Health Benefits Of Coffee: Up To 3 Cups A Day May Be Good For You

It’s official: there appear to be major health benefits of coffee!

Researchers have set out to determine the health benefits of coffee as well as the potential health risks associated with coffee consumption through numerous studies.

A study recently published in the British Medical Journal titled “Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes” may be the most powerful and important study yet.

Coffee consumption and health

I’d like to start with a few basics about this article before we discuss what the researchers found.

Researchers from the University of Southampton performed an umbrella review, a specific type of analysis. In an umbrella review researchers search, examine, and combine all data from already published meta-analysis studies. Taking a step back, a meta-analysis is a type of scientific study that combines data from numerous prior scientific studies.

So putting all of this together–the study we are talking about is a compilation of a TON of prior research examining coffee and health outcomes.

Cause or Correlation?

I would like to point out another very important thing about this research.

In scientific and medical research there are two basic approaches: observational and interventional research. In observational research scientists observe something as it is happening or after it has already happened. On the other hand interventional research (commonly called randomized controlled trials) occurs when a researcher changes the environment and watches what happens as a result.

Here’s are examples to compare the difference:

1. Observational study: I observe 1,000 people by grouping them into coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers. I then examine what kind of health problems each person was and examine if there are differences between the two groups.
2. Interventional study: I take 1,000 people that don’t currently drink coffee and assign 500 of them to start drinking 3 cups of coffee a day while the other group continues to not drink coffee. I then measure different health outcomes between each group.

There’s a reason for this much explanation. There is a huge difference between these types of studies and what the results mean.

Interventional studies show causation. “Coffee causes a lower risk of stroke” would be an example.

Observational studies cannot show causation and instead show a correlation or association. “Coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of stroke” would be an example of a result of an observational study.

Almost all studies that examine the health benefits of coffee are observational studies. So basically all of what I’m about to tell you is an association.

However, I believe some of these are very strong and meaningful associations and health benefits.  So lets get out of the weeds of scientific research and talk about how coffee is keeping you awake, happy, and alive!

Health Benefits of Coffee

Coffee consumption is associated with a 10% lower risk of death by all causes. The largest benefit occurs with the consumption of 3 cups of coffee a day. However, the data demonstrates a benefit with up to 7 cups a day!

Compared to non-coffee drinkers, coffee drinkers were less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular benefits include the following:

1. 19% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease
2. 16% lower risk of death from coronary artery disease
3. 30% lower risk of death from stroke

Coffee drinkers had a decreased risk of developing and dying from a number of cancers including liver cancer, prostate cancer, endometrial cancer, melanoma, oral cancer, etc.

Some of the most consistent and convincing health benefits occur in the area of liver health. The data demonstrates clear and significant reduced risk of developing a variety of liver diseases.

1. 29% lower risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
2. 27% lower risk of liver fibrosis
3. 39% lower risk of cirrhosis

Coffee drinkers had a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and gallstone disease.

Coffee drinkers had better neurological health outcomes.  Benefits include a reduced risk of depression, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease!

Health Risks of Coffee

What about the risks associated with coffee?  It can’t be all good can it?

Well…according to this new, large and powerful study it basically is all good.

The researchers of this study observed only two health risks associated with coffee.

1. There is consistent evidence that high levels of coffee consumption are associated with harmful outcomes in pregnancy. Pregnancy loss, preterm labor, and low birth weight were all associated with high levels of coffee consumption. However, pregnant women who consumed small to moderate amounts of coffee did not experience similar adverse outcomes. Thus, a cup of coffee a day in pregnancy is probably okay.
2. There is a questionable increased risk of fracture associated with high levels of coffee consumption. However, coffee drinkers who consumed small amounts of coffee did not experience an increased risk of fracture. Additionally, this risk was only seen in women.

Conclusion

The health benefits of coffee appear significant.

Coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of death, cardiovascular disease, stroke, a number of cancers, liver disease, diabetes, gallstones, depression, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

The risks associated with coffee consumption only seem to present at high levels of consumption and include a variety of pregnancy complications and a slight increased risk of fracture in women.

We still don’t know if coffee consumption causes these health benefits or if these are just associations. Hopefully, future research can help shed some light on this topic. However, there are a number of healthy, antioxidant and cancer-fighting compounds in coffee, which could explain these health benefits.

It’s about time for me to make my 3rd cup of coffee for the day.

Cheers to your health friends!

 

[I have included the link to the original article from the British Medical Journal here if you would like to read the article.]