Science says coffee drinkers live longer
TL;DR: Which causes what is unknown, but people who drink 3 cups of coffee per day are healthier and live for an average 1.84 extra years - according to a metanalysis of 85 previously published studies.
A new article in Ageing Research Reviews reports on the results of research by Cátia R. Lopes and Rodrigo Cunha from the University of Coimbra's Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology.
In this paper, the researchers describe their review of 85 prior studies with hundreds of thousands of participants covering the globe across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia. In particular, the researchers looked for findings that delved into the relationship between coffee drinking, health indicators and mortality.
According to Cunha,
We know that the world’s population is aging faster than ever, which is why it’s increasingly important to explore dietary interventions which may allow people to not only live longer but also healthier lives.
Traditional clinical recommendations have at times overlooked coffee’s role in healthy aging, but with a strong research base around how regular consumption can potentially reduce some of the most chronic diseases facing society, it is likely time to re-evaluate these.
In their review, along with nearly 2 years of extra life, the researchers found that moderate coffee drinkers (3 cups per day) also enjoy preserved functioning of immune systems, cognitive ability, cardiovascular systems, and muscles. Moderate coffee drinkers also exhibited a decreased likelihood for things like diabetes, stroke, dementia, respiratory disease, major depression, some forms of cancer, and other diseases/disorders.
Although past research has observed a gender-bias in the health-effects of coffee, this research found that male and female coffee drinkers all exhibit some improvements in health and longevity. Coffee is normally associated with caffeine, but the press release notes that other factors might also be in play:
While coffee is most commonly associated with its caffeine content, it also includes a mixture of over 2,000 potentially bioactive compounds. Polyphenol components may provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, with roles including reducing neuroinflammation or regulating insulin sensitivity.
While both caffeine and non-caffeine components of coffee can help extend healthy lifespan, there is still much we don’t know about the exact mechanisms behind the role these components play. The authors highlight the strong potential for a wealth of further research on coffee’s health benefits in this field.
As with all research (and especially dietary research, IMO), the study also has weaknesses. The researchers tried to adjust for things like smoking and alcohol consumption, but there are many other factors in the complexity of human life that would be difficult to control for. Additionally, many of the underlying studies relied on self-reporting of coffee consumption, and the methodology doesn't allow the researchers to determine the direction of causality, even if there is a causal relationship.
In closing, I'll just say that I drink a pot or two of coffee each day, so I'm expecting to live to be 150😉.
Source:
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Steve Palmer is an IT professional with three decades of professional experience in data communications and information systems. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics, a master's degree in computer science, and a master's degree in information systems and technology management. He has been awarded 3 US patents.
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Interesting findings! It’s fascinating how something as simple as coffee drinking can potentially impact longevity and overall health. The breadth of benefits highlighted — immune, cognitive, cardiovascular, and more — suggests that coffee is more than just a morning pick-me-up.
However, the uncertainty around causation and the reliance on self-reported data remind us that the findings should be taken with a grain of salt (or sugar, for coffee lovers 😉). It will be interesting to see how further research dives deeper into these 2,000+ bioactive compounds and uncovers what makes coffee such a potential health powerhouse.
As for me, I don’t drink coffee (sorry)! ☕
Looks like my daily coffee habit just got a scientific upgrade from 'necessary vice' to 'longevity hack.' It’s fascinating how something so common could have such powerful effects. Coffee's potential benefits on longevity and health are intriguing, but as always, moderation and further research are key.
I would like to believe that 😃. I wonder if I will live 3.68 years longer if I drink 6 cups of coffee a day? 😆
I think the biggest problem of such studies is this:
I think all these countries have a more or less high level of access to medicine. The results could be different if they were held somewhere in South Sudan, Burundi or Chad.
Despite some skepticism in my comment, I believe that this study used a scientific analytical approach and I have no doubt that the results have a right to exist. Moreover, these results are beneficial to me and I am completely satisfied 😃
I was also skeptical, but I was thinking about lifestyle. I was thinking that people doing manual work like construction workers and farmers may not have the time available to drink threee cups of coffee per day (In the US, farming is actually the most deadly occupation per-capita - or at least that was true a few years ago). In contrast, desk-workers can drink coffee while we work.
So, in general, I was guessing that there are lifestyle differences that cause both the differences in health and coffee consumption.
Your point about geography is also a good one. I've seen several articles on the topic that many scientific studies are biased by their reliance on "WEIRD" research subjects (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic). It's easy to believe that these underlying studies were, too.