Study: Caffeine Impacts Expression of Genes Known to Mediate Cardiovascular Risk
- Thread starter Frederick Foresight
- Start date
Oh, look! Another coffee study:
If you drink these types of coffee, you could have a lower death risk
https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/01/health/sweetened-coffee-death-risk-wellness/index.html
The earthy, caffeine-infused coffee drink may hold more power than waking you up in the morning.
Drinking either sweetened or unsweetened coffee is associated with a lower death risk compared with not drinking the beverage, according to a new study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers surveyed 171,616 participants in the United Kingdom up to five times over the course of a year about their lifestyle, including their coffee-drinking habits. The scientists then looked up death certificates to see who had passed away an average of seven years later.
The participants ranged in age from 37 to 73 years old and reported they had no cardiovascular disease or cancer at the time of the survey.
Results showed that for people who drank a moderate amount of coffee, defined as 1.5 to 3.5 cups a day, those who sweetened their coffee had about a 30% lower death risk compared with non-coffee drinkers, according to Dr. Christina Wee, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, who was not involved in the study. She is also deputy editor of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Unsweetened coffee drinkers had between 16% and 29% lower death risk compared with non-coffee drinkers, she added.
The findings were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical factors to eliminate their effects on the results. For example, the research team asked questions about smoking level, amount of physical activity, education level and dietary habits, Wee said.
There is a limit to the researchers' adjustments because they didn't ask about other factors that could affect the results like income level and occupation, she said.
Pay attention to added sugar
If you drink sugar-laden lattes and caramel macchiatos, you're out of luck.
The average coffee drinker who reported they sweeten their coffee put in an average of 1 teaspoon, according to the study.
"If you're only adding about 1 teaspoon of sugar to your coffee, the benefits of coffee that we think are there aren't completely negated by that 1 teaspoon," Wee said.
The results for people who used artificial sweetener in their coffee were less clear, so the researchers were not able to draw any conclusions for people who prefer sugar substitutes.
"Based on this study, clinicians can tell their patients that there is no need for most coffee drinkers to eliminate the beverage from their diet but to be cautious about higher calorie specialty coffees," lead study author Dr. Dan Liu in an email. She is from the department of epidemiology at Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China.
How does coffee affect the body?
Previous research has shown that coffee intake could protect the heart and aid in treating other diseases, Liu said. It may also reduce the risk of liver problems, a 2021 study said.
Coffee also has different health profiles, depending on how it's produced, said Gunter Kuhnle, professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. He was not involved in the study.
Some types contain phenolic compounds, which are believed to be beneficial, he said.
Those chemical compounds affect the flavor and aroma of the coffee and are valuable because they can act as antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties.
The two most common coffee species are arabica and robusta, and research shows robusta coffee has a higher phenolic content than arabica coffee.
Unroasted, green coffee beans contain high levels of phenolic compounds, but the poor aroma when they are brewed causes people to roast them. Depending on the roasting level, some of the phenolic compounds can break down.
And depending on how you brew it, coffee can contain high levels of diterpenes, which are chemical compounds that can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, Kuhnle said.
Boiled coffee and French press coffee contain some of the highest amounts of diterpenes, according to a 2016 study.
Mocha and espresso coffee contained a moderate amount of diterpenes while instant coffees or coffees made with filtration had the least.
If you drink these types of coffee, you could have a lower death risk
https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/01/health/sweetened-coffee-death-risk-wellness/index.html
The earthy, caffeine-infused coffee drink may hold more power than waking you up in the morning.
Drinking either sweetened or unsweetened coffee is associated with a lower death risk compared with not drinking the beverage, according to a new study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers surveyed 171,616 participants in the United Kingdom up to five times over the course of a year about their lifestyle, including their coffee-drinking habits. The scientists then looked up death certificates to see who had passed away an average of seven years later.
The participants ranged in age from 37 to 73 years old and reported they had no cardiovascular disease or cancer at the time of the survey.
Results showed that for people who drank a moderate amount of coffee, defined as 1.5 to 3.5 cups a day, those who sweetened their coffee had about a 30% lower death risk compared with non-coffee drinkers, according to Dr. Christina Wee, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, who was not involved in the study. She is also deputy editor of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Unsweetened coffee drinkers had between 16% and 29% lower death risk compared with non-coffee drinkers, she added.
