Chlorogenic acid

Also called 5-CQA, 5-caffeoylquinic acid, coffee polyphenol, CGA.

Best grade C across 8 graded outcomes Other Last checked Oct 25, 2026

The short answer

From 14 sources

Chlorogenic acid is an ester of caffeic and quinic acid found in coffee. A meta-analysis of five trials found about 4 mm Hg lower systolic pressure, and a three-trial meta-analysis found about 1.3 kg lower weight, but the trials were small and often industry-funded. Doses near 2 g/day raised homocysteine in healthy adults.

Every graded outcome on this page

8 rows · line = participants

Grade CSystolic and diastolic blood pressureBlood pressuren 364
Grade CBody weightBody weightn 103
Grade DWeight, glucose and lipids in pre-obesity (6-month post-hoc analysis)Pre-obesityn 50
Grade DFasting glucose, insulin sensitivity and lipids in impaired glucose toleranceBlood sugarn 30
Grade DBody mass in overweight adultsBody weightn 30
Grade DBlood pressure and endothelial function after a single doseBlood pressuren 23
Grade DPlasma total homocysteine (a cardiovascular risk marker)Homocysteinen 20
Grade DGlucose and insulin response to an oral glucose loadBlood sugarn 15
5 more graded outcomes, in the evidence chapter

Key facts

Blood pressure: 5 trials (364 people): systolic −4.31 mm Hg, diastolic −3.68 mm Hg, with high heterogeneity and manufacturer funding³
Body weight: 3 trials (103 people) of green coffee extract with chlorogenic acid: −1.30 kg pooled²
Longest isolated-compound trial cited: 1,200 mg/day for 12 weeks in 30 adults with impaired glucose tolerance⁴
Absorption: About one third is absorbed in the small intestine; the rest reaches the colon and is metabolised there^10,11
Homocysteine: 2 g/day for 7 days raised total homocysteine by 12% four to five hours after the dose⁷

What it is

Chlorogenic acid is the main polyphenol in coffee, sold alone or as green coffee extract.

How it works

Proposed

Chlorogenic acid (5-caffeoylquinic acid) is an ester of caffeic acid and quinic acid. Only about a third is absorbed intact in the small intestine; the remainder reaches the colon, where it is metabolised to compounds such as dihydroferulic acid and conjugates of dihydrocaffeic acid. Reduced early glucose absorption and effects on vascular function are proposed explanations for the trial findings; neither is established in people.^{6,10,11,12,14}

Forms, side by side

3 forms named in our sources. The rest show what our data holds, and say plainly where it holds nothing yet.

Chlorogenic acid forms compared

3 forms

Chlorogenic acid forms compared: 3 forms by 3 attributes. Empty cells are labelled No data yet, or Not graded in the evidence row.
3 forms	Isolated chlorogenic acid (capsule or powder)	Green (unroasted) coffee bean extract	Chlorogenic-acid-rich coffee
Absorption in people	In ileostomy volunteers about 33% of an ingested dose was absorbed in the small intestine, versus about 95% of caffeic acid; most of the rest reaches the colon.¹⁰	A decaffeinated green coffee extract with 170 mg chlorogenic acid gave plasma levels of the parent compounds and metabolites for up to 8 hours; over 30% of the ingested cinnamic acid moieties were recovered in plasma.⁹	After 200 mL of instant coffee (385 µmol chlorogenic acids), urinary metabolites were 29% of intake with an intact colon but 8% in people with an ileostomy, showing colonic metabolism matters.¹¹
GI tolerance	No adverse events reported in the pooled blood-pressure trials; the abstract of the 12-week, 1,200 mg/day trial does not report adverse events.^3,4	The ODS fact sheet reports few safety concerns for up to 200 mg/day of green coffee extract for as long as 12 weeks, notes safety has not been rigorously studied, and lists headache and urinary tract infections as reported adverse effects. Unless decaffeinated the extract contains caffeine.¹	Tolerability was not the focus of the cited ileostomy study.¹¹
Studied for	Blood pressure, glucose handling, homocysteine	Body weight	Glucose absorption, body mass

