadaptive changes, such as adenosine receptor down-regulation, resulting in tolerance and withdrawal symptoms, including headache, irritability, and fatigue. These symptoms, often mistaken for typical aging complaints, may reflect a substance use disorder yet remain under-recognized due to caffeine’s cultural acceptance. The review explores caffeine’s mixed role in neurological disorders, being beneficial in some and potentially harmful in others, such as restless legs syndrome and frontotemporal dementia. Given the variability in individual responses and the underestimated risk of dependence, personalized caffeine intake guidelines are warranted. Future research should focus on the long-term cognitive effects and the clinical significance of caffeine use disorder in older populations. Full article

Soil salinization poses a significant threat to tea plant (Camellia sinensis) production by compromising its bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, L-theanine, and caffeine, which are key contributors to the plant’s health benefits and economic value. This study investigates the Salt Overly Sensitive 1 (SOS1) gene family, a critical salt-tolerance regulator in tea plants, to elucidate its role in maintaining quality under environmental stress. Genome-wide analysis identified 51 CsSOS1 genes, with phylogenetic and synteny analyses revealing strong evolutionary conservation with Populus trichocarpa and Arabidopsis thaliana. Promoter analysis detected stress- and hormone-responsive cis-elements, indicating adaptive functions in abiotic stress. Expression profiling demonstrated tissue-specific patterns, highlighting significant upregulation of CsSOS1-15 and CsSOS1-41 under salt and drought stress. Co-expression network analysis further linked CsSOS1 genes to carbohydrate metabolism, implicating their roles in stress resilience and secondary metabolite synthesis. Our findings provide molecular insights into CsSOS1-mediated salt tolerance, proposing potential targets for preserving bioactive compounds. This work facilitates developing salt-resistant tea plant cultivars to ensure sustainable production and quality stability amid environmental challenges. Full article

Carbohydrate supplementation is a common practice among endurance athletes participating in long-distance competitions. However, glycogen storage regulation, in-competition blood glucose levels, and their relationship with athletic performance are influenced by multiple factors. This review summarizes the recent research progress on carbohydrate supplementation, addressing its applications in the pre-, during-, and post-competition phases. It explores variables that influence the effectiveness of carbohydrate supplementation and provides a summary of strategies, based on six key aspects: carbohydrate properties, multi-nutrient interactions, gastrointestinal function, individual differences (such as age and gender), environmental conditions, and psychological factors. The combination of different types, ratios, and concentrations of carbohydrates has been demonstrated to enhance the efficiency of carbohydrate digestion and absorption. The synergistic combination of protein, sodium, and caffeine intake demonstrates enhanced efficacy in carbohydrate supplementation strategies. Gastrointestinal tolerance training for carbohydrate supplementation has been identified as an effective measure to alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort during high-dose carbohydrate intake. The adjustment of the carbohydrate-to-fat ratio and the type of carbohydrate intake has been found to mitigate the impact of gender and menstrual cycles on glycogen storage and substrate utilization. Modifying the timing of glycogen storage and regulating the concentration and temperature of carbohydrate solutions during competition have been demonstrated to facilitate coping with the elevated energy expenditure and metabolic substrate shift from fat to carbohydrates, triggered by a combination of environmental and psychological factors, including special environmental and climatic conditions (e.g., high altitude, high temperature, high humidity, and cold) and emotional states (e.g., pre-competition stress and anxiety during the competition). To achieve precise carbohydrate supplementation for athletes in major events under various competitive environments, it is necessary to quantitatively assess the effects of carbohydrate supplementation, supported by mechanistic studies. This can be achieved by utilizing wearable devices to monitor the entire competition, coupled with data collection technologies, such as high-throughput profiling. Furthermore, emerging data analytics techniques, such as machine learning and causal inference, should be leveraged to refine supplementation strategies. Full article

