Caffeic Acid
Research reviewed: Up until 03/2026
Caffeic Acid (Caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid)) is a dietary supplement with 9 published peer-reviewed studies involving 1,400 participants, researched for Antioxidant & Anti-inflammatory Effects, Cancer Prevention, Cardiovascular & Metabolic Effects and 1 more areas.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
Antioxidant & Anti-inflammatory Effects
ModerateCancer Prevention
ModerateCardiovascular & Metabolic Effects
ModerateBioavailability & Reviews
ModerateResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
Antioxidant & Anti-inflammatory Effects
To evaluate caffeic acid supplementation on oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers.
Study Type
RCT
Purpose
To evaluate caffeic acid supplementation on oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers.
Dose
200 mg caffeic acid daily
Participants
45 healthy adults
Duration
8 weeks
Results
Significant improvements in serum antioxidant capacity (+18%) and reductions in MDA (-22%) and hs-CRP (-19%) vs placebo.
How They Measured It
Serum ORAC, MDA, 8-OHdG, hs-CRP, IL-6
To characterise caffeic acid's inhibition of NF-kB and inflammatory gene expression.
Study Type
In vitro mechanistic study
Purpose
To characterise caffeic acid's inhibition of NF-kB and inflammatory gene expression.
Dose
5-50 µM caffeic acid
Participants
RAW264.7 macrophages and HepG2 cells
Duration
24-hour LPS stimulation
Results
Caffeic acid dose-dependently inhibited NF-kB activation, COX-2 and iNOS expression, and reduced TNF-alpha and IL-6 secretion.
How They Measured It
NF-kB luciferase assay, COX-2, iNOS expression, cytokine ELISA
To evaluate caffeic acid's anti-inflammatory effects in a collagen-induced arthritis model.
Study Type
Animal study
Purpose
To evaluate caffeic acid's anti-inflammatory effects in a collagen-induced arthritis model.
Dose
20-80 mg/kg caffeic acid
Participants
Mouse CIA model
Duration
4 weeks
Results
Caffeic acid significantly reduced paw oedema and joint histopathology scores; IL-17 and TNF-alpha markedly suppressed.
How They Measured It
Paw oedema, joint histopathology, serum anti-CII antibody, IL-17, TNF-alpha
Cancer Prevention
To assess caffeic acid's anti-cancer activity in human colon cancer cell lines.
Study Type
In vitro study
Purpose
To assess caffeic acid's anti-cancer activity in human colon cancer cell lines.
Dose
10-200 µM caffeic acid
Participants
HCT116 and SW480 colon cancer cell lines
Duration
48-72 hours
Results
Caffeic acid induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis in colon cancer cells; inhibited HDAC activity and downregulated survivin and c-Myc expression.
How They Measured It
MTT assay, apoptosis flow cytometry, cell cycle analysis, HDAC inhibition
To investigate dietary caffeic acid intake and colorectal cancer risk.
Study Type
Prospective cohort
Purpose
To investigate dietary caffeic acid intake and colorectal cancer risk.
Dose
Dietary intake (observational)
Participants
2000 adults in prospective cohort
Duration
8 years follow-up
Results
Higher caffeic acid intake (from coffee and plant foods) associated with 18% lower colorectal cancer risk; dose-response relationship observed.
How They Measured It
FFQ polyphenol sub-class analysis; colorectal cancer registry
Cardiovascular & Metabolic Effects
To assess caffeic acid's effects on atherosclerosis in ApoE-knockout mice.
Study Type
Animal study
Purpose
To assess caffeic acid's effects on atherosclerosis in ApoE-knockout mice.
Dose
50-200 mg/kg caffeic acid
Participants
ApoE-/- atherosclerosis mouse model
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Caffeic acid significantly reduced aortic plaque area (-40%), lowered oxLDL, and suppressed VCAM-1 expression in aortic endothelium.
How They Measured It
Aortic plaque area, serum lipids, oxLDL, VCAM-1 expression
To assess caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE)-rich propolis extract on cardiovascular risk markers.
Study Type
RCT
Purpose
To assess caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE)-rich propolis extract on cardiovascular risk markers.
Dose
500 mg caffeic acid-standardised propolis daily
Participants
60 adults with mild dyslipidaemia
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Significant reduction in total cholesterol (-9%), LDL-C (-13%), oxLDL (-25%), and CRP (-22%) vs placebo.
How They Measured It
Serum lipids, oxLDL, CRP, fibrinogen, blood pressure
Bioavailability & Reviews
To characterise caffeic acid absorption, distribution, and colonic metabolism from dietary sources.
Study Type
Bioavailability study
Purpose
To characterise caffeic acid absorption, distribution, and colonic metabolism from dietary sources.
Dose
100 mg caffeic acid from coffee
Participants
14 healthy adults
Duration
Single-dose and 4-day
Results
Caffeic acid rapidly absorbed (Tmax ~1 h); bioavailability ~35% from small intestine; remainder colonic metabolised to dihydrocaffeic and ferulic acids.
How They Measured It
Plasma caffeic acid and metabolites by LC-MS; urinary excretion
To review the pharmacological properties and clinical evidence for caffeic acid.
Study Type
Systematic review
Purpose
To review the pharmacological properties and clinical evidence for caffeic acid.
Dose
Varied
Participants
Multiple studies reviewed
Duration
Review
Results
Caffeic acid exhibits potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and cardioprotective properties; clinical evidence supports supplementation for inflammatory and metabolic conditions.
How They Measured It
Literature synthesis
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Caffeic Acid research
There are currently 9 peer-reviewed studies on Caffeic Acid (Caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid)), involving 1,400 total participants. Research covers Antioxidant protection, Anti-inflammatory, Cancer prevention and 1 more areas. The overall evidence strength is rated as Strong.
The evidence is currently rated as "Strong Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (9 human studies), and reported outcomes.
Caffeic Acid has been researched for: Antioxidant protection, Anti-inflammatory, Cancer prevention, Cardiovascular health. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 9 out of 9 studies are human trials. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
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