Association between dietary caffeine intake and hepatitis C virus infection in adults: A cross-sectional study, NHANES 2017-2020

Introduction: Hepatitis C (HCV) is a significant global health issue. Amidst emerging concerns about drug interactions between psychoactive substances and antiretroviral therapies, caffeine has been suggested to influence liver health, but the specific impact of caffeine on HCV risk remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between caffeine intake and the risk of heptities C. Methods: Logistic regression and restricted cubic splines were applied to evaluate the relationship between caffeine intake and HCV risk using data from the NHANES Mobile Examination Center (2017-2020) Results: The analysis revealed a positive association between dietary caffeine intake and the risk of HCV infection, after accounting for all covariates. Conclusion: Findings suggest a complex interaction with both protective and risk-enhancing phases of caffeine intake. This research contributes valuable insights into the role of caffeine in the risk of HCV infection, highlighting the need for further investigation into underlying mechanisms and potential behavioral correlations.