Bioavailability and Beneficial Properties of Coffee and Cocoa Bioactive Compounds (P4L)

Bioavailability and Beneficial Properties of Espresso Coffee and Confectionery Derived Coffee Bioactive Compounds

The aim of this study will be to define the bioavailability and the beneficial properties of coffee bioactive compounds. Moreover, the contribution of cocoa-based products containing coffee to the pool of circulating metabolites will be investigated with the aim of evaluating the effect of the combination of bioactives from different sources.

To study the bioavailability of coffee/cocoa bioactive compounds and their effects in cardiometabolic health, the objectives will be:

i) Assessing the bioavailability of the four main groups of phytochemicals in roasted coffee (methylxanthines, phenolic compounds, trigonelline, and diterpenes), its modulation by the level of consumption, and establishing the daily average concentration of coffee-derived plasma circulating metabolites; ii) Investigating the effect of different levels of coffee consumption on cardiometabolic risk factors; iii) Evaluating circulating metabolites and their putative bioactivity when substituting coffee consumption with the intake of cocoa-based products containing coffee.

A 3-arm, crossover, randomized trial will be conducted. Twenty-one volunteers will be randomly assigned to consume three treatments in a random order for 1 month: 1 cup of espresso coffee/day, 3 cups of espresso coffee/day, 1 cup of espresso coffee at breakfast and 2 cocoa-based products containing coffee two times per day. The last day of the treatment subjects will refer to the ambulatory where blood and urine samples will be collected at specific time points up to 24 hours following the consumption of the testing coffee or of the cocoa-based products containing coffee. In addition to the bioavailability of the bioactive compounds, the effect of the coffee consumption on several cardiometabolic risk factors (blood pressure, anthropometric measures, inflammatory markers, nitric oxide, blood lipids, fasting indices of glucose/insulin metabolism, DNA damage, eicosanoids, nutri-metabolomics) will be investigated. At the end of the treatment, the same protocol will be repeated, switching the allocation group.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Diet Modification; Cardiovascular Risk Factor; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: cup of espresso coffee; Other: cocoa-based products containing coffee

Detailed Description

A human bioavailability study will be carried out to achieve the above-described goals. The human intervention study will consist of a short-term randomized cross-over trial, addressed at measuring the daily mean concentrations of each coffee/cocoa-derived circulating metabolite (CCDCM) for the four main groups of coffee/cocoa phytochemicals (methylxanthines, trigonelline, phenolics, diterpenes). On the basis of different patterns of consumption, this free-living study (although some minimal dietary restrictions will be provided two days before sampling times) will also take into consideration the effects of repeated doses on the bioavailability of coffee/cocoa bioactives.

The study will follow a repeat-dose, 3-arm, cross-over design. This design has been chosen according to ILSI's guidelines for intervention trials with dietary products.

Subjects were assigned to consume the following treatments in a random order for 1 month:

1. 1 cup of espresso coffee/day ("low consumers") at 9.00 A.M.
2. 3 cups of espresso coffee/day ("high consumers") at 9.00 A.M., 12.00 P.M.noon and 3.00 P.M.
3. 1 cup of espresso coffee at breakfast 9.00 A.M. and 2 cocoa-based products containing coffee two times per day (at 12.00 P.M.noon and 3.00 P.M.). The group will be named "medium consumers", considering the caffeine content of the cocoa-based products containing coffee.

Minimal recommendations to avoid other sources of coffee/cocoa phytochemicals besides what introduced through the assigned treatment, and to standardise the time of coffee consumption, will be provided for the two days prior to each sampling day and on the sampling day. Dinner timing and composition will also be standardised the day before the sampling day. Only water could be drunk during the night. At the sampling day (i.e. the last day of each intervention period), the subjects will refer in the morning at the ambulatory where fasting baseline blood and urine samples will be collected. Then, low and high consumers will drink one or three cups of espresso coffee, respectively (without sugar, sweeteners, and milk for the first coffee; with 5 g of sugar for the last two coffees), while medium consumers will drink a cup of espresso coffee and 2 cocoa-based products containing coffee twice during the day, following the above-described timing. After ingestion of the first coffee together with a phytochemical-free breakfast (a pastry), blood and urine samples will be collected at selected time points along the following 24-h. Five hours after the consumption of the first coffee, participants will receive a standardised mixed meal (sandwich with ham and cheese) free of coffee/cocoa phytochemical-related compounds. Water will be available ad libitum. Twenty-four hours after receiving the treatment, blood and urine samples will also be taken in order to assess return to baseline. In addition, anthropometric characteristics and blood pressure (BP) will be measured.

