Drink coffee and avoid death – new study advocates up to 5 cups a day

Drinking coffee can radically cut the risk of an early death, according to research

Benefits of Drinking Coffee: COFFEE - DRINKING three cups of coffee a day can radically cut the risk of an early death, new research suggests.

 

A groundbreaking new study has revealed that people who drink anywhere between three to five cups every day are less likely to die young from a variety of serious illnesses than those who do not.

Coffee drinkers were exposed to a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s, type 2 diabetes, and even suicide.

The reasons, though not all clear, appeared to be connected to coffee’s ability to reduce insulin resistance and to its having anti-inflammatory properties.

Study lead author Ming Ding of Harvard School of Public Health in the US, was excited by the findings, though stressed more research was needed.

 

“Bioactive compounds in coffee reduce insulin resistance and systematic inflammation,” he said.

“That could explain some of our findings. However, more studies are needed to investigate the biological mechanisms producing these effects.”

Health charities and research bodies in the UK gave a cautious welcome to the new findings, pointing out lifestyle choices were also crucial to good health.

The team of researchers, whose findings were published online in the journal Circulation, analysed health figures gathered from more than 208,000 participants in three large ongoing US health studies spanning 30 years.

 



Coffee drinkers were exposed to a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease



During the study period, 19,524 women and 12,432 men died from a range of causes.

Coffee consumption was not associated with cancer deaths. The analyses took into consideration potential confounding factors such as smoking, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, alcohol consumption, and other dietary factors.

The study data revealed a link between moderate coffee consumption and a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, and suicide.

Fellow study senior author Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology, said: “This study provides further evidence that moderate consumption of coffee may confer health benefits in terms of reducing premature death due to several diseases.

This study provides further evidence that moderate consumption of coffee may confer health benefits in terms of reducing premature death due to several diseases

Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology 

“These data support the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Report that concluded that moderate coffee consumption can be incorporated into a healthy dietary pattern.’” 

Dr Rob van Dam, also from the Harvard school, explained: “It’s an important message because people have seen coffee drinking as an unhealthy habit, along the lines of smoking and excessive drinking, and they may make a lot of effort to reduce their coffee consumption or quit drinking it altogether, even if they really enjoy it.

“Our findings suggest that if you want to improve your health, it’s better to focus on other lifestyle factors, such as increasing your physical activity, quitting smoking, or eating more fruit, vegetables, nuts and whole grains.”

Claire Bale, Head of Research Communications at Parkinson’s UK, said: “This study adds to existing research on caffeine and its potential associated protective qualities in reducing the risk of Parkinson’s.

 

“Particularly interesting is that the study shows regardless of whether the coffee is de-caffeinated or caffeinated, drinking a moderate amount may slightly reduce the risk of a person developing Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases.” 

She added: “Further investigation is needed to find out if coffee could genuinely help us fight Parkinson’s – taking us a step closer to helping improve the lives of people with the condition.

“The study does not recommend drinking coffee or other caffeinated products to prevent Parkinson’s. It’s important to remember that there are many health issues associated with excess caffeine intake.”

Diabetes campaigners also welcomed the research. Pav Kalsi, Senior Clinical Advisor at Diabetes UK, said: “When it comes to reducing risk of Type 2 diabetes, evidence clearly shows that the most important thing people can do is to maintain a healthy weight through eating a healthy balanced diet, along with taking regular physical activity. 

 



The reasons appeared to be connected to coffee’s ability to reduce insulin resistance



“For people who are already living with Type 2 diabetes this approach is also key to managing their condition well.” 

Emily Reeve, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation said: “Previous research suggests that drinking up to five cups of coffee a day is not harmful to your cardiovascular health, and this study supports that.”

She added: “But more research is needed to fully understand how coffee affects our body and what it is in coffee that may affect a person’s risk of heart attack or stroke.”

 

Health charities and research bodies in the UK gave a cautious welcome to the new findings