Helicoverpa armigera is among the most problematic agricultural pests worldwide due to its polyphagy and ability to evolve pesticide resistance. Molecular detection methods for H. armigera have been developed to track its spread, as such methods allow for rapid and accurate differentiation from the native sibling species H. zea. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) is a preferred method for bulk screening due to its accuracy and tolerance to PCR inhibitors; however, real-time PCR is less expensive and more widely available in molecular labs. Improvements to DNA extraction yield, purity, and throughput are crucial for real-time PCR assay optimization. Bulk DNA extractions have recently been improved to where real-time PCR sensitivity can equal that of ddPCR, but these new methods require significant time and specialized equipment. In this study, we improve upon previously published bulk DNA extraction methods by reducing bench time and materials. Our results indicate that the addition of caffeine and RNase A improves DNA extraction, resulting in lower Cq values during real-time PCR while reducing the processing time and cost per specimen. Such improvements will enable the use of high throughput screening methods across multiple platforms to improve the probability of detection of H. armigera. Full article

The genetic diversity of wild Coffea species holds immense potential for the enhancement of cultivated coffee trees, offering solutions to challenges such as disease resistance, climate adaptability, and yield improvement. This study leverages modern genomic approaches to investigate evolution and variations among wild Coffea species. By employing advanced sequencing technologies and comparative analysis, the aim was to understand the molecular evolution of these wild species, identifying key genes and genetic markers which contribute to desirable traits. This research integrates comprehensive genomic data analysis with field studies to provide an understanding of the genetic diversity within wild Coffea populations. The aim of this research is to target significant genetic variations that can be harnessed to develop superior coffee cultivars, ensuring sustainability and resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions. This study not only highlights the importance of preserving wild Coffea species but also underscores the role of genomic research in unlocking their potential for coffee breeding programs. By bridging the gap between conservation and cultivation, this work paves the way for future innovations in coffee agriculture. Full article

Energy drink (ED) consumption among Israeli-Arab adolescents is widespread. This study aimed to investigate the acute glycemic and insulin effects of EDs in healthy adolescents. Seventy-one Israeli-Arab adolescents (56% girls, average age 16.04 ± 1.03 years) participated in a non-randomized, case-controlled, open-label study. Participants consumed ED (n = 36) or a volume- and carbohydrate-matched non-caffeinated soft drink (SD, n = 35), followed by a 2 h glucose tolerance test. Blood glucose was measured at baseline and 15, 30, 60, and 120 min post-consumption (T0, T15, T30, T60 and T120, respectively). Serum insulin concentration and caffeine relative intensity were determined 45 min post-consumption (T45). Blood glucose levels peaked significantly at T15 and remained significantly higher at T30 in the ED group compared to the SD group (p = 0.005, p = 0.017, respectively). Insulin concentrations were substantially higher at T45 in the ED group (t [64] = 2.794, p = 0.001). This pattern was especially prominent in heavy ED consumers. A positive correlation emerged between the amount of caffeine consumed (mg/kg), blood glucose levels at T15 and T30, and insulin concentration at T45. This study is the first to demonstrate the glycemic and insulin responses to ED consumption in adolescents, suggesting that regulatory measures limiting ED sales to adolescents could improve their health. Full article

Exogenous or endogenous caffeine application confers resistance to diverse biotic stresses in plants. In this study, we demonstrate that endogenous caffeine in caffeine-producing rice (CPR) increases tolerance even to abiotic stresses such as water deficit. Caffeine produced by CPR plants influences the cytosolic Ca²⁺ ion concentration gradient. We focused on examining the expression of Ca²⁺-dependent protein kinase genes, a subset of the numerous proteins engaged in abiotic stress signaling. Under normal conditions, CPR plants exhibited increased expressions of seven OsCPKs (OsCPK10, OsCPK12, OsCPK21, OsCPK25, OsCPK26, OsCPK30, and OsCPK31) and biochemical modifications, including antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase) activity and non-enzymatic antioxidant (ascorbic acid) content. CPR plants exhibited more pronounced gene expression changes and biochemical alterations in response to water-deficit stress. CPR plants revealed increased expressions of 16 OsCPKs (OsCPK1, OsCPK2, OsCPK3, OsCPK4, OsCPK5, OsCPK6, OsCPK9, OsCPK10, OsCPK11, OsCPK12, OsCPK14, OsCPK16, OsCPK18, OsCPK22, OsCPK24, and OsCPK25) and 8 genes (OsbZIP72, OsLEA25, OsNHX1, OsRab16d, OsDREB2B, OsNAC45, OsP5CS, and OsRSUS1) encoding factors related to abiotic stress tolerance. The activity of antioxidant enzymes increased, and non-enzymatic antioxidants accumulated. In addition, a decrease in reactive oxygen species, an accumulation of malondialdehyde, and physiological alterations such as the inhibition of chlorophyll degradation and the protection of photosynthetic machinery were observed. Our results suggest that caffeine is a natural chemical that increases the potential ability of rice to cope with water-deficit stress and provides robust resistance by activating a rapid and comprehensive resistance mechanism in the case of water-deficit stress. The discovery, furthermore, presents a new approach for enhancing crop tolerance to abiotic stress, including water deficit, via the utilization of a specific natural agent. Full article

