woman enjoying cup of coffee
Julie Hambleton
Julie Hambleton
February 9, 2024 ·  4 min read

Regular coffee drinkers had lower chance of dying in 7-year period

Are you one of those people who can’t start their day without a cup of coffee? Perhaps, as well, you have another when you arrive at the office and maybe another one after lunch, too. If so, then you are in luck: You might just have a lower risk of dying than your non-coffee-drinking friends. This new study says that those who regularly sip on the warm, caffeinated beverage decrease their risk of developing Diabetes, Parkinson’s, depression, and more.

Study Finds Regular Coffee Drinkers Have A Lower Chance Of Dying

Chinese researchers recently published a seven-year study that showed that over that period, regular coffee drinkers had a lower chance of dying than those who didn’t drink. They found that those who drank 1.5 to 3.5 cups were 30% less likely to die during that time frame. This included if they drank their coffee plain or with a teaspoon of sugar. The researchers found that the coffee drinkers were less likely to die of any cause, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. (1)

The researchers want to be clear that their research does not mean that coffee prevents these diseases. Rather, it shows a correlation between drinking coffee and lowered risk of these diseases. They found no conclusive results for the use of artificial sweeteners.

Read: Taking a Daily Nap? You’re Not Lazy, You’re Just Doing Your Body Good

The Study

The research team used data from more than 171,000 participants in the UK BioBank. They looked at their coffee consumption and used data from death certificates to follow the participants for approximately 7 years, starting from 2009. (2)

The researchers then factored in things like age, ethnicity, sex, level of education, smoking status, level of physical activity, body mass index, and diet. Those who drank coffee had a lower risk of death, particularly those who drank it without sugar.

It is unclear whether or not the results would hold true for those who regularly consume highly sweetened specialty coffees. As already mentioned, the results were also inconclusive for those who sweetened their cup of joe with artificial sweeteners.

“The observational nature of this new study means these conclusions are far from definitive,” said Naveed Sattar, a professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow who was not involved in the work. “I would suggest people stick to coffee or tea, preferably without sugar, which most people can adapt to, and try to do all the other things we know keep you healthy – move more, eat and sleep better.” (3)

Read: This Brilliant Low-Income Housing is Made From Coffee

Why Coffee?

Over the years researchers have studied coffee and its pros and cons in terms of health. What nutritionists have found is that coffee beans are full of antioxidants. Antioxidants help to reduce internal inflammation and cell damage. They also help to protect against disease. Naturally, caffeine provides an energy boost and increases alertness. When people are more alert and energetic, they tend to lead healthier, more productive lives.

Of course, coffee has its downsides, as well. As already mentioned, it does contain significant amounts of caffeine. Consuming excessive amounts of caffeine can cause its own health problems. Primarily, too much caffeine, especially late in the day, can disrupt your sleep. Lack of quality sleep adds up over time and can affect your health in many ways. Even those who say that they can sleep without problems after drinking a coffee probably don’t realize that their sleep quality is not as good as it could or should be.

Drinking too much coffee can also cause other problems. It is acidic and can affect the stomach. Those who have gastrointestinal problems may find that too much coffee (and caffeine, for that matter), makes these tummy troubles worse. Coffee can also damage the enamel on your teeth and cause your teeth to appear yellow in color. 

So essentially, as many dietitians and doctors will tell you, coffee is not bad for you. In fact, it can actually be good for you – if you consume it within reason and without tons of sugar and other things added to it. If you notice you are jittery, anxious, having stomach problems, or other issues, you may need to decrease your intake.

Keep Reading: Drinking coffee may cut risk of chronic liver disease, study suggests

Sources

  1. Regular coffee drinkers had a low chance of dying in 7-year period.” Washington Post
  2. Association of Sugar-Sweetened, Artificially Sweetened, and Unsweetened Coffee Consumption With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality.” ACP Journals. Dan Liu, MD, et al.
  3. Coffee drinkers may be at lower risk of early death, study suggests.” The Guardians. Nicola Davis. May 30, 2022.