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For years, we’ve been warned about the health risks associated with coffee and, more specifically, caffeine. Coffee has been blamed for a range of risks, everything from heart disease and arrhythmia to cancer and osteoporosis.
But as it turns out, we may need to give coffee a break. Studies have found that coffee poses very little risk for most people, and appears to actually offer some surprising health benefits, including lowering the risk of diabetes and certain types of cancer, and beneficial treatment effects for headaches, Parkinson’s disease and depression, just to name a few.
In recent decades, over 20,000 studies have been done examining coffee’s impact on health. And for the most part, the research shows that coffee is more healthful than it is harmful. No one would suggest that coffee be classified as a ‘health food,’ but we are finding that we may not need to be as concerned about health risks associated with coffee as we once were.
After analyzing data on 126,000 people for as long as 18 years, Harvard researchers calculate that compared with non-coffee drinkers, those who drink one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by single digits.
At least six studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80 percent less likely to develop Parkinson’s, with three showing themore they drink, the lower the risk. Other research shows that compared to not drinking coffee, at least two cups daily can translate to a 25 percent reduced risk of colon cancer, an 80 percent drop in liver cirrhosis risk, and nearly half the risk of gallstones. There’s also some evidence that coffee may help manage asthma and even control attacks when medication is unavailable, stop a headache, boost mood, and even prevent cavities.
The widely accepted belief about caffeine and cognitive function is also proving to be true. Studies found volunteers who drank caffeinated coffee in the morning performed better than nondrinkers on tests that involved learning new information. And another study found that attention, psychomotor skills, and long-term memory all improved during the few hours after volunteers drank caffeinated beverages.
So why was all the concern about health risks from coffee – primarily caffeine content – in the past? One cup of coffee contains about 100 milligrams of caffeine, which is enough to give infrequent coffee drinkers a potent kick. Half an hour after a good strong cup, a coffee drinker’s resting metabolic rate, the number of calories burned just sitting quietly, increases by as much as 10 percent. Blood pressure climbs, heart rate accelerates and breathing speeds up.
However, regular coffee drinkers quickly develop a tolerance to caffeine. Research has found that after a week or two, they typically don’t see much change, if any, in their blood pressure, and habitual coffee drinkers are no more likely tosuffer from hypertension than people who never pour a cup. Even patients with irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmia, don’t seem to be troubled by caffeine. Nor does coffee appear to increase the risk of heart disease.
Several other coffee alarms have turned out to be false. A few years back, headlines warned about a possible link between coffee and breast cancer and between coffee and osteoporosis. But numerous studies have found no link between coffee consumption and either disease. And what about the old wives tale that says children shouldn’t drink coffee because it will stunt their growth? No studies show that coffee in reasonable amounts is in any way harmful to children.
The bottom line: Coffee seems to be harmless for most people, but that doesn’t mean you should treat it as a health food, and for some people, coffee may still be ill-advised. Excess caffeine – more than whatever your individual body can tolerate – can increase nervousness, hand trembling, and cause rapid heartbeat in some people. Coffee may also raise cholesterol levels in certain individuals. Check with your doctor, who may also advise you to avoid coffee if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you’ve had a heart attack or take heart medications such as beta-blockers or theophylline (caffeine plus these drugs amplifies central-nervous-system stimulation). Because caffeine is a stimulant, it can worsen sleep problems like insomnia. And if you’re feeling anxious or depressed, it’s worth easing up on the caffeine, which can intensify symptoms.
If you’re not a coffee drinker, don’t take up the habit for its possible health benefits. That’s not what medical experts are saying at all. There are other healthy habits that can provide the same benefit without the caffeine. Overall, most experts agree that moderate coffee drinking is defined as less than four to five cups a day depending upon one’s build and size. People who already drink a lot of coffee don’t have to worry or feel guilty about their coffee consumption as long as coffee does not affect their daily life, and the fact that they may actually benefit from coffee habits in the long-run is just an added bonus.
