Coffee has long been suspected of being harmful to health, especially cardiovascular health. But the scientific community is increasingly finding benefits in this beverage, when drunk in moderation.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism highlights an association between moderate coffee consumption and a lower risk of developing multiple cardiometabolic diseases.
A Chinese research team, led by Dr Chaofu Ke of Soochow University, has found that regular, moderate coffee drinking may reduce the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. The scientists reached this conclusion after tracking the coffee, tea and caffeine consumption of over 170,000 people aged 37 to 73 from the UK Biobank cohort. None of them had any prior cardiovascular or metabolic disease.
It turns out that individuals who regularly consumed coffee, or at least caffeine, were less likely than others to develop cardiometabolic disease. More specifically, the researchers observed a 48% reduction in the risk of new-onset cardiometabolic multimorbidity (the coexistence of at least two cardiometabolic diseases) in moderate coffee drinkers, compared to those who drank no coffee at all or ingested less than 100 milligrams of caffeine a day.
"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," the study's lead author, Dr Chaofu Ke, explains in a statement.
The findings of this study support the idea of a potentially protective effect that coffee may have on cardiometabolic health. However, the findings should be treated with caution, as the researchers were unable to fully explore the effects of other lifestyle factors. Nevertheless, this study is the latest in a growing body of scientific research attesting to the virtues of coffee.
Coffee has the advantage of being rich in antioxidants. These compounds fight free radicals, helping to prevent various diseases. But it's important to bear in mind that the benefits of coffee are most likely observed in people who consume the beverage in moderation. For adults, it is recommended not to exceed 400 milligrams of caffeine a day, equivalent to just over four espressos. — AFP Relaxnews
