Coffee's Numerous Health Benefits Detailed in New Analysis

By Amy Orciari Herman

Edited by Susan Sadoughi, MD, and André Sofair, MD, MPH

Coffee consumption — in particular, several cups daily — is associated with a wide range of health benefits, according to an umbrella review of meta-analyses in The BMJ.

The review included over 200 meta-analyses of observational or interventional research into coffee consumption and health outcomes in adults. Among the benefits:

Daily consumption of 3 cups of coffee — regular or decaffeinated — was associated with a 17% lower risk for all-cause mortality, relative to no coffee consumption.

Caffeinated coffee was linked to lower risks for cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke, with benefits highest at 3–5 cups daily.

Caffeinated coffee was associated with lower risks for cancer and liver conditions.

Both regular and decaf coffee appeared to lower risk for type 2 diabetes.

In terms of harms, high coffee consumption in pregnancy was tied to pregnancy loss, low birth weight, and preterm birth. High consumption was also associated with higher fracture risk in women, but not men.

An editorialist writes: "The evidence is so robust and consistent ... that we can be reassured that drinking coffee is generally safe." He adds, however, that pregnant women and those at high fracture risk should be educated about possible adverse effects.

Coffee Can Be Part of a Healthy Diet

Paul S. Mueller, MD, MPH, FACP reviewing Poole R et al. BMJ 2017 Nov 22.

Moderate coffee drinking lowered relative risk for cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Coffee contains more than 1000 bioactive compounds — some with potential health benefits (e.g., antioxidants). In this review of meta-analyses of observational and interventional studies, researchers evaluated the evidence for associations between coffee consumption and multiple health outcomes. About 200 meta-analyses of observational research and 17 meta-analyses of randomized trials were included in the review.

Overall, coffee consumption across a range of exposures (i.e., high vs. low or any vs. none) was associated more often with benefit than with harm. The largest relative risk reductions occurred at 3 to 4 cups of caffeinated coffee daily (vs. none) for all-cause death (17% lower), cardiovascular-related death (19% lower), and cardiovascular disease (15% lower); similar results were obtained for decaffeinated coffee. Risk for cancer was 18% lower for high versus low coffee consumption and 13% lower for any versus no coffee consumption. Coffee consumption also was associated with lower risk for specific cancers (e.g., melanoma, prostate cancer, liver cancer), neurological diseases (e.g., Parkinson disease), type 2 diabetes, hepatic cirrhosis, and other diseases. However, coffee consumption was associated with some adverse outcomes of pregnancy (e.g., pregnancy loss, preterm birth, low birth weight) and excess risk for fracture in women.


COMMENT
In this comprehensive analysis, coffee consumption was associated with lower relative risks for numerous health outcomes. As noted by an editorialist, clinicians should not recommend coffee consumption based on this review. Rather, this analysis indicates that coffee consumption is safe and can be incorporated as part of a healthy diet by most adults. It also suggests pregnant women and, perhaps, women at risk for fracture should avoid coffee consumption. Notably, sugar, cream, and other ingredients that are often added to coffee might negate the health benefits of the coffee itself.

Been on this train for a long time.
Almost always skip the sugar and cream, but have been drinking 'bulletproof' coffee for several years now with an organic butter and MCT oil blended in. As well as occasionally adding in a collagen protein.

But us coffee lovers always knew it was good for us!

nice to learn about some possible positive results from drinking coffee, but i've never consumed it for that reason. i like the flavor of "plain" coffee. been drinking it black since i was 15.

What do you mean with "bulletproof" coffee? Black and strong? Why do you add butter? It sounds interesting. What about the other ingredients? Why do you like that way?

I use to drink black with a little bit of milk, no sugar, 3 cups a day, before 11:00am.

https://blog.bulletproof.com/how-to-...r-morning-too/

I don't use bulletproof branded beans or any of the other branded extras he sells but I follow the same recipe.

Lots of interesting health related info on that site too.

