by Emily King

If you’re one of the millions of Americans who enjoys a cup of coffee or two every morning, you may be paving the way for a longer, healthier life—or maybe not.

We’re definitely not the first to report on the controversy over coffee’s effects on the human body, so if you’re looking for ground breaking findings, consult your medical journals (and make sure you have a pillow nearby. Yawn). In fact, just about any internet search on the health effects of coffee will yield thousands of articles.

Still, despite hundreds of existing studies on the subject, scientists have yet to come to a consensus: Do the benefits of coffee outweigh the risks? The unsatisfactory answer is: It depends.

Are you ready to throw your insulated mug across the room yet?  Me too.

According to a particularly fair and balanced article by the Wall Street Journal, “an analysis in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who drink three to four cups of java a day are 25% less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who drink fewer than two cups.”

Additionally, cancer researchers have found that people with coffee habits are far more successful at fending off cancer than their non-coffee drinking counterparts. Men who drink six or more cups of coffee per day substantially lower their risk of developing advanced prostate cancer (by 60%). Coffee consumption has also been linked to reducing the risk of getting colon, mouth, throat, esophageal and endometrial cancers.

Outside of the cancer realm, research suggests that coffee drinkers suffer from fewer cavities and gallstones, and are less likely to develop cirrhosis of the liver, Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease. Finally, there is the correlation between coffee drinkers and suicidal tendencies. Guess what? Those who “get their caffeine buzz on regularly” are far less likely to commit suicide. As a self-proclaimed non-morning person, somehow, this last finding doesn’t surprise me at all (insert morbid chuckle).

Now that I have made coffee sound like a miracle elixir and you’re already contemplating your next cup, I think it’s important to point out that there is a difference between causation and correlation. In other words, it hasn’t been proven that coffee is the cause of all these health benefits, but it is a factor that has been correlated with the lifestyles of the healthier research subjects.

On the flipside, the caffeine that coffee contains has been linked to high-blood pressure, elevated heart rate, and elevated levels of an amino acid called homocysteine. This amino acid is associated with stroke and heart disease.

 Doctors do not recommend that pregnant women consume caffeinated coffee, as it has been linked to higher rates of miscarriage and lower birth-weight babies. Elderly women should also avoid caffeine to minimize bone loss and the development of benign breast lumps.

Finally, among the minor, but undesirable side effects of coffee-drinking for some people, are feelings of anxiousness or irritability, heartburn, and sleeplessness. Unfortunately, these side-effects can lead to more serious conditions like obesity and its accompanying complications.

The point is, we are all genetically different and enjoy different lifestyles. There are those who can drink 10 cups of coffee and take a nap, while others are ready for a power-lifting session after just one. Coffee may be a health safeguard for some, and a hazard for others if consumed in excess.

One thing that all researchers preach is moderation. While six cups of coffee per day may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, other negative effects of all that caffeine could mitigate the benefits.

Parting words for my coffee-drinking peers: Stick to 1-3 cups o’ joe per day and limit the whipped cream, half and half, sugar, and syrups. Take the stairs when you can, eat your leafy greens, and wash your hands frequently.

Click here for an informative article on coffee and health by Melinda Beck in The Wall Street Journal

For More Coffee 101, click here

Brought to you by Village Coffee Roastery, turning Science into Art