The findings were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical factors to eliminate their effects on the results. For example, the research team asked questions about smoking level, amount of physical activity, education level and dietary habits, Wee said.
There is a limit to the researchers' adjustments because they didn't ask about other factors that could affect the results like income level and occupation, she said.
Pay attention to added sugar
If you drink sugar-laden lattes and caramel macchiatos, you're out of luck.
The average coffee drinker who reported they sweeten their coffee put in an average of 1 teaspoon, according to the study.
"If you're only adding about 1 teaspoon of sugar to your coffee, the benefits of coffee that we think are there aren't completely negated by that 1 teaspoon," Wee said.
The results for people who used artificial sweetener in their coffee were less clear, so the researchers were not able to draw any conclusions for people who prefer sugar substitutes.
"Based on this study, clinicians can tell their patients that there is no need for most coffee drinkers to eliminate the beverage from their diet but to be cautious about higher calorie specialty coffees," lead study author Dr. Dan Liu in an email. She is from the department of epidemiology at Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China.
How does coffee affect the body?
Previous research has shown that coffee intake could protect the heart and aid in treating other diseases, Liu said. It may also reduce the risk of liver problems, a 2021 study said.
Coffee also has different health profiles, depending on how it's produced, said Gunter Kuhnle, professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. He was not involved in the study.
Some types contain phenolic compounds, which are believed to be beneficial, he said.
Those chemical compounds affect the flavor and aroma of the coffee and are valuable because they can act as antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties.
The two most common coffee species are arabica and robusta, and research shows robusta coffee has a higher phenolic content than arabica coffee.
Unroasted, green coffee beans contain high levels of phenolic compounds, but the poor aroma when they are brewed causes people to roast them. Depending on the roasting level, some of the phenolic compounds can break down.
And depending on how you brew it, coffee can contain high levels of diterpenes, which are chemical compounds that can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, Kuhnle said.
Boiled coffee and French press coffee contain some of the highest amounts of diterpenes, according to a 2016 study.
Mocha and espresso coffee contained a moderate amount of diterpenes while instant coffees or coffees made with filtration had the least.
I did learn 2 new things from this latest article, though. First, that robusta has a higher phenolic content than arabica. I thought robusta was inferior all around. And, second, that mocha and espresso coffee contained a moderate amount of diterpenes while instant coffees or coffees made with filtration had the least. Since I drink mostly instant at home, that's a good thing.
I wonder if they have studied every chemical in coffee. Probably not.
Can daily coffee use increase your lifespan? Here's what the latest research says
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life...e-your-lifespan-new-research-says/7541812001/
You’ve probably heard of the many benefits of drinking coffee. There is no shortage of research studies attesting to the benefits of one (or two or three) cups of joe every day. Some of the studied benefits include reduction of risk of:
So, what’s so special about coffee? How is it able to reduce our risk of dying from so many diseases? Let’s dive in.
What we know about coffee
Coffee is actually a complex mixture of over 1,000 different chemicals. It can pose a challenge for scientists to nail down which of these constituents provide the health benefits of coffee. In fact, coffee has had a checkered past. Some of its many chemicals have been identified as possible carcinogens – in 1991, the World Health Organization actually included coffee on a list of possible carcinogens. However, coffee was subsequently exonerated and removed from that infamous list.
Coffee is thought to be beneficial through the following mechanisms:
The newest study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed coffee consumption habits of more than 170,000 people in the United Kingdom ages 37 to 73 and followed them for an average of seven years. Researchers found that those who drank between 1.5 to 3.5 cups of coffee per day were 16% to 21% less likely to die from all-cause, cancer-related and cardiovascular disease-related mortality during the study period than non-coffee drinkers.
But this is not the first study to look at the reduction in mortality from regular daily coffee use. A study published in 2015 in the journal Circulation tracked more than 200,000 participants for 30 years. Those who drank 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day were 15% less likely to die from all causes of mortality including cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease and suicide. A more recent study in 2018 tracked over 500,000 participants across 10 years. Compared to non-coffee drinkers, participants who downed 6 to 7 cups daily had a 16% lower risk of early death.
