High Caffeine Consumption and its Association with Lower Intakes of Antioxidant Micronutrients, and with Higher Food Insecurity in People Living with HIV in the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) Cohort

Abstract

ObjectiveHigh caffeine consumption has been associated with decreased appetite and weight loss in people living with HIV (PLWH). This could adversely affect levels of antioxidant micronutrients consumed through diet. This study examines the relationship between caffeine consumption and dietary intake of antioxidant micronutrients such as vitamins A and C, zinc and selenium, and with food security scores.MethodsAfter consenting 130 PLWH on stable antiretroviral therapy, who were recruited from the Miami Adults Studies on HIV (MASH) cohort, caffeine intake was measured using standardized questionnaires and 24‐hour dietary recalls were used to estimate food intakes. The USDA Food Security Questionnaire was collected from each participant to assess food security scores. Nutribase‐9 was used for estimating the nutrient content of the foods consumed. SPSS version 21 was used for statistical analyses. More than 250 mg of caffeine intake or the equivalent of 3–4 cups of coffee daily was considered the cut‐off point for high consumption. This study was approved by the Florida International University Institutional Review Board.ResultsMean age of this group was 47.9 ± 6.4 years, 60.8% were men, and 75.4% were Black. Mean caffeine intake was 337.63 ± 304.97 mg/day, and 22% reported inadequate caloric intake for their requirements; 76.9% reported deficient intakes of vitamin A, 64.6% of vitamin C, 84.6% for zinc and 50.8% for selenium. Compared to participants who used caffeine with moderation, intakes of vitamin C (110.38 ± 141.475 vs 61.68 ± 71.91 mg/day, P=0.029), zinc (9.13 ± 1.774 vs 4.64 ± 1.753 mg/day, P=0.027) and selenium (76.61 ± 5.797 vs 45.27 ± 5.837 μgm/day, P=0.029) were significantly lower in participants who consumed high levels of caffeine per day. High food insecurity was associated with high caffeine consumption (β=1.106, P=0.042) and remained significant after adjusting for covariates.ConclusionHigh caffeine intake adversely affected the consumption of antioxidant nutrients in PLWH in the MASH cohort and was associated with food insecurity. Further studies are needed to estimate the long term adverse effects of these dietary deficiencies on metabolic outcomes in HIV disease progression and quality of life in this population.Support or Funding InformationFunded by NIDA and FIU Graduate School Dissertation Year Fellowship.