A new biomarker gives accurate results that resolves the debate about whether coffee is beneficial or not (Unsplash)
Arabic coffee runs in the blood of its lovers, and the greater the love, the greater the confusion.
Nutritional studies on Arabic coffee provide us with results that sometimes seem contradictory that confuse the reader.
Some studies say that Arabica coffee is beneficial, and other studies say that it is harmful.
However, a research team from the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich in Germany found the reason for the contradiction, and then sought to provide a practical solution to resolve the conflict.
The researchers found that the reason for the contradictory results of the studies is that they rely largely on self-reports by participants in their consumption data, which is not always accurate, which affects the scientific validity of nutritional studies.
The solution they proposed is to search for reliable biomarkers (a specific substance) that can objectively distinguish between coffee lovers and coffee haters.
Scientists relied on self-reports because they did not find a specific substance that, by measuring its concentration in the body, could determine whether this person was consuming coffee heavily or not.
In 2011, researchers at the Technical University of Munich proposed for the first time the roasted coffee compound “methylpyridinium N” as a biomarker that could be used for accurate discrimination. However, a new study recently published in the specialized beverage journal “Beverage” is the first study to comprehensively verify its effectiveness on a large scale as a Vital indicators, and recommend its use after their experiments demonstrated its great importance and its distinction from other vital indicators proposed in previous studies.
In roasted coffee, the compound “methylpyridinium N” is formed during the roasting process of green coffee beans (N-Splash).
What is N-methylpyridinium compound?
The compound "methylpyridinium N" is formed during the roasting process of green coffee beans from a natural alkaloid found abundantly in the beans called "trigonelin". When green coffee beans are exposed to high heat (usually more than 220 degrees Celsius during roasting), "trigonelin" undergoes chemical changes. It forms the compound "methylpyridinium N".
According to a press release issued by the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology, this compound is found particularly in roasted Arabica and Robusta coffee beans, and is not found in large quantities in other food or beverage sources. It is chemically stable, and therefore can be detected in body fluids. Various studies such as blood, blood plasma, and urine after coffee consumption serve as a potential biomarker for coffee intake, allowing researchers to objectively distinguish between coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers in nutritional studies.
During the study, researchers confirmed the effectiveness of this biomarker after they analyzed blood, plasma and urine samples from more than 460 people from Freising and Nuremberg, Germany. They found that it can be easily and repeatedly detected in various body fluids within a few hours and even within days. of coffee consumption, and the specific duration may vary depending on factors such as individual metabolism, coffee consumption habits, and timing of sample collection.
The compound "methylpyridinium N" is easily absorbed into the blood, making it easy to measure its levels in biological samples (An Splash)
Disadvantages of other indicators
Other studies have previously talked about biomarkers other than the N-methylpyridinium compound that can be used, such as hydroxycinnamic acids and furan metabolites. The first is known as a group of phenolic compounds found in various foods, including coffee. These acids undergo chemical transformations during roasting. Coffee, which leads to the formation of various metabolites, and some of these metabolites - such as caffeic acid sulfate and ferulic acid - have been proposed as biomarkers of coffee intake.
“Furan metabolites” are a class of organic compounds that can be formed during the roasting process of coffee beans, and some furan receptors - such as “3-hydroxypropyl” and “2-methylfuran” - have been identified as potential biomarkers of coffee consumption due to their presence in roasted coffee.
However, these vital indicators had the following drawbacks:
Lack of specificity
: Many of these compounds are not intended for coffee consumption, and can be found in other foods or beverages, and this lack of specificity makes it difficult to accurately determine the amount of coffee based on the presence of these biomarkers alone.
Metabolism and volatility
: The metabolism of these compounds in the body can vary between individuals, leading to differences in their concentrations in body fluids. Factors such as genetic differences, dietary habits, and individual metabolism can also affect the levels of these biomarkers, which further complicates their use as indicators. Reliable for coffee consumption.
Availability and standardization
: Some of these compounds may not be readily available as standard materials for analysis, making it difficult to accurately determine their levels in biological samples. Standardization of analytical methods and reference materials is essential to ensure the accuracy of biomarker measurements.
Complexity of analysis
: Analyzing these compounds as biomarkers may require complex analytical techniques and tools, which can be resource-intensive and time-consuming, and this complexity can limit the practicality and feasibility of using these biomarkers in large-scale nutritional studies or clinical settings.
Interpretation of results
: Even if these biomarkers were discovered in biological samples, interpreting the results in terms of coffee consumption may be difficult due to the influence of different factors on their concentrations, and this ambiguity could affect the reliability and validity of using these compounds as biomarkers of coffee consumption.
The advantage of the new indicator... 4 advantages
The new biomarker (N-methylpyridinium compound) has four advantages indicated by the study:
Specificity
: The compound is specific to roasted coffee, especially Arabica and Robusta coffee beans, and its composition is directly related to the roasting process, making it a very specific biomarker for coffee intake. This specificity reduces the possibility of false results or inaccuracy in determining coffee consumption.
Stability and durability
: The compound is chemically stable and has well-established kinetic properties in the body, and can be detected in various body fluids - including blood, plasma, saliva and urine - after drinking coffee.
Bioavailability
: It has high bioavailability, meaning it is easily absorbed into the bloodstream and excreted into body fluids after coffee consumption. This allows for easy detection and quantification of its levels in biological samples, facilitating its use as a biomarker in nutritional studies and clinical research.
Ease of analysis
: Its detection as a biomarker usually involves straightforward analytical techniques, such as high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and this simplicity of analysis makes it a practical and cost-effective biomarker for coffee consumption, especially in large-scale studies.
The discovery of a new biomarker gives a leap forward in coffee consumption research (Beverages Journal)
More accurate results... Complementary studies
The above advantages hold promise as a biomarker that yields accurate results in nutritional studies investigating the association between coffee consumption and health outcomes.
Professor of Nutritional Sciences at Mansoura University in Egypt, Khaled Mohammadi, said in a telephone interview with Al Jazeera Net: “By providing a reliable and standardized biomarker for coffee intake, researchers can conduct more robust analyzes to clarify the potential health benefits or risks associated with coffee consumption.”
However, Mohammadi believes that this study needs to be completed in two points, which he described as “extremely important”, namely:
First
: Validation of the compound “methylpyridinium N” as a biomarker of coffee consumption in diverse population groups to ensure its generalizability and applicability across different demographic groups, cultural backgrounds, and dietary patterns.
Second
: Conduct long-term studies to evaluate the stability of the biomarker in body fluids over long periods of time.
So it seems that in the next few years we may reach a final answer to the question: Is coffee beneficial to our bodies or harmful?
Source: Al Jazeera + websites