In a recent study published within the journal Nutrients, researchers investigated the association between coffee consumption and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) risk.

Study: Examining the Association between Coffee Intake and the Risk of Developing Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Evaluation. Image Credit: Kingmaya Studio / Shutterstock.com

IBS and the advantages of coffee

IBS is a standard disorder that affects the gastrointestinal tract and is characterised by abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. Current estimates indicate that IBS affects 5-10% of the world’s population. IBS is related to significant losses, each in the standard of lifetime of affected individuals and socioeconomically.

The consumption or elimination of certain food items has been shown to worsen or improve IBS symptoms in lots of individuals. For instance, the Mediterranean-style food regimen, wealthy in fresh vegetables and fruit, whole grains, seeds, and nuts, has consistently been shown to alleviate symptoms of IBS and improve overall health outcomes.

Coffee is the second most consumed beverage on this planet after water and the most well-liked every day drink. Umbrella reviews on coffee consumption have revealed that three to 4 cups every day provide the general best health outcomes. Despite quite a few studies investigating the association between coffee drinking and IBS, the outcomes remain inconclusive and infrequently confounding.

Coffee incorporates several bioactive molecules which were hypothesized to interact with the gut microbiome, alter intestinal permeability, promote bile acid metabolism, and even improve the functioning of the central nervous system (CNS).

Concerning the study

The present study goals to judge the association between coffee intake and the chance of subsequent IBS development. The researchers employed a scientific review and meta-analysis approach in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Data were collected from studies obtained from the EMBASE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library databases from inception until March 31, 2023. Inclusion criteria comprised publications that reported associations between coffee intake and IBS, were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), case-control investigations, and cross-sectional studies, and published in English.

Publication 12 months, geographical study location, study population demographics, and clinical outcomes were extracted from all studies. All extracted data were processed through double coding to confirm and ensure precision.

Outcomes were measured using reported standard deviation (SD) values for continuous variables and percentages or frequencies for categorical variables. Publication bias was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).

Statistical analyses included calculating the chances ratios (ODs), the outcomes of which were pooled. Egger’s regression was used to report publication bias and its interpretation of results where applicable.

Study findings

A complete of 187 studies were identified, eight of which met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. The studies comprised a complete sample cohort of 432,022 individuals. Study bias assessment revealed a moderate to high risk of bias, which was highest in chosen cross-sectional studies.

Chosen studies comprised cohorts predominantly from Asia (n = 6), with one each from Africa and the UK, respectively. IBS diagnoses inside included studies followed the ROME III criteria for IBS symptoms, with one exception that used ROME II. Levels of coffee consumption varied between studies, with some reporting a binary study design of drinkers versus abstainers, while others had more detailed cohort allocation.

A set effects model revealed that across the included studies, coffee consumers were less prone to develop IBS as in comparison with their abstainer counterparts, with an OR of 0.84. Stability analyses verified that these findings were accurate across the 432,022-strong sample size despite differences in study-specific methodologies.

Conclusions

The current study used a set effects meta-analysis model to research the association between coffee intake and subsequent IBS risk. Analyses encompassed eight studies spread across three continents, with a pooled sample size of over 432,000.

The study findings reveal that coffee consumption of any quantity or frequency was related to a reduced risk of subsequently developing IBS.

Future research on this area should (1) prioritize high-quality prospective cohort studies with well-documented coffee consumption (and exposure) and track the event of incident IBS in previously healthy individuals over time, and (2) investigate biological mechanisms.”