Isolated chlorogenic acid (capsule or powder)
Absorption in people
In ileostomy volunteers about 33% of an ingested dose was absorbed in the small intestine, versus about 95% of caffeic acid; most of the rest reaches the colon.¹⁰
GI tolerance
No adverse events reported in the pooled blood-pressure trials; the abstract of the 12-week, 1,200 mg/day trial does not report adverse events.^3,4
Studied for
Blood pressure, glucose handling, homocysteine
Green (unroasted) coffee bean extract
Absorption in people
A decaffeinated green coffee extract with 170 mg chlorogenic acid gave plasma levels of the parent compounds and metabolites for up to 8 hours; over 30% of the ingested cinnamic acid moieties were recovered in plasma.⁹
GI tolerance
The ODS fact sheet reports few safety concerns for up to 200 mg/day of green coffee extract for as long as 12 weeks, notes safety has not been rigorously studied, and lists headache and urinary tract infections as reported adverse effects. Unless decaffeinated the extract contains caffeine.¹
Studied for
Body weight
Chlorogenic-acid-rich coffee
Absorption in people
After 200 mL of instant coffee (385 µmol chlorogenic acids), urinary metabolites were 29% of intake with an intact colon but 8% in people with an ileostomy, showing colonic metabolism matters.¹¹
GI tolerance
Tolerability was not the focus of the cited ileostomy study.¹¹
Studied for
Glucose absorption, body mass

What the human research says

Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form line shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.

Trial map

8 graded outcomes, largest study first

8 graded outcomes: 5 improved, 2 mixed, 1 worsened. The largest, a 2015 meta-analysis of 364 people on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, found an improvement. One outcome found a worsening: plasma total homocysteine (a cardiovascular risk marker) (20 people).

By sizeTable

1Systolic and diastolic blood pressure

Improved · Grade C · Meta-analysis, 364 people, 2015

5 randomised trials (364 participants), all in Asian populations

Dose, result and source

Every graded outcome on this page, largest study first
Outcome	Found	People	Study	Who was studied
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure	Improved	364	Grade C · Meta-analysis, 2015	5 randomised trials (364 participants), all in Asian populations
Body weight	Improved	103	Grade C · Meta-analysis, 2023	3 randomised trials (103 participants)
Weight, glucose and lipids in pre-obesity (6-month post-hoc analysis)	Improved	50	Grade D · RCT, 2023	50 adults with BMI 25 to under 30, a subgroup of a 100-person trial
Fasting glucose, insulin sensitivity and lipids in impaired glucose tolerance	Improved	30	Grade D · RCT, 2018	30 adults with impaired glucose tolerance (15 per group)
Body mass in overweight adults	Improved	30	Grade D · RCT, 2007	30 overweight adults (12-week study); a separate 12-volunteer glucose-absorption study
Blood pressure and endothelial function after a single dose	Mixed	23	Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2012	23 healthy men and women
Plasma total homocysteine (a cardiovascular risk marker)	Worsened	20	Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2001	20 healthy men and women
Glucose and insulin response to an oral glucose load	Mixed	15	Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2009	15 overweight men

Every graded row

8 rows

Form tested

Showing 8 of 8 outcomes. Human trials only.

Grade CSystolic and diastolic blood pressureBlood pressureImprovedMeta-analysis · 5 studies
n 364 · 2015

Systolic pressure was 4.31 mm Hg lower (95% CI −5.60 to −3.01; I² 65%) and diastolic 3.68 mm Hg lower (95% CI −3.91 to −3.45; I² 97%) than control. No adverse events were reported. The authors call the effect moderate, note the trials were small, varied in design and were funded by chlorogenic acid manufacturers, and ask for large independent trials.

Design: Meta-analysis, 5 studies, n = 364, 2015
Population: 5 randomised trials (364 participants), all in Asian populations
Form: Chlorogenic acid (forms not itemised in the abstract)
Dose: Varied by study
Duration: Varied by study
Source: Reference 3 · PubMed 24943289 (opens PubMed)

Grade CBody weightBody weightImprovedMeta-analysis · 3 studies
n 103 · 2023

Pooled body weight was 1.30 kg lower than control (95% CI −2.07 to −0.52; I² 0%). The authors say the sample was small and the trials short, and call for long-term trials of effectiveness and safety.

