Caffeine-induced hypercalciuria and renal prostaglandins: effect of aspirin and n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

Abstract

Effects of aspirin and fish-oil ingestion on caffeine-induced hypercalciuria and renal prostaglandins (PG) were investigated in 12 healthy women. The 11-wk study consisted of 7-d baseline, 5-d aspirin (1000 mg/d), 11-d washout, and two 24-d fish-oil periods (FO-1 and FO-2, respectively, providing 1.5 vs 3.0 g n-3 fatty acids/d) separated by a 4-d washout period. Caffeine-load (CL) tests providing 5 mg caffeine/kg body wt were administered after baseline and each experimental period. Timed urine samples were collected precaffeine (basal) and at 1, 2, and 3 h post-caffeine. PGE2 excretion decreased during tests after aspirin and FO-2. There were significant increases in PGF2 alpha from baseline during each CL test. Hypercalciuria was observed during each CL test and the magnitude of this response was not altered by the experimental treatments. The finding that concentrations of post-caffeine urinary PGF2 alpha paralleled concentrations of urinary calcium supports the possibility that this prostaglandin plays a role in caffeine-induced hypercalciuria.