Socio-demographic variables will be assessed through a generic questionnaire filled at recruitment. The questionnaire will also contain questions useful to identify possible exclusion criteria (e.g. diagnosis for diseases, regular consumption of medication, food allergy). Dietary habits of volunteers will also be evaluated during the enrollment, through a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for the assessment of dietary total antioxidant capacity. In addition, participants' food intakes and compliance with the study requirements will be assessed by means of 3-day dietary records, administered throughout each intervention period at two time points: i) in the middle of each intervention period during two weekdays and a weekend day, and ii) at the end of each intervention period, 2 days prior to the sampling day and the sampling day. The habitual physical activity level of each participant will be measured through a validated International Physical Activity Questionnaires.

Blood sample collection will be carried out in the ambulatory unit of the Department of Medicine and Surgery. Blood collection will be carried out by a physician. A venous catheter will be inserted into the antecubital vein and blood samples from each subject will be collected in specific tubes over 24 hours. Blood sampling at time-point 24h after first coffee consumption will be done by venipuncture. Urine samples will be collected during different periods of time using urine collectors.

Blood samples will be centrifuged and plasma, serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) will be collected, aliquoted, and stored at -80 °C for further processing. Urine samples will be aliquoted and stored at -80°C for further processing.

The primary selected endpoint of the study is the quantification of the daily mean concentration of coffee-derived plasma circulating phenolic metabolites, whereas the study of the bioavailability of other coffee-derived circulating bioactives, the bioavailability of cocoa-derived circulating phytochemicals, and the assessment of cardiometabolic markers will be considered secondary endpoints.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 21
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Italy
  • Parma, Italy, 43125
    • Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 60 years (ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• adult
• both genders
• healthy
• normal weight (BMI 18-25)
• regular coffee consumers of 1-5 cups per day

Exclusion Criteria:

• younger than 18 y.o. or older than 60 y.o.
• clinically diagnosis for metabolic, renal or digestive disorders
• regular consumption of medication
• antibiotic therapy taken within the last 3 months
• intense physical activity
• pregnancy or lactation
• underweight or overweight/obese
• no regular consumption of coffee or regular intake exceeding 5 coffees/day

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: CROSSOVER
• Masking: SINGLE