What is that! A coffee with a blender! I'm getting old! I remember the days when coffee was coffee.
I'd like to try the butter and the Brain Octane Oil, but that's all, the blender's too much.
I've seen other interesting recipes in that webpage. Interesting.

Further Support for an Inverse Relation Between Coffee Drinking and Mortality

Thomas L. Schwenk, MD reviewing Loftfield E et al. JAMA Intern Med 2018 Jul 2

Mortality was lower across all levels of intake, regardless of genetic influences on caffeine metabolism.

Most studies have shown an inverse relation between coffee consumption and mortality (e.g., NEJM JW Gen Med Jan 15 2018 and BMJ 2017; 359:j5024). However, some variations in this relation could be related to genetic polymorphisms. In this U.K. study, researchers used a population-based set of genetic, behavioral, and clinical data in about 500,000 participants who were followed to assess coffee intake and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Analyses were adjusted for a wide range of clinical and demographic variables, including smoking and alcohol intake.

During median follow-up of 7 years, about 14,000 people died. The relative reduction in all-cause mortality among the 78% of participants who were coffee drinkers varied from 6% to 16% for various levels of daily intake, from <1 to ≥8 cups. Similar relative reductions were found for mortality due to cardiovascular disease and cancer. There was no relationship between mortality and various combinations of polymorphisms in four genetic loci that influenced caffeine metabolism.

COMMENT
Clinicians can be reasonably reassuring to patients about the benefits of coffee drinking across a wide range of intake and regardless of potential genetic differences in caffeine metabolism. This study exemplifies the value of large population-based databases that integrate genetic and clinical information.

As a thoroughly addicted coffee lover, I'm sure all the research was funded by the coffee growers cartel...

[QUOTE=Thai;2884921]Coffee Can Be Part of a Healthy Diet

Paul S. Mueller, MD, MPH, FACP reviewing Poole R et al. BMJ 2017 Nov 22.

Moderate coffee drinking lowered relative risk for cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

* I agree, I think being a coffee nut has helped my blood work over the years even though in other ways weight and such would typically sway me the bad way. I prefer it cold, but dark and "could" drink 32 oz or more easily (minus where cost gets in the way)

I would be careful...IF you’re using coconut oil:

https://nypost.com/2018/08/21/harvar...s-pure-poison/

https://nypost.com/2017/06/16/coconu...-butter-study/

Coffee and Tachyarrhythmias: Where's the Evidence?

Andrew S. Parsons, MD, MPH, reviewing Kim E et al. JAMA Intern Med 2021 Jul 19

A large, prospective study suggests that habitual coffee intake isn't associated with excess risk for cardiac arrhythmias.

The notion that caffeine confers risk for cardiac arrhythmias is common and is included in multiple professional society guidelines. However, this hypothesis is based on an assumed biological mechanism and inadequate evidence from clinical research.

In this study, researchers prospectively followed almost 400,000 middle-aged people (age range, 40–69 at baseline) for 12 years. Coffee use was tracked by questionnaires; incident atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia, premature atrial complexes, and premature ventricular complexes were determined from medical record reviews. After adjustment for demographics, medical conditions, educational level, smoking status, alcohol and tea consumption, and physical activity, each additional cup of coffee consumed daily was associated with 3% lower risk for arrhythmia. A separate Mendelian randomization study revealed no significant association between differing caffeine metabolism profiles and risk for arrhythmia.

COMMENT
Coffee consumption recently has been linked to lower risks for cancer, diabetes, Parkinson disease, and overall mortality. Given that the clinical portion of the current study was observational, we might not be ready to accept its finding that coffee consumption actually protects against arrhythmias, but it does provide reassurance — supported by the findings in the caffeine-metabolism analysis — that consumption is not harmful. In sum, this study should provide reassurance to patients who enjoy drinking coffee.

I like coffee. Brazilian coffee, made in a Bialetti.

I've always been wary of coffee studies. It's such big business and the studies are always sponsored by coffee business. I do love making my French press everyday though, it's truly a meditative experience.