People who drink three to five cups of coffee per day are less likely to die prematurely from heart disease, suicide, diabetes or Parkinson’s disease, US researchers said on Monday.
Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee were shown to have benefits, according to the study by researchers at the Harvard University Chan School of Public Health, which was published in the Nov. 16 edition of the journal Circulation.
The study compared people who do not drink coffee, or drink less than two cups daily, with those who drink “moderate” amounts of coffee, or up to five cups daily.
The study did not prove a cause-and-effect for coffee and the reduced likelihood of certain diseases, but uncovered an apparent link that aligns with previous research, and that scientists said they would like to probe further.
“Bioactive compounds in coffee reduce insulin resistance and systematic inflammation,” said first author Ming Ding (明定), a doctoral student in the Department of Nutrition. “That could explain some of our findings. However, more studies are needed to investigate the biological mechanisms producing these effects.”
No protective effect against cancer was found in this study. Some previous research has pointed to a link between coffee consumption and a lower risk of certain cancers.
The study was based on data gathered from three large, ongoing surveys, including about 300,000 nurses and other health professionals who agreed to answer questionnaires about their own medical conditions and habits at regular intervals over the course of 30 years.
“In the whole study population, moderate coffee consumption was associated with reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, and suicide,” the findings said.
Researchers also accounted for potential confounding factors, such as smoking, body mass index, exercise, alcohol consumption and diet. However, the fact that the research relied on surveys, which use self-reported behavior, could raise questions about its reliability.
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