The effect of brassica vegetable consumption on caffeine metabolism in humans

Ten healthy volunteers were used in two studies investigating the effect of short-term Brassica consumption on caffeine metabolism. In the first study volunteers were given three Brassica-containing meals, the last one 3 h prior to caffeine administration. In the second study volunteers were given two Brassica-containing meals and then fasted overnight before caffeine administration. In both studies the mean plasma half-life of caffeine was reduced by approximately 20% following a Brassica diet, suggesting that Brassica vegetables stimulate caffeine metabolism. When caffeine was given 3 h after the last meal, plasma caffeine concentrations over 6 h, were increased by up to 27% on the Brassica diet compared to controls. This may be due to a transient increased permeability of the intestine to caffeine, immediately following Brassica consumption. This effect was not seen in the second study where there was a 12-h period between the last meal and caffeine administration. There was large interindividual variation in the effect of the Brassica diet on caffeine metabolism.