MEDICAL experts across Central and West Africa have debunked the claim that coffee consumption is responsible for renal diseases, heart disease, high and low blood pressure experienced by most people across the regions, including Nigeria.The experts also held that there have been over 20 observational studies that examined the relationship between coffee consumption and relative risk of developing Type 2 diabetes as well as the possibility of coffee drinkers becoming addicted.These studies have demonstrated a significantly lower risk of Type 2 diabetes with increasing intake of daily coffee consumption. The research revealed that daily intake of 3-4 cups of coffee is associated with a 25 per cent reduction in Type 2 diabetes when compared to intake of 0-2 cups per day.Other air of misconception cleared about coffee is the possibility of coffee drinking leading to addiction due to its caffeine content and the possibilities of the drinkers developing hypertension and gastric (stomach), or duodenal (upper intestinal) ulcers.According to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the World Health Organisation (WHO), 'there is no evidence that caffeine withdrawal and use has remote comparable physical and social consequences associated with serious drugs of abuse.'Mechanisms of action of caffeine are very different from that of drug abuse and they do not affect the brain circuit and structure for reward, motivation or addiction,' a Public Health Physician with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos, Dr. Kemi Odukoya said.But Ghana-based Coordinator, Central and West Africa Region on Ignite nutrition lectures on coffee and health, who is also an expert on coffee, Valerie Mbeng said, 'the same quantity of caffeine in coffee is available in chocolates, energy drinks, carbonated drinks, cocoa, tea and kolanuts. 'The misconception about coffee drinking is psyche. People take energy drinks without fear because they have balanced mind on that. This is the information that Ignite stands for to correct the abnormalities.'An Alabama Cooperative Extension System nutrition and health specialist, Prof. Robert Keith, who is also a professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Science said, 'Like so many things in life, coffee drinking is one of those lifestyle habits that likely won't hurt you so long as you do it in moderation.'According to Dr. Bartholomew Brai of Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos, regular coffee drinking can be part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. 'Moderate coffee consumption of about 3-5 cups a day is safe and may actually offer a number of health benefits.'He noted that coffee represents 4 per cent of the world's food and agricultural, commerce and second most drunk beverage, after water, saying 'Over 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed per year, whereas over 16,000 cups of coffee are drunk every second.''Coffee is the most researched food substance. There are over 20,000 publications on coffee and health. Coffee is appreciated for its rich aroma and taste. It is drunk for relaxation and socialisation. It contains natural bioactive compounds with beneficial properties,' he noted.Dr. Brai said that coffee is naturally rich in antioxidants, mainly polyphenols from the chlorogenic acid family. 'Total antioxidants represent about 25 per cent of coffee solids in instant coffee. About 2-6 per cent is free polyphenols. Dietary antioxidants found in it, including polyphenols are recognised to have a range of protective effects on health. They help to protect the body's cells from damage caused by an excess of free radicals.''Coffee is unique because it has natural bioactive compounds with beneficial properties. These compounds include caffeine, antioxidants compounds, diterpenes, micronutrients, carbohydrates and dietary fibres,' he said.At the nutrition lecture organised for the medical students of the University of Lagos, a consultant Cardiologist with Lagoon Hospitals Lagos, Dr. Sade Alli, said regular intake of caffeinated coffee does not increase the risk of hypertension, adding that several researches conducted on the relationship between coffee and cardio'metabolic system had shown that the rise of blood pressure is minimal if caffeine is ingested from coffee.She, however, warned that acute coffee consumption might transitorily increase blood pressure.
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