In the last few decades, numerous studies pertaining to research groups worldwide have investigated the effects of oral caffeine intake on fat oxidation at rest, during exercise, and after exercise. However, there is no bibliometric analysis to assess the large volume of scientific output associated with this topic. A bibliometric analysis of this topic may be used by researchers to assess the current scientific interest in the application of caffeine as a nutritional strategy to augment fat oxidation, the journals with more interest in this type of publication, and to draw international collaborations between groups working in the same area. For these reasons, the purpose of this study was to assess the research activity regarding oral caffeine intake and fat oxidation rate in the last few decades by conducting a bibliometric and visual analysis. Relevant publications from 1992 to 2022 were retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database. Quantitative and qualitative variables were collected, including the number of publications and citations, H-indexes, journals of citation reports, co-authorship, co-citation, and the co-occurrence of keywords. There were 182 total publications, while the number of annual publications is saw-shaped with a modest increase of 11.3% from 2000 to 2009 to 2010 to 2019. The United States was the country with the highest number of publications (24.17% of the total number of articles), followed by the Netherlands (17.03%). According to citation analyses, the average number of citations per document is 130, although there are 21 documents that have received more than 100 citations; the most cited document reached 644 citations. These citation data support the overall relevance of this topic in the fields of nutrition and dietetics and sport sciences that when combined harbored 85.71% of all articles published in the WoS. The most productive author was Westerterp-Plantenga with 16 articles (8.79% of the total number of articles). Nutrients was the journal that published the largest number of articles on this topic (6.59% of the total number of articles). Last, there is a tendency to include keywords such as “performance”, “carbohydrate”, and “ergogenic aid” in the newer articles, while “obesity”, “thermogenic”, and “tea” are the keywords more commonly included in older documents. Although research into the role of caffeine on fat oxidation has existed since the 1970s, our analysis suggests that the scientific output associated with this topic has progressively increased since 1992, demonstrating that this is a nutritional research area with a strong foundational base of scientific evidence. Based on the findings of this bibliometric analysis, future investigation may consider focusing on the effects of sex and tolerance to caffeine to widen the assessment of the effectiveness of oral caffeine intake as a nutritional strategy to augment the use of fat as a fuel, as these terms rarely appear in the studies included in this analysis. Additionally, more translational research is necessary as the studies that investigate the effect of oral caffeine intake in ecologically valid contexts (i.e., exercise training programs for individuals with excessive adiposity) are only a minor part of the studies on this topic. Full article

Salak seed extract (Salacca zalacca) is known for its high antioxidant content and low caffeine levels, making it a promising candidate for the development of value-added health products. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence for its anti-hyperglycemic effects. To address this, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo anti-hyperglycemic and antioxidant effects of salak seed extract. The HPLC chromatogram of salak seed extract shows a prominent peak that corresponds to chlorogenic acid. In vitro studies revealed that salak seeds inhibited α-glucosidase activity and glucose uptake in Caco-2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, while also exhibiting antioxidant properties. The extract exhibits a non-competitive inhibition on α-glucosidase activity, with an IC₅₀ and K_i of 16.28 ± 7.22 and 24.81 μg/mL, respectively. In vivo studies utilizing streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced diabetic mice showed that the extract significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels in the oral glucose tolerance test. Continuous administration of the salak seed extract resulted in lower FBG levels by 13.8% as compared with untreated diabetic mice, although this change was not statistically significant. The estimated LD₅₀ value of salak seed extract exceeds 2000 mg/kg, and no toxicity symptoms have been detected. Our research supports that salak seed extract has the potential to serve as a functional food or supplement that may be beneficial in reducing postprandial hyperglycemia among people with type 2 diabetes. This effect was explained by the salak’s inhibitory mechanisms of glucose absorption due to inhibition of both α-glucosidase activity and intestinal glucose uptake, coupled with its antioxidant effects. Full article

