Coffee may be the key to a longer life

Coffee will keep you awake, and it may help you live longer, according to a recent study.

Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine on May 17 found that coffee drinkers frequently live longer than non-drinkers.

“In the last ten years there have been numerous studies about the adverse effects of coffee drinking,” said Dr. Neal Freedman of the National Institutes of Health. “But there haven’t been many studies looking into the benefits.”

Freedman led a research team that followed 400,000 AARP members between the ages of 50 to 71. Mortality rates were compiled for 13 years. According to the study, men who drank six or more cups of coffee per day had a 10 percent lower risk of death, and women had a 15 percent lower risk.

The reason for the lower risk is a bit of the mystery, even for researchers who also considered other lifestyle factors linked with coffee drinking, such as alcohol and tobacco use.

The study simply looked at the amount of coffee consumed daily and life span; it did not examine the impact of the more than 1,000 active agents, including caffeine.

“Because it was an observational study, we’re not sure what the cause may be,” Freedman said. “We looked at both caffeinated and decaf drinkers so we don’t believe caffeine to be the causal agent in our findings. But our study suggests that coffee drinking may be related to the mortality rates,” Freedman said.

Coffee drinkers in Chicago had mixed reactions.

Luci Ellison, a Chicago area attorney who starts her day with a cup of caffeinated coffee said “people who like coffee have another reason to drink it aside from helping them stay awake.”

Others like Marcella Land, a fitness conscious college student, said she’s “trying to cut back” on the amount of coffee she drinks.

“I need [coffee] for my early classes, but I know drinking too much of it is probably not the best idea," she said. "Studies like these makes me feel a little better about grabbing that cup of coffee in the morning before rushing off to class, but I’m still a bit skeptical about any health benefits."

The average cup of coffee is high in antioxidants that can lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, according to a University of Scranton study published in 2005.

Other studies have shown that excess coffee drinking can raise a person’s LDL or bad cholesterol and temporarily increase blood pressure.

“The important thing is that people interpret our results properly,” said Freedman. “We’re not saying to people that they should drink more coffee based on our results. If any person wants to make dietary changes they should consult their physician first.”

From: news.medill.northwestern.edu