Green coffee polyphenols do not attenuate features of the metabolic syndrome and improve endothelial function in mice fed a high fat diet

• Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the Western world.
• Coffee intake has been associated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease.
• Green coffee bean extract did not protect against features of the metabolic syndrome in mice fed a high-fat diet.

We have investigated the effects of the major polyphenol in coffee, chlorogenic acid (CGA), on obesity, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, systemic oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in a mouse model of the metabolic syndrome. Thirty C57BL6 mice were randomly divided into (n = 10/group) (i) normal diet (ND), (ii) high fat diet (HFD), or (iii) high fat diet supplemented with 0.5% w/w green coffee bean extract (GCE) rich in chlorogenic acid (HFD + GCE). The high fat diet consisted of 28% fat and all animals were maintained on their diets for 12 weeks. The mice fed a HFD and HFD + GCE displayed symptoms of the metabolic syndrome compared to their normal fed counterparts, although no endothelial dysfunction was detected in the abdominal aortas after 12 weeks. GCE did not attenuate HFD-induced obesity, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance or systemic oxidative stress. Furthermore, GCE did not protect against ex vivo oxidant (hypochlorous acid)-induced endothelial dysfunction.