Coffee drinkers may live longer than people who do not take caffeine. A new study showed that coffee contains protective health advantages and can prevent the occurrence of various diseases.
New research published in the American Heart Association journal, Circulation, showed that people who drink coffee reduced their risk of deaths from cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, neurological disease and suicide. The study monitored the coffee-drinking practices of several adults in the United States and found that those who drank moderate amounts of coffee, or less than five cups per day, were more likely to live longer. The research team studied data on three big studies which involved close to 168,000 women and more than 40,000 men. The subjects were questioned on their coffee-drinking habits every four years for a total of 30 years.
Generally, the researchers discovered that coffee drinkers were more likely to be smokers and alcohol drinkers too. To focus on coffee-drinking habits, the team repeated their study on individuals who never smoked. They found that the health benefits of coffee consumption on risk of death from long-term illnesses were even greater.
The protective health benefits of coffee were found in both regular and decaffeinated coffee consumers, which means that the advantages are not delivered only by caffeine, but also by other naturally occurring chemical compounds that coffee beans contain.
"Previous studies show that chemical compounds in coffee beans reduce insulin resistance and systematic inflammation. This may account for the inverse association between coffee and mortality.” said Dr. Ming Ding, the study's first author and a doctoral student at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in a CBS News report.
Although the recent findings are not conclusive, the data sourced from a very huge population for a very long time with very consistent results can greatly suggest that coffee indeed offers a number of health benefits and can prevent various diseases. ABC News revealed that the study did not prove a definite cause-and-effect between coffee drinking and the likelihood of particular diseases, but provided a clear link that can pave the way for future studies. Ming noted that bioactive compounds in coffee can lower insulin resistance and system inflammation. More research is needed to determine the biological mechanisms that produce such results.
Experts, however, warned that certain individuals should limit coffee intake, such as children and pregnant women. They also warned about the negative effects of the added ingredients like sweeteners, sugar and cream.
More updates on caffeine benefits are expected soon.