Plenty of health benefits are brewing in America’s beloved beverage.
Want a drug that could lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s
disease, and colon cancer? That could lift your mood and treat headaches? That
could lower your risk of cavities?
If it sounds too good to be true, think again.
Coffee, the much maligned but undoubtedly beloved beverage,
just made headlines for possibly cutting the risk of the latest disease
epidemic, type 2 diabetes. And the real news seems to be that the more you
drink, the better.
Reducing Disease Risk
After analyzing data on
126,000 people for as long as 18 years, Harvard researchers calculate that
compared with not partaking in America’s favorite morning drink, downing one to
three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by single
digits. But having six cups or more each day slashed men’s risk by 54% and
women’s by 30% over java avoiders.
Though the scientists give the
customary "more research is needed" before they recommend you do
overtime at Starbuck’s to specifically prevent diabetes, their findings are
very similar to those in a less-publicized Dutch study. And perhaps more
importantly, it’s the latest of hundreds of studies suggesting that coffee may
be something of a health food — especially in higher amounts.
In recent decades, some 19,000
studies have been done examining coffee’s impact on health. And for the most
part, their results are as pleasing as a gulp of freshly brewed Breakfast Blend
for the 108 million Americans who routinely enjoy this traditionally morning –
and increasingly daylong — ritual. In practical terms, regular coffee drinkers
include the majority of U.S. adults and a growing number of
children.
"Overall, the research
shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful," says Tomas
DePaulis, PhD, research scientist at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for
Coffee Studies, which conducts its own medical research and tracks coffee
studies from around the world. "For most people, very little bad comes from
drinking it, but a lot of good."
Consider this: At least six
studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80%
less likely to develop Parkinson’s, with three showing the more 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% reduced risk of colon cancer, an
80% drop in liver cirrhosis risk,
and
nearly half the risk of gallstones.
Coffee even offsets some of
the damage caused by other vices, some research indicates. "People who
smoke and are heavy drinkers have less heart disease and liver damage when they
regularly consume large amounts of coffee compared to those who don’t,"
says DePaulis.
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.
Reducing Disease Risk continued…
Is it the caffeine? The oodles
of antioxidants in coffee beans, some of which become especially potent during
the roasting process? Even other mysterious properties that warrant this
intensive study?
Actually, yes.
Some of coffee’s reported
benefits are a direct result of its higher caffeine content: An eight ounce cup
of drip-brewed coffee contains about 85 mg — about three and a half times more
than the same serving of tea or cola or one ounce of chocolate.
"The evidence is very
strong that regular coffee consumption reduces risk of Parkinson’s disease and
for that, it’s directly related to caffeine," DePaulis tells WebMD. "In
fact, Parkinson’s drugs are now being developed that contain a derivative of
caffeine based on this evidence."
Caffeine is also what helps in
treating asthma and headaches. Though not widely publicized, a single dose of
pain reliever such as Anacin or Excedrin contains up to 120 milligrams –
what’s in a hefty mug o’ Joe.
Boost to Athleticism
It’s also caffeine — and not coffee, per se — that makes java
a powerful aid in enhancing athletic endurance and performance, says
physiologist and longtime coffee researcher
Terry Graham, PhD, of the University of Guelph in Canada. So powerful, in fact,
that until recently, caffeine in coffee or other forms was deemed a
"controlled" substance by the Olympic Games Committee, meaning that it
could be consumed only in small, designated amounts by competing
athletes.
"What caffeine likely does is stimulate
the brain and nervous system to do things differently," he tells WebMD.
"That may include signaling you to ignore fatigue or recruit extra units of
muscle for intense athletic performance. Caffeine may even have a direct effect
on muscles themselves, causing them to produce a stronger contraction. But
what’s amazing about it is that unlike some performance-enhancing manipulation
some athletes do that are specific for strength or sprinting or endurance,
studies show that caffeine positively enhances all of these
things."
How does this brew affect
growing minds and bodies? Very nicely, it seems, says DePaulis. Coffee, as you
probably know, makes you more alert, which can boost concentration. But claims
that it improves a child’s academic performance can be exaggerated.
Coffee-drinking kids may do better on school tests because they’re more awake,
but most task-to-task lab studies suggest that coffee doesn’t really improve
mental performance, says DePaulis.
But it helps kids’ minds in
another way. "There recently was a study from Brazil finding that children
who drink coffee with milk each day are less likely to have depression than
other children," he tells WebMD. "In fact, no studies show that coffee
in reasonable amounts is in any way harmful to children."
On the flip side, it’s clear
that coffee isn’t for everyone. Its legendary jolt in
excess doses — that is, more than whatever your individual body can tolerate
– can increase nervousness, hand trembling, and cause rapid heartbeat. Coffee
may also raise cholesterol levels in some people and may contribute to artery
clogging. But most recent large studies show no significant adverse effects on
most healthy people, although pregnant women, heart patients, and those at risk
for osteoporosis may still be advised to limit or avoid
coffee.
Boost to Athleticism continued…
The bottom
line:
"People who already
drink a lot of coffee don’t have to feel ‘guilty’ as long as coffee does not
affect their daily life," says Hu. "They may actually benefit from
coffee habits in the long run."
In other words, consume enough caffeine — whether it’s from coffee or
another source — and you will likely run faster, last longer and be stronger.
What’s enough? As little as one cup can offer some benefit, but the real impact
comes from at least two mugs, says Graham. By comparison, it’d take at least
eight glasses of cola to get the same effect, which isn’t exactly conducive for
running a marathon.
But the harder you exercise, the more benefit you may get from coffee.
"Unfortunately, where you see the enhancing effects from caffeine is in
hard-working athletes, who are able to work longer and somewhat harder,"
says Graham, who has studied the effects of caffeine and coffee for nearly two
decades. "If you a recreational athlete who is working out to reduce weight
or just feel better, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough to get an athletic
benefit from coffee or other caffeinated products."
But you can get other benefits
from coffee that have nothing to do with caffeine. "Coffee is loaded with
antioxidants, including a group of compounds called quinines that when
administered to lab rats, increases their insulin sensitivity" he tells
WebMD. This increased sensitivity improves the body’s
response to insulin.
That may explain why in that
new Harvard study, those drinking decaf coffee but not tea beverages also
showed a reduced diabetes risk, though it was half as much as those drinking
caffeinated coffee.
"We don’t know exactly why
coffee is beneficial for diabetes," lead researcher Frank Hu, MD, tells
WebMD. "It is possible that both caffeine and other compounds play
important roles. Coffee has large amounts of antioxidants such as chlorogenic
acid and tocopherols, and minerals such as magnesium. All these components have
been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose
metabolism."
Meanwhile, Italian researchers
credit another compound called trigonelline, which gives coffee its aroma and
bitter taste, for having both antibacterial and anti-adhesive properties to
help prevent dental cavities from forming. There are other theories for other
conditions.
