Inverse association between coffee drinking and serum uric acid concentrations in middle-aged Japanese males

Abstract

Consumption of caffeine-rich beverages, which have diuretic properties, may decrease serum uric acid concentrations. We examined cross-sectionally the relationship of coffee and green tea consumption to serum uric acid concentrations in 2240 male self-defence officials who received a pre-retirement health examination at four hospitals of the Self-Defence Forces between 1993 and 1994. The mean levels of coffee and green tea consumption were 2·3 and 3·1 cups/d respectively. There was a clear inverse relationship between coffee consumption and serum uric acid concentration. When adjusted for hospital only, those consuming less than one cup of coffee daily had a mean serum uric acid concentration of 60 mg/l, while that of those drinking five or more cups of coffee daily was 56 mg/l (P < 0·0001). No such relationship was observed for green tea, another major dietary source of caffeine in Japan. The relationship between coffee consumption and serum uric acid concentration was independent of age, rank in the Self-Defence Forces, BMI, systolic blood pressure, serum creatinine, serum total cholesterol and serum HDL-cholesterol concentrations, smoking status, alcohol use, beer consumption and intake of dairy products. These findings suggest that coffee drinking may be associated with lower concentrations of serum uric acid, and further studies are needed to confirm the association.

The Relation of Coffee Consumption to Serum Uric Acid in Japanese Men and Women Aged 49–76 Years

“…Previously, lower concentrations of serum UA associated with coffee consumption were observed, with and without adjustment for confounding factors, in cross-sectional studies of men in Japan [9] and of both men and women combined in the United States [10]. Thus, the present findings corroborate the previous observation regarding coffee and serum UA [9, 10].…”

“…Serum UA concentrations are also increased in individuals who frequently consume a high amount of sugar-sweetened soft drinks [8]. A limited number of studies reported that coffee consumption was associated with lower concentrations of UA [9, 10] and a decreased risk of gout [11]. Coffee is one of the beverages commonly consumed in Western society [12] and is consumed daily by nearly half of the adults in Japan [13].…”

Gout and risk of Parkinson disease

“…For example, our analysis did not adjust for coffee consumption, a factor associated with a lower PD risk (at least among men 17 ) and that has been suggested to reduce serum uric acid levels. 18 However, the potential confounding from coffee would bias our estimates toward a higher risk of PD among individuals with gout, Numbers refer to percentage unless otherwise stated. PD ϭ Parkinson disease.…”

Effects of Oligonol®, an oligomerized polyphenol formulated from lychee fruit, on serum concentration and urinary excretion of uric acid

“…The mechanism of this phenomenon may be attributed to polyphenols with antioxidant properties contained in wine, which might play a role in alleviating the uric acid-raising effect of alcohol, since uric acid is considered to be an indicator of oxidative stress and antioxidants affect the serum concentration of uric acid (Huisman et al, 2008). In addition, an inverse relationship between coffee consumption, which is rich in the phenol chlorogenic acid, and serum uric acid was reported in two separate epidemiological studies (Choi & Curhan, 2007;Kiyohara et al, 1999). Anecdotal evidence indicates that cherries exert anti-gout and anti-inflammatory effects, though the related mechanisms are undetermined (Blau, 1950).…”