Research objective: To identify the frequency of opioid use in a group of patients diagnosed with migraine in Colombia. Methods: Study of a retrospective cohort of patients with a diagnosis of migraine and a first prescription of antimigraine drugs from emergency services and a priority outpatient clinic. Sociodemographic, clinical, and pharmacological variables were identified; a 12-month follow-up was carried out to identify the use of a new opioid. Results: A total of 6309 patients with a diagnosis of migraine were identified, with a mean age of 35.5 ± 12.3 years, of which 81.3% were women. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (51.1%) were the most frequently prescribed medications, followed by ergotamine + caffeine (31.3%), acetaminophen (15.05%), and acetaminophen + codeine (14.4%). At the time of the index, 1300 (20.6%) patients received some opioid. During the follow-up, a total of 1437 (22.8%) patients received a new opioid, of which 31.8% belonged to the group that received an initial opioid and 20.4% to the group that did not receive one, which was statistically significant (OR:1.81; 95%CI:1.58–2.07; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The frequent use of opioids in the management of migraines is potentially inappropriate and can lead to problems of tolerance, abuse and dependence. This combined with the low prescription of triptans, offers an opportunity for improvements in medical practice. Full article

Coffee and cocoa manufacturing produces large amounts of waste. Generated by-products contain bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, suitable for treating metabolic syndrome (MetS). We aimed to compare the efficacy of aqueous extracts and flours from coffee pulp (CfPulp-E, CfPulp-F) and cocoa shell (CcShell-E, CcShell-F) to ameliorate MetS alterations induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). Bioactive component content was assessed by HPLC/MS. C57BL/6 female mice were fed for 6 weeks with HFD followed by 6 weeks with HFD plus supplementation with one of the ingredients (500 mg/kg/day, 5 days/week), and compared to non-supplemented HFD and Control group fed with regular chow. Body weight, adipocyte size and browning (Mitotracker, confocal microscopy), plasma glycemia (basal, glucose tolerance test–area under the curve, GTT-AUC), lipid profile, and leptin were compared between groups. Cocoa shell ingredients had mainly caffeine, theobromine, protocatechuic acid, and flavan-3-ols. Coffee pulp showed a high content in caffeine, protocatechuic, and chlorogenic acids. Compared to Control mice, HFD group showed alterations in all parameters. Compared to HFD, CcShell-F significantly reduced adipocyte size, increased browning and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and normalized basal glycemia, while CcShell-E only increased HDL. Both coffee pulp ingredients normalized adipocyte size, basal glycemia, and GTT-AUC. Additionally, CfPulp-E improved hyperleptinemia, reduced triglycerides, and slowed weight gain, and CfPulp-F increased HDL. In conclusion, coffee pulp ingredients showed a better efficacy against MetS, likely due to the synergic effect of caffeine, protocatechuic, and chlorogenic acids. Since coffee pulp is already approved as a food ingredient, this by-product could be used in humans to treat obesity-related MetS alterations. Full article

