Arthur J. Villasanta – Fourth Estate Contributor
Los Angeles, CA, United States (4E) – We know coffee can improve your health, but new research also shows cups of Java can help you live longer. Put in another way, coffee can reduce your risk of early death.
People that drank at least four cups of coffee daily had a 64 percent lower risk of early death compared to those never or rarely consumed coffee, according to findings in a new observational study involving close to 20,000 persons.
The reduction in early death risk was more significant once people reached the age of 45. This suggests it’s even more beneficial to consume coffee as we grow older.
Coffee has also been shown to reduce the risk of many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, liver disease, colorectal cancer, Alzheimer’s and skin cancer.
Some of the compounds commonly found in coffee “have been related to better insulin sensitivity, liver function and reduced chronic inflammation,” said V. Wendy Setiawan, associate professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, and lead author of one of the recent studies on coffee consumption and longevity.
Coffee, however, has its downside.
A person with any heart conditions should also limit his coffee and caffeine consumption.
“Caffeine is an aggravator and accelerator of one’s heart rate,” said Dr. Vince Bufalino, spokesman for the American Heart Association and senior vice president and senior medical director of Cardiology-AMG, Advocate Health Care, in Naperville, Illinois.
“Those with atrial fibrillation (commonly known as irregular heartbeat) or hypertension should limit their caffeine intake. One to two cups daily is probably fine, but if you are sensitive, you should restrict all caffeine.”
Decaffeinated coffee still contains caffeine, contrary to popular opinion.
An 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee can contain anywhere from 75 to 165 milligrams of caffeine, whereas decaffeinated coffee contains an average of 2 to 7 milligrams per cup.
Another large observational study found that coffee drinkers appear to live longer, regardless of whether they consume regular or decaf coffee.
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