Design: Meta-analysis, 3 studies, n = 103, 2023
Population: 3 randomised trials (103 participants)
Form: Green coffee bean extract containing chlorogenic acid
Dose: At least 500 mg/day, as defined by the review
Duration: Short-term (not itemised in the abstract)
Source: Reference 2 · PubMed 37710316 (opens PubMed)

Grade DWeight, glucose and lipids in pre-obesity (6-month post-hoc analysis)Pre-obesityImprovedRCT
n 50 · 2023

Body weight, glycaemic parameters, total and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides fell, and liver function, carotid wall thickness and flow-mediated dilation improved versus placebo.

Design: RCT, n = 50, 2023
Population: 50 adults with BMI 25 to under 30, a subgroup of a 100-person trial
Form: Cynara cardunculus-based nutraceutical (chlorogenic acid plus luteolin)
Dose: 150 mg/day of the combined product
Duration: 6 months
Source: Reference 13 · PubMed 36678333 (opens PubMed)

Grade DFasting glucose, insulin sensitivity and lipids in impaired glucose toleranceBlood sugarImprovedRCT
n 30 · 2018

In the chlorogenic acid group fasting glucose fell (5.7 to 5.5 mmol/L, p = 0.002), the insulinogenic index fell, the Matsuda insulin-sensitivity index rose, and body weight, waist, triglycerides and cholesterol fractions decreased; the placebo group showed no significant changes.

Design: RCT, n = 30, 2018
Population: 30 adults with impaired glucose tolerance (15 per group)
Form: Oral chlorogenic acid
Dose: 400 mg three times a day (1,200 mg/day)
Duration: 12 weeks
Source: Reference 4 · PubMed 29261010 (opens PubMed)

Grade DBody mass in overweight adultsBody weightImprovedRCT
n 30 · 2007

Average body-mass loss was 5.4 kg with chlorogenic-acid-enriched coffee versus 1.7 kg with normal instant coffee; in the 12-volunteer study the enriched coffee reduced glucose absorption by 6.9% versus control. The abstract gives no between-group p value.

Design: RCT, n = 30, 2007
Population: 30 overweight adults (12-week study); a separate 12-volunteer glucose-absorption study
Form: Instant coffee enriched with chlorogenic acid
Dose: Not stated in the abstract
Duration: 12 weeks
Source: Reference 12 · PubMed 18035001 (opens PubMed)

Grade DBlood pressure and endothelial function after a single doseBlood pressureMixedCrossover RCT
n 23 · 2012

Compared with control, systolic pressure was 2.41 mm Hg lower (95% CI −0.03 to −4.78; p = 0.05) and diastolic 1.53 mm Hg lower (p = 0.04). Nitric-oxide markers (p > 0.10) and endothelial function (p = 0.60) did not change significantly.

Design: Crossover RCT, n = 23, 2012
Population: 23 healthy men and women
Form: Chlorogenic acid
Dose: 400 mg once (about 2 cups of coffee)
Duration: Single dose
Source: Reference 5 · PubMed 22900702 (opens PubMed)

Grade DPlasma total homocysteine (a cardiovascular risk marker)HomocysteineWorsenedCrossover RCT
n 20 · 2001

Total homocysteine 4–5 hours after the dose was 12% (1.2 µmol/L) higher than placebo and, in fasting plasma 20 hours later, 4% (0.4 µmol/L) higher. The authors say whether this affects cardiovascular risk is not established.

Design: Crossover RCT, n = 20, 2001
Population: 20 healthy men and women
Form: Chlorogenic acid
Dose: 2 g/day
Duration: 7 days per treatment
Source: Reference 7 · PubMed 11237928 (opens PubMed)

Grade DGlucose and insulin response to an oral glucose loadBlood sugarMixedCrossover RCT
n 15 · 2009

Glucose was 0.7 mmol/L lower (p = 0.007) and insulin 73 pmol/L lower (p = 0.038) than placebo 15 minutes into the test, but neither the glucose nor the insulin area under the curve differed from placebo.

Design: Crossover RCT, n = 15, 2009
Population: 15 overweight men
Form: Chlorogenic acid
Dose: 1 g once
Duration: Single dose; 2-hour glucose tolerance test
Source: Reference 6 · PubMed 19324944 (opens PubMed)

What the numbers add up to

Each point is worked out from the data and the sources numbered on this page, with the arithmetic shown under it. It adds no new data and is not medical advice.

Small drops, uncertain source

The blood-pressure and weight meta-analyses pool few trials, several funded by manufacturers, and the weight analysis tested green coffee bean extract, which contains other compounds, so the effect cannot be assigned to chlorogenic acid alone.^2,3

Coffee-derived chlorogenic acid showed no cognitive effect

A 2025 meta-analysis of coffee-based chlorogenic acid trials found no effect on cognition (d = 0.00), but it excluded isolated extracts and supplements.⁸

Green coffee weight-loss evidence is thin

The ODS fact sheet says the few green coffee extract weight trials were of poor methodological quality, and that one small trial was strongly criticised by the US FTC for design flaws, after which two of its three authors retracted the paper.¹

Studied doses

Doses used in research, shown against the official limits. They describe the studies, not a recommendation for you.

Studied doses in research, not advice. These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.

Doses studied in human trials

Doses studied in human trials ranged from 170 mg of chlorogenic acid in a single-dose absorption study to 2 g/day for 7 days (the homocysteine study). The longest isolated-compound trial used 400 mg three times a day (1,200 mg/day) for 12 weeks. These are research doses, not recommendations.^4,5,7,9

Interactions and safety

Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.

Interactions

0 agents

None found in our sources.

Check with what you take

Kept on this device only

Add what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Chlorogenic acid and your picks, and between your picks.

Add a supplement or medicine

Most cited:

Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Chlorogenic acid.

Starting from one medicine? The interaction checker rates how serious each pair is, on a curated list of 19 entries for 11 medicines. This cabinet has no severity rating: it lists every interaction row our supplement pages cite.

Who should be careful

4 groups

High homocysteine or cardiovascular risk: A 7-day crossover at 2 g/day raised total homocysteine by 12% after the dose. Whether that matters for health is unknown, but it is a reason for people with high homocysteine to be cautious at high intakes.⁷
Blood-pressure and glucose-lowering medicines: Pooled trials found small blood-pressure drops and one trial found lower fasting glucose. The cited abstracts do not report testing chlorogenic acid together with such medicines.^3,4
Caffeine sensitivity: Green coffee extract contains caffeine unless it is labelled decaffeinated.¹
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children: None of the cited trials enrolled these groups, so safety is unknown.^3,4

Regulatory status

1 note

A food component sold as a supplement ingredient, with no premarket review.

United States: Dietary supplements are not classified as drugs and do not require FDA premarket review or approval. Manufacturers are responsible for safety and truthful label claims.¹

How the body handles chlorogenic acid

3 notes

Partly absorbed, mostly metabolised.

Small-intestine absorption: In ileostomy volunteers, 33 ± 17% of chlorogenic acid was absorbed, against 95 ± 4% of caffeic acid; traces appeared in urine unchanged.¹⁰
Plasma recovery: After a decaffeinated green coffee extract with 170 mg chlorogenic acid, 33.1 ± 23.1% of the ingested cinnamic acid moieties were recovered in plasma as parent compounds and metabolites, with peaks anywhere from 0.5 to 8 hours; urinary recovery was 5.5 ± 10.6%.⁹
Colonic metabolism: In people with an ileostomy 71 ± 7% of ingested chlorogenic acids was recovered in ileal effluent, and urinary excretion was 8% versus 29% in people with an intact colon.¹¹

Homocysteine

1 note

High intakes raised a cardiovascular risk marker.

7-day crossover: 2 g/day of chlorogenic acid raised total homocysteine by 12% four to five hours after intake and 4% in fasting plasma 20 hours later.⁷

How to read the label

What to check on the Supplement Facts panel.

How to read the label

3 checks

Chlorogenic acid or green coffee extract?

Some products list milligrams of chlorogenic acid; others list milligrams of extract with a stated percentage of chlorogenic acids. The trials above dosed pure chlorogenic acid by weight, so compare the chlorogenic acid milligrams, not the extract weight.^4,9

Caffeine content

Check whether the extract is decaffeinated. The absorption study used a decaffeinated extract; marketed extracts may keep their caffeine.^1,9

Label dose vs studied dose

The ODS fact sheet reports few safety concerns for up to 200 mg/day of green coffee extract for up to 12 weeks, while the isolated-compound trial used 1,200 mg/day of chlorogenic acid. The two are different substances and doses.^1,4

Label X-RayPhotograph a bottle's Supplement Facts panel and see each line, chlorogenic acid included, beside the doses and forms the trials used

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.