In all studies, the benefit was enjoyed by those who drank both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee – again, suggesting the benefit is from the myriad bioactive substances in coffee as opposed to caffeine.
Association does not necessarily mean causation
The key takeaway from all these studies is that the data demonstrates an association between daily coffee consumption and a reduced risk of dying. But we should remember that a correlation between two things – in this case, coffee and decreased mortality – does not necessarily mean there’s direct causation. What we don’t really know is how much of the reduction in mortality is from the coffee itself, despite its known myriad benefits and this strong association.
There are many other so-called confounders that could influence this data. However, what I like about this new study is that researchers accounted for possible confounders by controlling for factors like smoking, presence of chronic medical problems, socioeconomic status and diet.
This new study is consistent with findings from a 2019 meta-analysis – which is one of the strongest evidence-based research studies that can be done. This meta-analysis examined 40 different studies that included 3.8 million participants. Researchers found that moderate coffee consumption (2 to 4 cups/day) was associated with reduced all-cause mortality compared to those who do not drink coffee. This benefit was observed irrespective of age, weight, alcohol or smoking use as well as the amount of caffeine present in the coffee.
But we must bear in mind that coffee-drinking study participants could have many other lifestyle factors contributing to reduced mortality such as a healthier diet or regular exercise routine. For example, researchers hypothesize that regular coffee drinkers will more likely opt for a cup of coffee versus a more sugar-heavy caffeine boost from an energy drink or soda.
The bottom line is that the new study is consistent with multiple studies showing a strong association between moderate daily coffee consumption (more than 1 cup/day) and a reduction in death from many causes. If you already drink coffee daily – caffeinated or decaffeinated – great! However, it’s no substitution for daily exercise and a healthy diet! If you get your caffeine from energy drinks or soda, consider switching to a cup of joe – but opt against adding a lot of sugar or whipped cream to your coffee or you might reduce the benefit.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life...e-your-lifespan-new-research-says/7541812001/
You’ve probably heard of the many benefits of drinking coffee. There is no shortage of research studies attesting to the benefits of one (or two or three) cups of joe every day. Some of the studied benefits include reduction of risk of:
- Parkinson’s disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- Prostate cancer
- Melanoma
- Depression and suicide
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Liver cancer
So, what’s so special about coffee? How is it able to reduce our risk of dying from so many diseases? Let’s dive in.
What we know about coffee
Coffee is actually a complex mixture of over 1,000 different chemicals. It can pose a challenge for scientists to nail down which of these constituents provide the health benefits of coffee. In fact, coffee has had a checkered past. Some of its many chemicals have been identified as possible carcinogens – in 1991, the World Health Organization actually included coffee on a list of possible carcinogens. However, coffee was subsequently exonerated and removed from that infamous list.
Coffee is thought to be beneficial through the following mechanisms:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Reduced insulin resistance
- High amounts of antioxidants that can prevent or delay cell damage
- Lignans, which disrupt growth and spread of cancer cells
- Chlorogenic acid, which lowers blood sugar levels
The newest study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed coffee consumption habits of more than 170,000 people in the United Kingdom ages 37 to 73 and followed them for an average of seven years. Researchers found that those who drank between 1.5 to 3.5 cups of coffee per day were 16% to 21% less likely to die from all-cause, cancer-related and cardiovascular disease-related mortality during the study period than non-coffee drinkers.
But this is not the first study to look at the reduction in mortality from regular daily coffee use. A study published in 2015 in the journal Circulation tracked more than 200,000 participants for 30 years. Those who drank 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day were 15% less likely to die from all causes of mortality including cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease and suicide. A more recent study in 2018 tracked over 500,000 participants across 10 years. Compared to non-coffee drinkers, participants who downed 6 to 7 cups daily had a 16% lower risk of early death.
In all studies, the benefit was enjoyed by those who drank both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee – again, suggesting the benefit is from the myriad bioactive substances in coffee as opposed to caffeine.
Association does not necessarily mean causation
The key takeaway from all these studies is that the data demonstrates an association between daily coffee consumption and a reduced risk of dying. But we should remember that a correlation between two things – in this case, coffee and decreased mortality – does not necessarily mean there’s direct causation. What we don’t really know is how much of the reduction in mortality is from the coffee itself, despite its known myriad benefits and this strong association.
There are many other so-called confounders that could influence this data. However, what I like about this new study is that researchers accounted for possible confounders by controlling for factors like smoking, presence of chronic medical problems, socioeconomic status and diet.
This new study is consistent with findings from a 2019 meta-analysis – which is one of the strongest evidence-based research studies that can be done. This meta-analysis examined 40 different studies that included 3.8 million participants. Researchers found that moderate coffee consumption (2 to 4 cups/day) was associated with reduced all-cause mortality compared to those who do not drink coffee. This benefit was observed irrespective of age, weight, alcohol or smoking use as well as the amount of caffeine present in the coffee.
But we must bear in mind that coffee-drinking study participants could have many other lifestyle factors contributing to reduced mortality such as a healthier diet or regular exercise routine. For example, researchers hypothesize that regular coffee drinkers will more likely opt for a cup of coffee versus a more sugar-heavy caffeine boost from an energy drink or soda.
The bottom line is that the new study is consistent with multiple studies showing a strong association between moderate daily coffee consumption (more than 1 cup/day) and a reduction in death from many causes. If you already drink coffee daily – caffeinated or decaffeinated – great! However, it’s no substitution for daily exercise and a healthy diet! If you get your caffeine from energy drinks or soda, consider switching to a cup of joe – but opt against adding a lot of sugar or whipped cream to your coffee or you might reduce the benefit.
People who have been drinking caffeine their whole lives should quit just to see how much better they feel off the drug. After qutting for awhile, go back on the drug and see how much worse they feel.
It can be an eye-opening experience.
It can be an eye-opening experience.
Read the piece. Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee evidently had the same beneficial effects.People who have been drinking caffeine their whole lives should quit just to see how much better they feel off the drug. After qutting for awhile, go back on the drug and see how much worse they feel.
It can be an eye-opening experience.
Okay, I must've not read the piece as you state. Will do even though I do not drink coffee anymore as I feel a lot better without it.
Fred, sorry man, but this really kills it for me.
"...This new study is consistent with findings from a 2019 meta-analysis – which is one of the strongest evidence-based research studies that can be done. This meta-analysis examined 40 different studies that included 3.8 million participants. Researchers found that moderate coffee consumption (2 to 4 cups/day) was associated with reduced all-cause mortality compared to those who do not drink coffee. This benefit was observed irrespective of age, weight, alcohol or smoking use as well as the amount of caffeine present in the coffee.
But we must bear in mind that coffee-drinking study participants could have many other lifestyle factors contributing to reduced mortality such as a healthier diet or regular exercise routine. For example, researchers hypothesize that regular coffee drinkers will more likely opt for a cup of coffee versus a more sugar-heavy caffeine boost from an energy drink or soda..."
Too much generalization and too many variables. From my own experience, the only thing that will make me last longer is more money. THAT is what will make me, and every other person on this planet, happier.
"...This new study is consistent with findings from a 2019 meta-analysis – which is one of the strongest evidence-based research studies that can be done. This meta-analysis examined 40 different studies that included 3.8 million participants. Researchers found that moderate coffee consumption (2 to 4 cups/day) was associated with reduced all-cause mortality compared to those who do not drink coffee. This benefit was observed irrespective of age, weight, alcohol or smoking use as well as the amount of caffeine present in the coffee.
But we must bear in mind that coffee-drinking study participants could have many other lifestyle factors contributing to reduced mortality such as a healthier diet or regular exercise routine. For example, researchers hypothesize that regular coffee drinkers will more likely opt for a cup of coffee versus a more sugar-heavy caffeine boost from an energy drink or soda..."
Too much generalization and too many variables. From my own experience, the only thing that will make me last longer is more money. THAT is what will make me, and every other person on this planet, happier.
Sure, but that does not negate the fact that coffee is very rich in antioxidants — including polyphenols and hydrocinnamic acids — that may improve health and reduce your risk of several diseases.
https://www.healthline.com/nutritio...is very rich in,your risk of several diseases.