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WASHINGTON — A new study suggests that your morning brew might be doing more than just perking you up — it could be protecting you from a range of serious heart conditions. Researchers working with the Endocrine Society have found that drinking a moderate amount of coffee is associated with a lower risk of developing multiple cardiometabolic diseases. In simpler terms, your daily cup of coffee (or three) might help ward off conditions like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
“Consuming three cups of coffee, or 200-300 mg caffeine, per day might help to reduce the risk of developing cardiometabolic multimorbidity in individuals without any cardiometabolic disease,” says Dr. Chaofu Ke, the lead author of the study from Suzhou Medical College in China, in a media release.
So, what exactly is cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CM)? It’s a scientific term for having two or more cardiometabolic diseases at the same time. Think of it as a domino effect in your body — when one health issue triggers another and then another. As the general population gets older and older, CM is becoming an increasing concern for public health experts.
The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, didn’t just look at a handful of coffee drinkers. It drew from the UK Biobank, a massive health study that followed over 500,000 British adults. After excluding participants with unreliable information about their caffeine intake, the researchers ended up with a whopping 172,315 individuals for their caffeine study and 188,091 for their coffee and tea consumption analysis.
Compared to those who consumed little to no caffeine (less than 100mg per day), moderate coffee drinkers (3 cups per day) had a 48.1% lower risk of developing cardiometabolic multimorbidity. Similarly, those who consumed 200-300 mg of caffeine per day from any source had a 40.7% reduced risk.
Before you start chugging coffee by the pot, remember that moderation is key. The study found that moderate intake — about three cups of coffee or 200-300 mg of caffeine per day — seemed to offer the most benefits.
“The findings highlight that promoting moderate amounts of coffee or caffeine intake as a dietary habit to healthy people might have far-reaching benefits for the prevention of CM,” Dr. Ke notes.
It’s worth noting that this study doesn’t prove that coffee directly causes these health benefits. Rather, it shows a strong association between moderate coffee consumption and lower risk of these diseases. Other factors, like overall diet and lifestyle, also play crucial roles in health outcomes.
The study’s results are particularly intriguing because they suggest that coffee and caffeine might help at almost every stage of CM development. It’s as if your morning cup of joe is working overtime, not just waking you up but potentially fending off a cascade of health issues.
While previous studies have shown coffee’s potential benefits for individual health conditions, this research breaks new ground by looking at its impact on multiple interconnected diseases. This is crucial because having multiple cardiometabolic diseases can be far more dangerous than having just one. The researchers found that people with CM may have a four to seven times higher risk of dying from any cause compared to those without any cardiometabolic diseases.
So, what does this mean for you? If you’re already a coffee drinker, you might have one more reason to enjoy your daily brew. If you’re not, this doesn’t necessarily mean you should start — especially if you’re sensitive to caffeine or have been advised against it by your doctor.
As with any dietary choice, it’s always best to consult with a healthcare professional about what’s right for you. For many, however, that steaming cup of coffee might be more than just a morning ritual — it could be a small but significant step towards better health.
Paper Summary
Methodology
The study analyzed data from the UK Biobank, which contains health information from over 500,000 participants. Researchers focused on individuals without cardiometabolic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, or stroke at the start. Participants’ coffee, tea, and caffeine intake was recorded using a detailed food questionnaire.
Blood samples from these individuals were tested to measure 168 substances (metabolites) in their bodies. The researchers followed participants for about 12 years to see who developed multiple conditions (called cardiometabolic multimorbidity). They used advanced statistics to find out if drinking coffee, tea, or consuming caffeine was linked to a lower chance of developing these diseases.
Key Results
The study found that people who drank coffee, tea, or consumed caffeine had a lower chance of developing multiple health conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Drinking around three cups of coffee or 200-300 milligrams of caffeine a day seemed to offer the most protection.
People who drank tea also had lower risks, but the benefits were more noticeable when they drank about five cups of tea a day. The researchers found that certain substances in the blood were linked to these benefits, especially those related to fats in the body.
Study Limitations
First, the study was based on self-reported data, meaning participants had to remember and report what they ate and drank, which could lead to mistakes. Additionally, the study didn’t include caffeine from sources like energy drinks or soda, so its findings apply mainly to coffee and tea drinkers.
Also, while the study shows a link between coffee and tea and lower disease risks, it doesn’t prove that these drinks directly prevent disease. Finally, the participants were mainly from the United Kingdom, so the results may not apply to other populations.
Discussion & Takeaways
This study suggests that moderate coffee and tea consumption may help reduce the risk of developing serious health problems like diabetes and heart disease, especially when consumed in moderation. The benefits seem to come from a combination of factors, including how these drinks influence the body’s metabolism, particularly fats.
However, more research is necessary to confirm these findings and to understand the exact biological reasons behind the health benefits. For now, drinking a moderate amount of coffee or tea could be a simple way to potentially improve long-term health.
Funding & Disclosures
The study was funded through resources from the UK Biobank, which includes data from participants who consented to have their health information used for research. The researchers involved in this study were from multiple institutions, including universities and public health schools. There are no reported conflicts of interest from the researchers involved in this study.
I am a medical anthropologist researcher and author. This study has a bias for coffee. Note that there is no mention of the fact that many people have caffeine sensitivity. Caffeine is also a mutagen, and is psychotrophic, often causing manic behavior and sometimes anxiety. It affects sleep negatively. And it is high in acrylamide, which is a nerve poison and carcinogen created by roasting the beans. And caffeine is addictive, and withdrawal symptoms include headaches.
Also, this study compared coffee drinkers with non-drinkers, but some people avoid caffeine is for health reasons. This means that people in the coffee-free group may have worse health that requires avoiding caffeine, so comparisons are biased in favor of coffee drinkers being healthier.
Clearly, Big Coffee wants to promote their product.
I also suggest you see my article, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Coffee: Are You a Caf-Fiend?
https://www.academia.edu/10217756/Dr_Jekyll_And_Mr_Coffee_Are_You_A_Caf_Fiend_
I got those Java Blues … Coffee’s got Me ! Java Blues ! Oh Coffee Coffee Coffee !
A Great song by Rick Danko , Check out the NAZARETH Version !
You know that I stay High drinkin coffee till I die and then some .
I remember back in the 70’s or 80’s there was a big to do about coffee and it’s link to pancreatic cancer.
In the early 2000’s there was a study about how coffee was suspected in preventing the release of the enzyme that causes cirrhosis of the liver in alcohol consumers.
I believe something in coffee, just like nicotine, (ref: Dr. Brian Ardis) has health benefits so look for the government to move and regulate it too.
Love to read StudyFinds. However, what do you mean by 3 cups? Do you mean 24 oz? If so, if you can drink 2 mugs that equal 24 oz? Please be specific when talking about amounts – 3 cups is no specific!
In the US, 1 cup is equal to 8 fluid ounces. This conversion is widely used and not just for recipes. For liquids, 1/2 cup is 4 fluid ounces, 1/4 cup is 2 fluid ounces, and 1/8 cup is 1 fluid ounce.
Really not very tough .
3 cups of coffee and a cigarette. That’s the ticket.
Is it the caffeine or the coffee?
In other words, what about decaf?
And obviously that’s water pressed decaf to avoid the chemicals used with regular decaf.