The Health Benefits Of Coffee: A Few Studies

There is growing evidence that drinking coffee might reduce your risk for cancers, like liver, prostate, breast, colorectal, and possibly endometrial. New studies link coffee consumption with decreased risk for liver, prostate, and colorectal cancers.

Studies have shown that individuals who consume up to eight cups of coffee a day are associated with a 14% lower risk of dying prematurely than individuals who consume no coffee. Many factors contribute, but drinking coffee has generally been linked with lower risks of colon and liver cancer and lower risks of respiratory diseases, stroke, and diabetes. 

In 2014, researchers collecting data from more than 48,000 people found that those who increased their coffee intake by at least a cup a day for four years had an 11% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who did not increase their consumption. More importantly, a study on more than 21,000 people also found that increased coffee intake was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of heart failure. For instance, one review of 40 studies concluded that drinking two to four cups of coffee daily was associated with a lower risk of death, independent of factors such as age, body mass, and alcohol intake.

For women, drinking at least one cup of coffee daily was associated with a lower risk of stroke, the fourth leading cause of female mortality. Female participants in one public health study were 17% more likely to meet physical activity goals when drinking 1 -2 cups of coffee each day than participants who had a single cup or less each day. Those who increased their coffee consumption by more than a cup per day during the four years had an 11 % lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes; those who decreased consumption by a cup a day had a 17% higher risk of developing the disease.

A more extensive study with 500,000 participants found that 1-3 cups of coffee reduced the risk for all types of chronic liver disease. For example, one study found that drinking more than two cups of coffee a day was associated with fewer liver scarring and cancer cases among those with hepatic cirrhosis (20).

A research review found drinking coffee was associated with preventing cognitive decline, including reduced risk for Alzheimer's and dementia. Numerous studies examine the connection between drinking coffee and protecting against neurodegenerative diseases like dementia and Alzheimers, including papers published in 2010, 2011, and 2015.

Another study, published in the 17 June 2008 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that women who consumed coffee had lower mortality rates due to cancer, heart disease, and other factors, thus contributing to longer life spans. Yet another study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that coffee drinkers had less risk of dying prematurely from diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

A meta-analysis in 2017 concluded that individuals who drink between four and six cups a day of either caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee seem to be at lower risk for metabolic syndrome, including type-2 diabetes. Their consumption was associated with reduced risks for various conditions, including Parkinson's, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, depression, suicide, cirrhosis, liver cancer, melanoma, and prostate cancer. A 2018 review found your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes decreased when you compare the group of individuals who consumed a lot of coffee--median 5 cups a day--to those who consumed little--median 0 cups a day--, and that was true regardless of whether or not the coffee consumed was caffeinated.

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