A Cup of Coffee A Day Keeps the Doctor Away

A growing number of studies suggest there may be numerous health benefits to drinking coffee, including lowering the risk of liver disease and improving heart health. University of Scranton researchers found that coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in Americans’ diet, according to Joe Vinson, PhD, a chemistry professor at the university and lead study author. While emphasizing moderation, Vinson notes that just 1 or 2 cups of coffee a day appear to be beneficial for many individuals. In addition, researchers at UCLA have found that coffee may be protective against type 2 diabetes, finding in a recent study that drinking coffee increases plasma levels of the protein sex hormone-binding globulin, which controls the biological activity of the body’s sex hormones, which in turn play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Investigators at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, meanwhile, recently determined that the caffeine in coffee may help control movement in individuals suffering from Parkinson’s disease. The study authors note that past U.S.-based research has found an association between higher coffee and caffeine intake and a much lower incidence of Parkinson’s disease. Coffee may help prevent liver disease as well, according to Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program research. Study authors found drinking coffee can lower the incidence of cirrhosis of the liver for alcohol drinkers by 22 percent, noting that the results “support the hypothesis that there is an ingredient in coffee that protects against cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis.” With regard to heart health, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard School of Public Health investigators have concluded that drinking coffee in moderation—defined as two 8-ounce servings per day—protects against heart failure. For primary care practitioners, recommending that patients drink moderate amounts of coffee is acceptable in many cases, says Vinson. “Coffee, with or without caffeine, can be allowed in normal individuals, as it has been amply demonstrated to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, for example,” says Vinson. “However, decaffeinated coffee is preferred for patients with heart disease,” he adds. “For patients who are prediabetic or diabetic, then decaffeinated coffee should be the choice.” —Mark McGraw References Goto A, Song Y, et al. Coffee and Caffeine Consumption in Relation to Sex Hormone – Binding Globulin and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Postmenopausal Women. Diabetes. 2013. Postuma R, Lang A, et al. Caffeine for treatment of Parkinson disease. Neurology. 2013. Klatsky AL, Morton C, et al. Coffee, cirrhosis, and transaminase enzymes. Arch Intern Med. 2013. Mostofsky E, Rice M, et al. Habitual Coffee Consumption and Risk of Heart Failure: A Dose-Response Meta Analysis. Circ Heart Fail. 2013.