By Jody George, MD, family medicine physician with The Family Care Center of SWLA and member of the medical staff of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital
For years, we’ve been warned about the health risks associated with coffee and, more specifically, caffeine. Coffee has been blamed for a range of risks, everything from heart disease and arrhythmia to cancer and osteoporosis.
But as it turns out, we may need to give coffee a break. Studies have found that coffee poses very little risk for most people, and appears to actually offer some surprising health benefits, including lowering the risk of diabetes and certain types of cancer, and beneficial treatment effects for headaches, Parkinson’s disease and depression, just to name a few.
In recent decades, over 20,000 studies have been done examining coffee’s impact on health. And for the most part, the research shows that coffee is more healthful than it is harmful. No one would suggest that coffee be classified as a ‘health food,’ but we are finding that we may not need to be as concerned about health risks associated with coffee as we once were.
After analyzing data on 126,000 people for as long as 18 years, Harvard researchers calculate that compared with non-coffee drinkers, those who drink one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by single digits.
At least six studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80 percent less likely to develop Parkinson’s, with three showing themore they drink, the lower the risk. Other research shows that compared to not drinking coffee, at least two cups daily can translate to a 25 percent reduced risk of colon cancer, an 80 percent drop in liver cirrhosis risk, and nearly half the risk of gallstones. There’s also some evidence that coffee may help manage asthma and even control attacks when medication is unavailable, stop a headache, boost mood, and even prevent cavities.
The widely accepted belief about caffeine and cognitive function is also proving to be true. Studies found volunteers who drank caffeinated coffee in the morning performed better than nondrinkers on tests that involved learning new information. And another study found that attention, psychomotor skills, and long-term memory all improved during the few hours after volunteers drank caffeinated beverages.
So why was all the concern about health risks from coffee – primarily caffeine content – in the past? One cup of coffee contains about 100 milligrams of caffeine, which is enough to give infrequent coffee drinkers a potent kick. Half an hour after a good strong cup, a coffee drinker’s resting metabolic rate, the number of calories burned just sitting quietly, increases by as much as 10 percent. Blood pressure climbs, heart rate accelerates and breathing speeds up.
However, regular coffee drinkers quickly develop a tolerance to caffeine. Research has found that after a week or two, they typically don’t see much change, if any, in their blood pressure, and habitual coffee drinkers are no more likely tosuffer from hypertension than people who never pour a cup. Even patients with irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmia, don’t seem to be troubled by caffeine. Nor does coffee appear to increase the risk of heart disease.
Several other coffee alarms have turned out to be false. A few years back, headlines warned about a possible link between coffee and breast cancer and between coffee and osteoporosis. But numerous studies have found no link between coffee consumption and either disease. And what about the old wives tale that says children shouldn’t drink coffee because it will stunt their growth? No studies show that coffee in reasonable amounts is in any way harmful to children.
The bottom line: Coffee seems to be harmless for most people, but that doesn’t mean you should treat it as a health food, and for some people, coffee may still be ill-advised. Excess caffeine – more than whatever your individual body can tolerate – can increase nervousness, hand trembling, and cause rapid heartbeat in some people. Coffee may also raise cholesterol levels in certain individuals. Check with your doctor, who may also advise you to avoid coffee if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you’ve had a heart attack or take heart medications such as beta-blockers or theophylline (caffeine plus these drugs amplifies central-nervous-system stimulation). Because caffeine is a stimulant, it can worsen sleep problems like insomnia. And if you’re feeling anxious or depressed, it’s worth easing up on the caffeine, which can intensify symptoms.
If you’re not a coffee drinker, don’t take up the habit for its possible health benefits. That’s not what medical experts are saying at all. There are other healthy habits that can provide the same benefit without the caffeine. Overall, most experts agree that moderate coffee drinking is defined as less than four to five cups a day depending upon one’s build and size. People who already drink a lot of coffee don’t have to worry or feel guilty about their coffee consumption as long as coffee does not affect their daily life, and the fact that they may actually benefit from coffee habits in the long-run is just an added bonus.
By Jody George, MD, family medicine physician with The Family Care Center of SWLA and member of the medical staff of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital
