Over the years, coffee has had a variety of reputations from the very negative—allegedly stunting your growth, causing anxiety, elevating blood pressure, inducing miscarriages, causing heartburn—to the very positive: improved athletic prowess, reducing the risks of gallstones, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer.
Recently, there have been a multitude of scientific studies discussing the merits and mechanisms for coffee causing such a variety of responses and controversies. Over half of the U.S. population drinks coffee regularly, according to a Wall Street Journal article. People who drink coffee consume three cups per day on average and spend about $165 dollars per year on this beverage. “Coffee consumption statistics show that coffee represents 75% of all the caffeine consumed in the United States,” states a coffee statistics report.
Coffee obviously contains more than caffeine as an active ingredient. In fact, it contains traces of hundreds of substances including some of the elements, vitamins, and antioxidants. These substances may interact with the body in a variety of ways to both help and hurt various organ systems.
People who drink two or more cups of coffee per day have a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Similarly, coffee seems to improve short term recall and elevate IQ, at least transiently. Results of objective testing of reaction time, memory, and some forms of reasoning seem to be better, particularly in older women who are regular coffee drinkers. The mechanism is unclear, but a few studies have reached the same conclusion.
There is reportedly a reduced risk for gallstones, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease, related to the amount of coffee consumed over the years, i.e. the more coffee a person consumes the less chance for these maladies. The reasons are unclear but there is also some thought that coffee makes the body’s own insulin more available, thus preventing diabetes.
Oral, esophageal and pharyngeal cancer risk is minimally reduced by coffee consumption. In one study conducted among nurses, there was a modest reduction in breast cancer occurrence in postmenopausal women only. Perhaps some of the compounds in coffee have a protective effect.
Gout, which is typically a disease of men and post-menopausal women, is less common in coffee drinkers. This could be due to the coffee or some other correlation which has not yet been elucidated.
So far, so good, and by now you might want to run out and get a cup of java. Hold on a sec and read about some of the not-so-good effects of this hot beverage.
Coffee can cause heartburn and irritation of the lining of the stomach and intestines, damaging the surface of the gastrointestinal organs, causing gastritis and ulcers. If you already have a “sensitive” stomach or intestine, beware.
Too much caffeine causes anxiety, jitters, and irritability. Insomnia is often reported, which is why so many people are careful not to drink coffee after a certain time of the day or switch to decaf with dinner.
Coffee does cause a significant increase in miscarriages and stillbirths. A seminal study in the mid-1970s at the Public Health School of Columbia University first noted this correlation. Most obstetricians now recommend women avoid excessive coffee drinking when pregnant.
What should you do if you are a coffee drinker? What should you do if you are not a coffee drinker? Probably the same advice applies to both cases: don’t change as there are pros and cons each way. “Everything in moderation, including moderation,” was Oscar Wilde’s thoughtful advice, which can be applied to your coffee consumption, as well.