Highlights
- Scientists have found that drinking coffee may be good for you
- The analysis shows that it can reduce the risk of heart disease
- The study was published in the BMJ British medical journal
A new study, published in the BMJ British medical journal, shows that people who drink three to four cups of coffee daily may see more health benefits than harm along with lower risks of premature death and heart disease when compared to those who do not drink coffee. For the study, a team of researchers gathered evidence from more than 200 previous studies and discovered some significant findings. They also found that coffee consumption was linked to lower risk of diabetes, liver disease, dementia and even certain types of cancers.
To understand the effect of coffee on our health, Robin Poole, a public health specialist at Britain's University of Southampton, led a research team in an "umbrella review" of 201 studies based on observational research and 17 studies based on clinical trials across all countries and all settings.
The team found that drinking three to four cups of coffee can provide the greatest benefit but women who are pregnant or those who have a higher risk of suffering from fractures should probably avoid it. However, scientists noted that regular consumption of more three cups of coffee did not cause any harm but the beneficial effects were less pronounced. They found a significant link between coffee consumption and lower risk of heart disease epecially when coffee drinkers were compared with those who do not drink coffee at all.
"Coffee drinking appears safe within usual patterns of consumption," Pool's team concluded in their research. Moreover, the study also found that coffee was linked with a lower risk of several types of cancers such as prostate, endometrial, skin and liver cancer along with other ailments like diabetes, gallstones and gout. The greatest benefit was seen for liver conditions such as cirrhosis of the liver.
Since the review included mainly observational data, no firm conclusions could be drawn about cause and effect. But their findings lend support to other recent reviews and studies of coffee intake.
Inputs from Reuters