Immune Benefits of Coffee

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy, self-sufficient, free-living Chilean elderly
• Having the ability to comprehend the procedures of the study
• Having obtained his/her informed consent after verbal and written information

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subjects drinking more than 2 cups of coffee per day
• Subjects with rapidly deteriorating health status at enrolment in the study
• Subjects with terminal or acute disease, or unstable health status
• Subjects with chronic disease: chronic respiratory illness; chronic diseases of the pulmonary or cardiovascular systems (including asthma); chronic metabolic disease (diabetes); chronic renal disease, organ failure
• Subjects with serious neurological disorder, including dementia (MMSE < 20) or Alzheimer's disease
• Subjects who have experienced rapid weight loss, chronic diarrhea (loose stools, 3 times daily), or Crohn's (IBD)
• Subjects with gastrointestinal problems
• Subjects with a hospitalization planned during this study
• Subjects who have received any antibiotic treatment during the last 3 months prior to the beginning of this study
• Subjects who had a colonoscopy performed during the last 3 months prior to the beginning of this study
• Subjects with immune deficiency diseases (e.g. HIV infection)
• Subjects with a history of allergy - especially to egg protein, egg, shellfish or the antibiotics polymyxin or neomycin
• Subjects receiving medication that may influence the immune system (i.e. corticosteroids, immuno-suppressors and immuno-modulators, antimicrobials)
• Subjects who have received any vaccination during the last 15 days prior to baseline
• Subjects who are expected to be non-compliant
• Subjects currently participating or having participated in another clinical trial during the last 3 months prior to the beginning of this study
• Subjects participating in another research study involving any type of medication related to the study