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: low consumers; 1 cup of espresso coffee/day at 9.00 A.M. for 1 month	Other: cup of espresso coffee; Subjects will consume the assigned treatment for one month. Espresso coffee will be prepared by using coffee capsules. Serving size: approximately 45 mL. The last day of the intervention is the sampling day.
EXPERIMENTAL: high consumers; 3 cup of espresso coffee/day at 9.00 A.M. 12.00 P.M. and 3.00 P.M. for 1 month	Other: cup of espresso coffee; Subjects will consume the assigned treatment for one month. Espresso coffee will be prepared by using coffee capsules. Serving size: approximately 45 mL. The last day of the intervention is the sampling day.
EXPERIMENTAL: medium consumers; 1 cup of espresso coffee at 9.00 A.M. + cocoa-based products containing coffee at 12.00 P.M. and 3.00 P.M. for 1 month	Other: cup of espresso coffee; Subjects will consume the assigned treatment for one month. Espresso coffee will be prepared by using coffee capsules. Serving size: approximately 45 mL. The last day of the intervention is the sampling day.; Other: cocoa-based products containing coffee; Subjects will consume the assigned treatment (2 products per serving) for one month. Serving size: approximately 37 g. The last day of the intervention is the sampling day.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Daily mean concentration of phenolic metabolites	Assessment of the daily mean concentration of coffee derived plasma circulating phenolic metabolites	24 hours (0 -overnight fasting-, 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, 300, 360, 420, 480, 540, 1440 -overnight fasting- minutes)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Coffee-derived plasma circulating bioactives	Profile of metabolites coming from coffee phytochemicals (phenolic compounds, trigonelline, caffeine, and diterpenes) in plasma	24 hours (0 -overnight fasting-, 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, 300, 360, 420, 480, 540, 1440 -overnight fasting- minutes)
Coffee-derived bioactives in urine	Profile of metabolites coming from coffee phytochemicals (phenolic compounds, trigonelline, caffeine, and diterpenes) in urine	24 hours (0 -overnight fasting-, 180, 360, 540, 1440 -overnight fasting- minutes)
Cocoa-derived plasma circulating bioactives	Profile of metabolites coming from cocoa phytochemicals (phenolic compounds and theobromine) in plasma	24 hours (0 -overnight fasting-, 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, 300, 360, 420, 480, 540, 1440 -overnight fasting- minutes)
Cocoa-derived bioactives in urine	Profile of metabolites coming from cocoa phytochemicals (phenolic compounds and theobromine) in urine	24 hours (0 -overnight fasting-, 180, 360, 540, 1440 -overnight fasting- minutes)
Blood Pressure	Systolic and diastolic blood pressure	two time (0 -overnight fasting-, 1 month-fasting-)
Body Mass Index (BMI)	Weight (in kg) and height (in m) will be combined to report BMI in kg/m2	two time (0 -overnight fasting-, 1 month-fasting-)
Waist circumference		two time (0 -overnight fasting-, 1 month-fasting-)
Trimethyl-ammine-N-oxide (TMAO) in plasma		24 hours (0 -overnight fasting-, 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, 300, 360, 420, 480, 540, 1440 -overnight fasting- minutes)
Trimethyl-ammine-N-oxide (TMAO) in urine		24 hours (0 -overnight fasting-, 180, 360, 540, 1440 -overnight fasting- minutes)
Nitric oxide (NO) in plasma		1440 -overnight fasting- minutes
Blood lipids	Total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides	1440 -overnight fasting- minutes
Glucose and Insulin	Fasting glucose and fasting insulin	1440 -overnight fasting- minutes
DNA damage	Assessed by using the Comet assay	24 hours (0 -overnight fasting-, 60, 240, 420, 1440 -overnight fasting- minutes)
DNA catabolites	Assessed by using LC-MS for individual detection and quantification	24 hours (0 -overnight fasting-, 60, 240, 420, 1440 -overnight fasting- minutes)
Nutri-metabolomics in plasma	Metabolomics will be carried out in fasting plasma to unravel the potential metabolic pathways of molecules present in the food matrix	1440 -overnight fasting- minutes
Nutri-metabolomics in urine	Metabolomics will be carried out in urine to unravel the potential metabolic pathways of molecules present in the food matrix	24 hours (0 -overnight fasting-, 180, 360, 540, 1440 -overnight fasting- minutes)
Eicosanoids in urine		24 hours (0 -overnight fasting-, 180, 360, 540, 1440 -overnight fasting- minutes)
Inflammatory markers in plasma	Main inflammatory markers associated with coffee consumption	1440 -overnight fasting- minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Parma
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Daniele Del Rio, Ph.D., University of Parma; Study Director: Pedro M Mena Parreño, Ph.D., University of Parma

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Mena P, Bresciani L, Tassotti M, Rosi A, Martini D, Antonini M, Cas AD, Bonadonna R, Brighenti F, Del Rio D. Effect of different patterns of consumption of coffee and a cocoa-based product containing coffee on the nutrikinetics and urinary excretion of phenolic compounds. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021 Dec 1;114(6):2107-2118. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab299.
• Martini D, Rosi A, Tassotti M, Antonini M, Dall'Asta M, Bresciani L, Fantuzzi F, Spigoni V, Dominguez-Perles R, Angelino D, Ricci C, Del Pozo-Luengo S, Tornel PL, Scazzina F, Gil-Izquierdo A, Dei Cas A, Brighenti F, Bonadonna R, Del Rio D, Mena P. Effect of coffee and cocoa-based confectionery containing coffee on markers of cardiometabolic health: results from the pocket-4-life project. Eur J Nutr. 2021 Apr;60(3):1453-1463. doi: 10.1007/s00394-020-02347-5. Epub 2020 Jul 29.
• Mena P, Tassotti M, Martini D, Rosi A, Brighenti F, Del Rio D. The Pocket-4-Life project, bioavailability and beneficial properties of the bioactive compounds of espresso coffee and cocoa-based confectionery containing coffee: study protocol for a randomized cross-over trial. Trials. 2017 Nov 9;18(1):527. doi: 10.1186/s13063-017-2271-2.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): May 10, 2017
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): October 20, 2017
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): October 20, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 21, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 23, 2017
• First Posted (ACTUAL): May 25, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): October 25, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 24, 2017
• Last Verified: October 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: pharmacokinetics; caffeine; bioavailability; coffee; cocoa; flavan-3-ol; cardiometabolic risk factors; caffeoylquinic acids; trigonelline; diterpene
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Metabolic Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: DDR-P4L

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No