Common questions

6 answers

What is chlorogenic acid?

The main polyphenol in coffee, an ester of caffeic acid and quinic acid, also sold as a supplement or as green coffee extract.^10,14

Does chlorogenic acid lower blood pressure?

A meta-analysis of five trials found about 4 mm Hg lower systolic pressure, but the trials were small, varied, and funded by manufacturers.³

Does it help with weight loss?

A three-trial meta-analysis of green coffee extract found about 1.3 kg lower weight than control. The trials were small and short.²

How much is absorbed?

About one third of chlorogenic acid is absorbed in the small intestine; the rest reaches the colon, where it is metabolised to other compounds.^10,11

Is it safe?

Pooled trials reported no adverse events, but a high daily intake of 2 g raised homocysteine in healthy adults, and long-term and pregnancy data are lacking.^3,7

Does coffee chlorogenic acid improve memory?

A 2025 meta-analysis of coffee-based trials found no cognitive effect. It did not assess isolated supplements.⁸

Sources

14 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.

Sources cited on this page

14 sources

1Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss: Health Professional Fact SheetFact sheet NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, 2022 · ods.od.nih.gov
2Chlorogenic acid in green bean coffee on body weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Meta-analysis Syst Rev, 2023 · PMID 37710316
3The effect of chlorogenic acid on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.Meta-analysis J Hum Hypertens, 2015 · PMID 24943289
4Effect of Chlorogenic Acid Administration on Glycemic Control, Insulin Secretion, and Insulin Sensitivity in Patients with Impaired Glucose Tolerance.RCT J Med Food, 2018 · PMID 29261010
5Acute effects of chlorogenic acid on nitric oxide status, endothelial function, and blood pressure in healthy volunteers: a randomized trial.Crossover RCT J Agric Food Chem, 2012 · PMID 22900702
6Acute effects of decaffeinated coffee and the major coffee components chlorogenic acid and trigonelline on glucose tolerance.Crossover RCT Diabetes Care, 2009 · PMID 19324944
7Consumption of high doses of chlorogenic acid, present in coffee, or of black tea increases plasma total homocysteine concentrations in humans.Crossover RCT Am J Clin Nutr, 2001 · PMID 11237928
8Impact of coffee-derived chlorogenic acid on cognition: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Meta-analysis Nutr Res Rev, 2025 · PMID 39403843
9Chlorogenic acids from green coffee extract are highly bioavailable in humans.PK study J Nutr, 2008 · PMID 19022950
10Chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid are absorbed in humans.PK study J Nutr, 2001 · PMID 11208940
11Bioavailability of chlorogenic acids following acute ingestion of coffee by humans with an ileostomy.PK study Arch Biochem Biophys, 2010 · PMID 20226754
12The effect of chlorogenic acid enriched coffee on glucose absorption in healthy volunteers and its effect on body mass when used long-term in overweight and obese people.RCT J Int Med Res, 2007 · PMID 18035001
13A Nutraceutical Containing Chlorogenic Acid and Luteolin Improves Cardiometabolic Parameters in Subjects with Pre-Obesity: A 6-Month Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.RCT Nutrients, 2023 · PMID 36678333
14Chlorogenic acid: A comprehensive review of the dietary sources, processing effects, bioavailability, beneficial properties, mechanisms of action, and future directions.Review Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf, 2020 · PMID 33337063

What changed

Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.

Change log

2 entries

Dated changes to this page
Date	Change	Who and why
Oct 25, 2026all	Adversarial review: every evidence row, key fact, studied dose and safety note re-read against the cited abstracts; numbers, designs and sample sizes match and no change was needed. The retraction of the 2012 green coffee weight trial by two of its three authors was confirmed from the PubMed retraction notice (PMID 25340633).	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: adversarial review
Oct 17, 2026all	Initial editorial evidence review. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (titles and years taken from the record) and each cited abstract read; figures taken from the abstracts and the NIH ODS fact sheet. Studied doses are reported as research doses, not dosing advice.	Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page

Supplement & Nutrient Encyclopedia. Educational information only; it is not medical advice and does not replace a clinician. Dietary supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Statements about supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA.