[Catalyst 2016] Final

THE CHEMISTRY
C
oF COFFEE
ollege students often rely on coffee
to get them morning classes after
sleep-deprived nights. This miracle
property is attributed to caffeine, one of
the most well-known and widely-consumed
stimulants available. However, as coffee
aficionados may tell you, coffee is more
than just caffeine. There are dimensions
of taste, smell, and aesthetics that define
the world of coffee, and many of these
are associated with its rich chemistry.
Researchers have begun to delve into the
mysterious world of coffee to explore the
health consequences of its components.
Much to the coffee lover’s relief, numerous
studies published in the past decade
detail the multitude of benefits of drinking
coffee. 1,2 In May 2012, researchers from
the American Heart Association found
that habitual consumption of coffee
was correlated with decreased risk of
heart failure. 3 Just four months later,
another study suggested that coffee may
alleviate back, neck, and shoulder pains. 4
Researchers at the Harvard School of
Public Health found that coffee may protect
against several types of cancer, including
prostate cancer, 5 breast cancer, 6 and basal
cell carcinoma. 7
However, caffeine is not solely responsible
for coffee’s apparent health benefits.
Coffee contains thousands of different
chemicals, many of them understudied or
even undiscovered. Nevertheless, chemists
have identified several chemical candidates
that could be responsible for these health
effects, including phenols, chlorogenic
acids, and quinides, all of which act as
oxidants. Diterpenoids in coffee may also
raise good cholesterol and lower bad
cholesterol. 1 Moreover, a 2008 study found
that the smell of coffee beans alone could
BY JAMES SIRIWONGSUP
“A 2008 STUDY FOUND
THAT THE SMELL OF
COFFEE BEANS ALONE
COULD BE LINKED TO
STRESS RELIEF.”
be linked to stress relief. 8 It is never too late
for that last-minute exam cramming at a
Starbucks!
However, many of these findings are in
their early stages; many of these studies
are simply drawing correlations between
habitual consumption of coffee and its
influence on health outcomes. Until studies
can demonstrate causational links between
specific chemical compounds in coffee
and their physiological interactions, we
should not wholeheartedly embrace these
conclusions. Still, the research is taking
meaningful steps forward; for example,
a study published in Neurobiology of
Aging has linked a single molecule in
coffee, eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamine,
to neuroprotective benefits in rats with
Alzheimer’s Disease. 9 While it is still too
early to say whether coffee can improve
your health, coffee science dictates that a
daily cup of coffee is never a bad thing.
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works cited also online
THE CASE FOR THE
CAFFEINE CRAZE
CATALYST 36