A new study says there's no need to feel guilty over four cups of coffee a day. Up to four cups of coffee a day is not harmful to your health, in fact it may even be beneficial, new research suggests.
An observational study of 20,000 Spanish residents has found an association between regular coffee consumption and a lower risk of premature death. The research, presented at the ESC (European Society of Cardiology) Congress in Barcelona this week, found the risk of early death was cut by nearly two-thirds among those who drank four cups of coffee every day.
“Our findings suggest that drinking four cups of coffee each day can be part of a healthy diet in healthy people,” lead researcher and cardiologist Adela Navarro said.
The study followed the health of 22,500 Spanish university graduates from 1999.
The average age of the participants was 37.7 years and each was required to answer a questionnaire to collect information on coffee consumption, lifestyle and sociodemographic characteristics, and previous health conditions.
Patients were followed-up for an average of 10 years. During the 10-year period, 337 participants died. The researchers found that participants who consumed at least four cups of coffee per day had a 64 per cent lower risk of “all-cause mortality” than those who never or almost never consumed coffee.
The older the person was the greater the benefit.
Dr Navarro said: “In the project we found an inverse association between drinking coffee and the risk of all-cause mortality, particularly in people aged 45 years and above. This may be due to a stronger protective association among older participants.”
Experienced dietitian Ben Desbrow, who is an Associate Professor in Sports Nutrition at Griffith University, says this is a large, long term study but all they’ve found is an association not a cause.
“There’s a big difference between something that is an association and something that’s a causation,” Dr Desbrow said.
“It could be that people who drink coffee on a regular basis take time out from work, have better social relationships; it could be a whole range of things that concur concurrently when people consume coffee.”
It could also suggest that a person who is consuming four cups of coffee a day is more affluent, which has been linked to better health, Dr Desbrow added.
“The take home message from this is that people shouldn’t be worried about using coffee in small to moderate doses,” he said.
Alarm bells should ring, however, once a person gets to a point where they can’t survive without coffee.
“Then you can suffer a range of consequences of caffeine over-exposure, whether it be altered sleep patterns or headaches if you don’t consume caffeine,” Dr Desbrow said.
-AAP
Disclaimer
This information is current as at 30/08/17.
This article has been prepared by Heart1Stop, a social media brand owned by Heart Mortgage Services and Heart Financial Advisers. The information contained in this article is an overview or summary only and it should not be considered a comprehensive statement on any matter nor relied upon as such. The views expressed here are not those of Heart1stop, Heart Mortgage Services, Heart Financial Advisers, shareholders, directors or staff and associated contractors and business associates. This article has been prepared without taking into account any person’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Because of this, you should, before acting on any information contained in this article, consider its appropriateness, having regard to your objectives, financial situation or needs. Any taxation information contained in this article is a general statement and should only be used as a guide. It does not constitute taxation advice and is based on current laws and their interpretation. Each individual’s situation may differ, and you should seek independent professional taxation advice on any taxation matters. While the information contained in this article may contain or be based on information obtained from sources believed to be reliable, it may not have been independently verified. Where information contained in this publication contains material provided directly by third parties it is given in good faith and has been derived from sources believed to be accurate at its issue date. It is not the intention of Heart1Stop or Heart Mortgage Services and Heart Financial Advisers that this publication be used as the primary source of readers’ information but as an adjunct to their own resources and training. To the maximum extent permitted by law: no guarantee, representation or warranty is given that any information or advice in this publication is complete, accurate, up to date or fit for any purpose; and no party of Heart1Stop or associated entities as mentioned is in any way liable to you (including for negligence) in respect of any reliance upon such information. This article may also contain links to websites operated by third parties ("Third Parties") who are not related to Heart1Stop. These links are provided for convenience only and do not represent any endorsement or approval by us.
