Coffee and tea might protect against superbug MRSA, study finds.

Coffee and tea might protect against superbug MRSA, study finds
Published: Friday, July 15, 2011, 10:29 AM - By Sue Thomas

If you wanted another good reason to start your day with a hot cup of coffee or tea, consider this news: A study found tea and coffee drinkers are less likely to have the superbug MRSA in their nostrils.

It might be enough to make you pour a second cup. And maybe blow your nose as well.

The report published in the Annals of Family Medicine looked at the coffee- and tea-drinking habits of 5,500 people who took part in a government study. It found they were half as likely to have methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in their nostrils. The bacteria, because it is resistant to the antibiotic methicillin, is difficult to treat.

The reassuring news is the superbug is not commonly found in nasal carriage -- it occurs in only about 1.4 percent of the population.

So why did the researchers decide to study the effect of coffee and tea on MRSA? Because both have been found to have "antimicrobial properties" against different forms of bacteria. And tea and tea-based extracts have shown promising results in treating MRSA infections.

The good news did not extend to iced tea and soft drinks: The researchers found they did not have any effect on MRSA rates.

"As many sodas are caffeinated, this finding suggests that caffeine is unlikely to be responsible for the antibacterial properties of hot tea and coffee," writes lead researcher Dr. Eric Matheson, of the University of South Carolina.

Matheson notes that the study, although it shows an association between MRSA and beverage consumption, does not prove causation.

"The effect, however, appears to be robust," the report says.

The findings suggest that drinking coffee and tea might lower the risk of developing a MRSA infection, Matheson writes. And they might lead to alternatives to antibiotics for getting rid of MRSA in the nostrils.

The study is just the latest in a series of recent reports exploring the health benefits of coffee. Researchers have linked java consumption to reduced risks for diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, liver and skin cancer, as well as lower stroke risks for women.

E-mail Sue Thoms: sthoms@grpress.com

http://www.mlive.com/health/index.ssf/2011/07/coffee_and_tea_might_protect_a.html