Brewed Coffee Vs. Espresso May Affect Cholesterol Levels Differently in Men and Women

The gender of the drinker and the brewing method could be key to coffee’s link with elevated cholesterol levels, according to a new study published in the open-access journal Open Heart

Researchers reported that espresso drinks showed the widest difference between genders in cholesterol levels. Coffee made with a plunger (cafetière) showed the narrowest difference between genders

Researchers from UiT The Arctic University of Norway studied data from 13,889 participants (7,167 women and 6,722 men) responding in 2015 and 2016 to the seventh survey of the Tromso Study, a long-term population study launched in 1974 involving residents of the Norwegian city of Tromso

Scientists asked participants how many cups of coffee they drank each day. They also asked what type of brew they drank: filtered; plunger (cafetière); espresso from a coffee machine, pods, mocha pots, and instant

Subjects were 40 and older, with an average age of 56

Blood samples were collected and physical information was gathered, including height and weight, diet and lifestyle, including whether the participants smoked, how much alcohol they drank, and how much they exercised. They also recorded participants’ education level attainment and whether they’d been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes

Women drank an average of just under four cups of coffee per day, while men consumed nearly five on average

Data analysis showed an association between coffee and serum total cholesterol that varied, depending on how the coffee was made. “Significant” gender differences were discovered for all brew types, except coffee made with a bar plunger

“Coffee is the most frequently consumed central stimulant worldwide,” the study authors wrote. “Because of the high consumption of coffee, even small health effects can have considerable health consequences