Clinical analyses in healthy adult individuals, consumers of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee

Abstract

In the present study had as an objective to study the effects of the consumption of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee on human health. Forty-eight healthy adult individuals were selected, who were appraised at the begining and the the end of the research through clinical exams (glucose, lipidic profile, uric acid levels, complete blood count, thyroid hormones and routine urine) and its characteristics as a functional food. The individuals were separated in twelve groups by age, physical activity (active and sedentary) and the type of drink consumed (caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee) and guided as to how to prepare the drink and the daily amount to be consumed during the six months. After collection of all data, they were submitted to the statistical analysis through the Scott-Knott test and Student t test at the level of 5% of probability, using the SISVAR program. From the results, a significant reduction was observed in the total cholesterol levels HDLc and LDLc, uric acid, platelets and hematocrits and an increase in the leucocytes, independent of coffee type consumed, age group and physical activity. The consumption of caffeinated as well as decaffeinated coffee promoted improvements or did not interfere in the appraised factors, evidencing that the caffeine is not the component responsible for the alterations. Therefore, the results show that coffee presents characteristics that suggests its effect as a functional food, possibly attributed the other components of the drink.