Change in the association between coffee intake and ischemic heart disease in an international ecological study from 1990 to 2018.

In previous observational studies, the association between coffee intake and risk of cardiovascular disease has reversed from positive to negative over time. This long-term international ecological study examined whether the association between coffee intake and mortality and incidence rates of ischemic heart disease (IHD) changed between 1990 and 2018 using multiple coherent data. We obtained data on coffee intake per capita, IHD mortality and incidence rates per 100,000 population, and socioeconomic and lifestyle indicators for each country from various publicly available databases. We integrated and analyzed data from 147 countries with populations of ≥ 1 million. We employed a linear mixed model analysis to assess the association between coffee intake and IHD mortality and incidence rates by year. The mean global coffee intake increased (p < 0.001), whereas IHD mortality (p < 0.001) and incidence (p = 0.073) decreased. In all models, the interaction between coffee intake and year showed a significant inverse association for IHD mortality and incidence rates (p < 0.001 for all). The country-level association between coffee intake and IHD mortality and incidence rates between 1990 and 2018 was stronger in the negative direction.

Hydroxymatairesinol and sesaminol act differently on tocopherol concentrations in rats.

We have previously reported that sesame seed with the tetrahydrofurofuran type lignans sesamin and sesaminol (SeOH) produced higher tocopherol concentrations, while flaxseed with the dibenzylbutyrolactone type lignans did not cause higher tocopherol concentrations in rats. Sesame seeds also contain the dibenzylbutyrolactone type lignan 7-hydroxymatairesinol (HMR). To clarify whether or not the tocopherol elevating effect is affected by the chemical structure of lignans, the effect of HMR isolated from Norway spruce, was compared with SeOH, isolated from sesame seed. The lignans were added to a low alpha-tocopherol (10 mg/kg) diet, and rats were maintained on these diets for 8 wk. The experimental diet containing 0.2% SeOH elevated alpha-tocopherol content in the plasma liver, kidney, and brain, but HMR (0.2% or 0.5%) had no effects. Dietary HMR and SeOH (both in concentrations of 0.2%) were further compared in rats fed on a gamma-tocopherol (50 mg/kg) containing diet. SeOH produced significantly higher g-tocopherol content in the plasma and tissues, and significantly lower 2,7,8-trimethyl-2(2'-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman (gamma-CEHC, a gamma-tocopherol metabolite) content in the urine. However, HMR did not show such effects. These results suggest that the sesame lignan SeOH increases tocopherol concentrations in animals by suppressing the conversion of gamma-tocopherol to gamma-CEHC. HMR, a structurally different plant lignan, does not have such properties. Further studies are needed to show the potential health effects associated with an increased tocopherol concentration in the body.