Coffee and Health: A Deeper Dive

Is coffee a health elixir or a harmful habit? The truth, as often is the case, lies somewhere in the middle. Let's delve deeper into the science behind coffee's impact on our health.

Reduced Risk of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Studies have linked coffee consumption to a lower risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. While coffee can help protect you against developing either disease, there is still ongoing research on whether it can help once someone has already developed them. Here’s a study on coffee’s relationship with Parkinsons and here’s another one for Alzheimer's disease.

Enhanced Cognitive Function: Coffee can improve attention, memory, and reaction time. However, the main driving factor is that these benefits come from coffee, and not caffeine. So while drinking coffee will help, it’s much better to switch to decaf if you haven’t already! Here’s a study on coffee's effects on cognitive function.

Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Regular coffee consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Link to a study on coffee and diabetes risk.

Increased Metabolic Rate: Caffeine can temporarily boost your metabolism, leading to increased calorie burning. This can vary a lot, person to person, due to things like age, gender, or weight affecting how fast your body processes caffeine. Here’s a study on caffeine's effects on metabolism.

Reduced Risk of Liver Disease: Some studies suggest that coffee may protect the liver from damage and reduce the risk of liver diseases like cirrhosis. Here’s a study on coffee’s effect on liver disease.

Cellular Protection: Coffee is rich in antioxidants, which help protect your cells from damage caused by harmful free radicals. Here’s a study on coffee's antioxidant properties.

While coffee offers numerous health benefits, it's important to consume it in moderation. Excessive intake can lead to:

Sleep Disruption: Caffeine can interfere with sleep patterns, especially when consumed late in the day. Here’s a study on how caffeine messes with your sleep.

Anxiety and Jitters: High caffeine intake can trigger anxiety, nervousness, and restlessness in some individuals. Here’s a study on how coffee makes your body release adrenaline.

Digestive Issues: Excessive coffee consumption can lead to stomach upset, heartburn, and diarrhea. Here’s a study on what coffee does to your gut.

Increased Blood Pressure: While the effect is usually mild and short-lived, excessive caffeine intake can temporarily raise blood pressure. Here’s a study on coffee’s relationship with blood pressure.

A lot of coffee’s benefits come from the antioxidants in it, so try switching to decaf if you’d like to limit things that interfere with your rest, bloodflow, and gut! Or at least consider limiting your caffinated coffee intake to around 2 cups a day to still take advantage of the upsides. Dr. Amen, who does a lot of brain-imaging studies for how different factors affect blood and oxygen flow in the brain, talks a little bit about why decaf coffee is better for you here: