Laboratory experiments have shown that caffeine alters the function of bacterial proteins and can increase the resistance of E. coli to antibiotics by almost 40%.
New research has shown that caffeine can influence the functioning of Escherichia coli, making it more resistant to antibiotics. Among the more than 90 compounds tested, caffeine demonstrated the most significant effect and is also the most common in everyday life.
This is stated in a study published in the journal PLOS Biology.
The resistance of gram-negative bacteria, particularly E. coli, depends on specialized proteins: pores, which allow antibiotics to enter cells, and pumps, which expel harmful substances. Researchers have discovered that the protein Rob plays a key role in this process. Under the influence of caffeine, it alters pore synthesis, reducing antibiotic penetration.
In laboratory conditions, caffeine increased the resistance of E. coli to some antibiotics by almost 40%. The effect was particularly noticeable with ciprofloxacin, a drug used to treat respiratory tract infections, abdominal infections, genitourinary infections, and even drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Although the studies were conducted only on bacterial cells, the scientists warn that excessive coffee consumption during antibiotic therapy may reduce the effectiveness of the treatment. The researchers plan to determine the safe dose of caffeine in such cases in subsequent experiments.