Various claims about the health benefits of drinking coffee have circulated in different countries. The most commonly heard view across countries is that coffee is not particularly good for you. These claims, spread by word of mouth and contrary to the facts, suggest that drinking coffee increases the risk of heart disease. Refuting these unfounded rumours, health experts say the latest studies show that coffee has numerous health benefits. However, they say there are limits on consumption and age restrictions, and that seeking advice from health professionals is also important.
The latest studies on coffee consumption have focused primarily on important factors such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, tobacco use and family history of cancer. Examining these variables reportedly allows the health effects of coffee to be distinguished from those of lifestyle, genetics and pre-existing health conditions.
Drinking coffee can benefit health. A study published in the United Kingdom in 2022 found that adults who drank more coffee had a lower risk of dying from cancer over the following 7 years.
Colorectal cancer
The colorectal cancer analysis is a statistical study that pools data from various studies of this kind. Its findings are reliable and were obtained through extensive research. The analysis shows that drinking 4 or more cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of colorectal cancer by 11–24 percent.
Liver cancer and cirrhosis (chronic liver disease or liver scarring)
Another study on coffee consumption shows that people who drink 1 or 2 cups a day have a lower risk of developing the most common type of liver cancer than those who do not drink coffee. People who drink 3 or 4 cups a day have less than half the risk of developing this liver cancer, while those who drink 5 or more cups a day also have a lower risk.
A study conducted in Japan shows that people who drink at least 5 cups of coffee a day have a 76 percent lower risk of developing this liver cancer.
An 8-year study involving 120,000 Americans shows that drinking 1 cup of coffee every day reduces the risk of cirrhosis by 22 percent.
A 17-year study involving 51,000 people in Norway shows that those who drink 2 or more cups of coffee a day have a 40 percent lower risk of developing cirrhosis than those who do not drink coffee.
Skin cancer
Analysis of study participants also found that men and women who drank 3 cups of caffeinated coffee a month had a 17 percent lower risk of developing basal cell carcinoma than those who drank 1 cup of caffeinated coffee a month.
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common and most dangerous type of skin cancer. Drinking decaffeinated coffee has no effect on basal cell carcinoma. A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in 2014 shows that drinking more coffee reduces the risk of developing malignant melanoma over a 10-year period.
Malignant melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. The study involved 450,000 white participants aged 50–71. According to the researchers, drinking 4 or more cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of developing malignant melanoma by 20 percent.
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