How does Cafestol, an ingredient in unfiltered coffee raise cholesterol?
The coffee diterpene cafestol (CAF) is present in unfiltered coffee brews such as Scandinavian boiled, Turkish and cafetiere coffee. CAF is the most potent cholesterol-elevating compound known in the human diet. A study by Marie-Louise Ricketts of Baylor College of Medicine sought to determine whether CAF exerts its effects via nuclear hormone receptors that control genes involved in cholesterol homeostasis. To answer this question, both in vitro and in vivo studies were performed, and the data determined that CAF acts as an agonist ligand for both FXR and PXR, and this may contribute to its ability to raise cholesterol levels. CAF acts as a potential agonist ligand for both FXR and PXR, and this may contribute to its effect on cholesterol homeostasis. Extreme Physical Exercise at High Altitude Can Lead to Hypogonadism Despite hundreds of climbers taking on the Alps and the Himalayas in the last 50 years, there has never been a comprehensive description of the combined effects of high
