CAFFEINE AND CHOLESTEROL - INTERACTIONS WITH HOSTILITY

The consumption of caffeinated beverages has been linked to elevated s erum cholesterol and an increased risk of coronary disease, although t he relationships are inconsistent across studies and remain controvers ial. The effect of caffeine on cholesterol and coronary disease risk m ay be modulated by other factors. Using cohort data from a subsample o f the University of North Carolina Alumni Heart Study, we investigated whether the relationships between caffeinated beverage consumption an d serum lipid and lipoprotein levels in middle-aged men and women were modulated by levels of trait hostility. After adjustment for other ri sk factors, higher caffeinated beverage intake was associated with hig her low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and a higher ratio of t otal to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, both indicative of great er coronary disease risk. The interactive effects of hostility and caf feine intake were ambiguous, although there were trends for caffeine i ntake to have stronger effects on low-density lipoprotein and on total cholesterol in people with less hostility. Additional studies of pers onality characteristics and other factors that can modulate the choles terol-raising effects of coffee drinking may be warranted because they might clarify the health consequences associated with coffee drinking and lead to the identification of individuals who would benefit most from changes in their coffee drinking.