EFFECT OF COFFEE INGESTION ON ADRENOCORTICAL SECRETION IN YOUNG MEN AND DOGS

Studies performed in 13 young, normal, healthy subjects have shown that ingestion of moderate amounts of coffee results in a significant increase in urinary 11-OHCS which reflects a stimulation of the adrenocortical activity. This conclusion is supported by our experiments in dogs in which we found a significant increase in the plasma 11-OHCS level in the phrenico-abdominal vein after administration of caffeine. These findings in addition to the observations that caffeine results in significant elevations in FFA and catecholamines, are of particular interest in view of the possible relationship of these changes to an increase in certain lipid fractions, particularly triglycerides and cholesterol. © 1969.