Drink coffee, live longer?

Call us biased, but we think there’s a little bit of magic in coffee – it’s the skip in your step, your get-up-and go, that afternoon pick-me-up…

Yet, time and time again people fear the worst and limit their coffee consumption for health reasons.
Now two new international research studies have revealed that the world’s most popular beverage may in fact have a positive impact on your life – even extending it.

More than 700,000 people were involved in the studies across Europe and the US, with the final stats suggesting that individuals who consumed coffee were less likely to die early from diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, kidney disease and more.

The first nutrition study followed 520,000 people for an average of 16 years across 10 European countries, with coffee-consuming men in that group 12 per cent, and women 7 per cent less likely to die early compared to people who avoided coffee completely.

The second study following the health habits of more than 180,000 Americans over 16 years had similar results with the risk of death reducing by 12 per cent for people who drank a daily cup of coffee, and by up to 18 per cent for people who drank two to three cups per day.

Life expectancy aside, the research also note coffee consumption was associated with improvements in liver function, blood sugar and inflammation.

But is there a thing as too much coffee? Well, the same researchers say that up until about five cups per day, you don’t need to worry. But for those wanting to limit their caffeine intake - experts believe that the antioxidant plant compounds in coffee rather than caffeine are responsible for the life-extending-effect, with decaf appearing to have the same health benefits.

We’ll note that the studies are simply observational - meaning they can't establish cause and effect. So, while no one can say based on the data that drinking more coffee will definitely extend your life, we’d sure like to believe that coffee is a magic as we think it is!

*Statistics and information taken from two studies published July 10 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, consult your physician with any concerns.