(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Caffeine may benefit men suffering from ALS but it
does not appear to have the same beneficial effects for women, according to a
new study.
One of the biggest concerns with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, is oxidative
stress, which damages the cells. Previous studies have shown positive effects
with coffee, caffeine or chlorogenic acid (a dietary polyphenol that is
beneficial to the immune system) supplementation in improving oxidative stress
and its associated cell death mechanisms.
For this new study, researchers focused on coffee, an antioxidant popular in
diets worldwide. In lab studies, mice were divided into groups, with some
receiving a normal diet and the other groups receiving coffee, caffeine and
chlorogenic acid extracts, respectively. Males and females were analyzed
separately.
The researchers said if they were to extrapolate their findings to humans with
ALS, then coffee appears beneficial for men. It reduced oxidative stress and
cell death and increased antioxidants. But for women, coffee appeared to
harmful.
"Women with the disorder may want to restrict caffeine consumption, or switch to
decaffeinated products which contain the antioxidants, but with little
caffeine," researcher Rajini Seevaratnam was quoted as saying.
SOURCE: Study presented at the 122nd Annual Meeting of the American
Physiological Society, April 18-22, 2009 in New Orleans
