Coffee with milk may have anti-inflammatory effect: Study

A simple cup of coffee with milk may have an anti-inflammatory effect in humans, a study conducted in laboratory suggests. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark found that a combination of proteins and antioxidants doubles the anti-inflammatory properties in immune cells. Whenever bacteria, viruses and other foreign substances enter the body, our immune systems react by deploying white blood cells and chemical substances to protect us. This reaction, commonly known as inflammation, also occurs whenever we overload tendons and muscles and is characteristic of diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Antioxidants known as polyphenols are found in humans, plants, fruits and vegetables. They are also known to be healthy for humans, as they help reduce oxidative stress in the body that gives rise to inflammation. The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, analysed how polyphenols behave when combined with amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. ”In the study, we show that as a polyphenol reacts with an amino acid, its inhibitory effect on inflammation in immune cells is enhanced. As such, it is clearly imaginable that this cocktail could also have a beneficial effect on inflammation in humans,” said Professor Marianne Nissen from the University of Copenhagen.