Recent research indicates that coffee consumption may contribute to a longer and healthier life. A team from the University of Coimbra in Portugal analyzed 85 previous studies involving participants from Europe, the Americas, Australia, and Asia to investigate the relationship between coffee, mortality rates, and health indicators.
The analysis suggests that consuming approximately three cups of coffee daily is associated with an average increase in lifespan of 1.84 years for an average person, with regular intake also linked to improved healthspan, defined as time spent living without serious illnesses.
Rodrigo Cunha, a neurologist at the University of Coimbra, stated, "Traditional clinical recommendations have sometimes overlooked the role of coffee in healthy aging." The study highlights the potential of regular and moderate coffee consumption to mediate biological mechanisms that naturally decline as we age, potentially leading to various health issues and comorbidities.
Despite the diverse studies included, the researchers caution that individual benefits may vary and are likely not solely attributable to coffee. However, a visible relationship exists between coffee consumption and improved health outcomes. With hundreds of thousands of volunteers involved, the scale of the research strengthens its findings.
Health indicators such as inflammation and metabolism were analyzed, while factors like smoking and alcohol consumption were considered to better isolate the effects of coffee. The researchers noted that regular coffee consumption appears to preserve muscular, cardiovascular, mental, and immune functions, and is inversely associated with the incidence of common diseases affecting older adults, including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, strokes, certain cancers, diabetes, dementia, major depression, and frailty.
It is important to note that many studies relied on self-reported coffee consumption, and the research was funded by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee, a non-profit supported by major coffee companies. Additionally, the findings do not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship, as numerous other factors may play a role in longevity and health.
Nonetheless, these statistics align with previous research indicating that coffee may protect against heart disease, mitigate the negative effects of sedentary behavior, and contribute to increased lifespan. Cunha emphasized the urgency of exploring dietary interventions that can help people not only live longer but also healthier lives, as the global population ages more rapidly than ever.