Caffeine reduces glucose tolerance, whereas exercise training improves glucose homeostasis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of caffeine on glucose tolerance the morning after an acute bout of aerobic exercise. Methods: The study had a 2 × 2 factorial design. Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were performed after overnight fasting with/without caffeine and with/without exercise the evening before. Eight healthy young active males were included (Age 25.5 ± 1.5 years; 83.9 ± 9.0 kg; VO_2max: 54.3 ± 7.0 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹). The exercise session consisted of 30 min cycling at 71% of VO_2max followed by four 5 min intervals at 84% with 3 min of cycling at 40% of VO_2max between intervals. The exercise was performed at 17:00 h. Energy expenditure at each session was ~976 kcal. Lactate increased to ~8 mM during the exercise sessions. Participants arrived at the laboratory the following morning at 7.00 AM after an overnight fast. Resting blood samples were taken before blood pressure and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured. Caffeine (3 mg/kg bodyweight) or placebo (similar taste/flavor) was ingested, and blood samples, blood pressure and HRV were measured after 30 min. Next, the OGTTs were initiated (75 g glucose dissolved in 3 dL water) and blood was sampled. Blood pressure and HRV were measured during the OGTT. Caffeine increased the area under curve (AUC) for glucose independently of whether exercise was done the evening before (p = 0.03; Two-way ANOVA; Interaction: p = 0.835). Caffeine did not significantly increase AUC for C-peptides compared to placebo (p = 0.096), and C-peptide response was not influenced by exercise. The acute bout of exercise did not significantly improve glucose tolerance the following morning. Diastolic blood pressure during the OGTT was slightly higher after intake of caffeine, independent of whether exercise was performed the evening before or not. Neither caffeine nor exercise the evening before significantly influenced HRV. In conclusion, caffeine reduced glucose tolerance independently of whether endurance exercise was performed the evening before. The low dose of caffeine did not influence heart rate variability but increased diastolic blood pressure slightly. Full article

(1) Background: Caffeine is a psychostimulant that is well known to mitigate the deleterious effects of sleep debt. Our aim was to assess the effects of acute caffeine intake on cognitive vulnerability and brain activity during total sleep deprivation (TSD), taking into account habitual caffeine consumption. (2) Methods: Thirty-seven subjects were evaluated in a double-blind, crossover, total sleep deprivation protocol with caffeine or placebo treatment. Vigilant attention was evaluated every six hours during TSD using the psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) with EEG recordings. The influence of habitual caffeine consumption was analyzed by categorizing subjects into low, moderate, and high consumers. (3) Results: The PVT reaction time (RT) increased during TSD and was lower in the caffeine condition vs. the placebo condition. The RT was shorter in the low-caffeine consumers compared to moderate and high consumers, regardless of conditions and treatments. The TSD-related increase in EEG power was attenuated by acute caffeine intake independently of habitual caffeine consumption, and the individual alpha frequency (IAF) was lower in the high-consumption group. The IAF was negatively correlated with daytime sleepiness. Moreover, a correlation analysis showed that the higher the daily caffeine consumption, the higher the RT and the lower the IAF. (4) Conclusions: A high level of habitual caffeine consumption decreases attentional performance and alpha frequencies, decreasing tolerance to sleep deprivation. Full article

Tea plants have adapted to grow in tropical acidic soils containing high concentrations of aluminum (Al) and fluoride (F) (as Al/F hyperaccumulators) and use secret organic acids (OAs) to acidify the rhizosphere for acquiring phosphorous and element nutrients. The self-enhanced rhizosphere acidification under Al/F stress and acid rain also render tea plants prone to accumulate more heavy metals and F, which raises significant food safety and health concerns. However, the mechanism behind this is not fully understood. Here, we report that tea plants responded to Al and F stresses by synthesizing and secreting OAs and altering profiles of amino acids, catechins, and caffeine in their roots. These organic compounds could form tea-plant mechanisms to tolerate lower pH and higher Al and F concentrations. Furthermore, high concentrations of Al and F stresses negatively affected the accumulation of tea secondary metabolites in young leaves, and thereby tea nutrient value. The young leaves of tea seedlings under Al and F stresses also tended to increase Al and F accumulation in young leaves but lower essential tea secondary metabolites, which challenged tea quality and safety. Comparisons of transcriptome data combined with metabolite profiling revealed that the corresponding metabolic gene expression supported and explained the metabolism changes in tea roots and young leaves via stresses from high concentrations of Al and F. The study provides new insight into Al- and F-stressed tea plants with regard to responsive metabolism changes and tolerance strategy establishment in tea plants and the impacts of Al/F stresses on metabolite compositions in young leaves used for making teas, which could influence tea nutritional value and food safety. Full article