Health Is coffee a poison or a cure medicine

Coffee extends life and protects against heart disease

Coffee was long considered a health hazard despite its popularity. The caffeine-containing activator was said to have nerve-damaging, heart-stressing and stomach-irritating effects. A comprehensive meta-analysis of many coffee studies now largely free the alleged culprit and even shows health benefits that can adjust through regular coffee consumption - up to a life-extending effect.

"Three coffees a day keep you away from the grave", so maybe a future saying could be, considering the results of the analysis. Because according to the scientists, drinking coffee is more of an asset to health than harm. Drinking three to four cups of coffee a day is associated with a lower risk of premature mortality, heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, liver disease and dementia. The results of the meta-analysis were recently published in the journal "BMJ".

Coffee was considered unhealthy for a long time, but more and more scientific researches speak the hot beverage free of harmful effects. A recent meta-analysis shows that coffee can even have a life-prolonging effect. (Image: fabiomax / fotolia.com)

An analysis that unites all studies

To better understand the impact of coffee consumption on health, the team led by Drs. Robin Poole from the University of Southampton, together with staff from the University of Edinburgh conducted a meta-analysis of 201 studies. Overall, the researchers found from the evaluated data that the health benefits outweigh the normal coffee consumption.

Too much coffee weakens the positive aspects

Drinking coffee was consistently associated with a lower overall risk of death and a lower risk of all heart disease. This effect was greatest as long as regular consumption did not exceed three cups per day, the researchers report. Excessive consumption weakens the positive aspects.

Coffee as a remedy?

Coffee is also associated with lower risk of various cancers, including prostate, uterine, skin and liver cancer, according to the analysis. In addition, the disease risk for type 2 diabetes, gallstones and gout sink. The greatest benefit has been observed in liver diseases such as cirrhosis. In addition, the researchers report favorable associations between coffee consumption and Parkinson's, depression and Alzheimer's.

The safe daily maximum dose

Coffee drinkers often ask themselves how much coffee can be safely consumed per day. The researchers suggest a safe daily maximum dose of approximately 400 milligrams of caffeine. This corresponds to about 700 ml filter coffee or three espresso.

Further advantages of the coffee

The current analysis is not the first scientific study of the benefits of coffee. Earlier studies indicated that coffee is healthier than often thought. Examples of health benefits include:

• Cinnamon and coffee promote weight loss,
• the relief of headaches from coffee with lemon
• and the digestive effect, because coffee can stimulate digestion.

Beware of pregnancies

The authors of the study conclude that drinking coffee is safe during normal consumption habits. However, pregnant women are an exception. According to the analysis, coffee is associated with various health problems during pregnancy.

Coffee should not be generally recommended

"Although the results of the analysis show that coffee is generally safe, doctors should not advise drinking coffee," Eliseo Guallar, director of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said in a press release. In his opinion, people should not start drinking coffee for health reasons.

German nutritionist sums up the results

"As a result, it was shown that the relative risk of death in people who drink three to four cups of coffee a day was significantly lower than that of non-coffee drinkers," says Professor Christian Sina, head of the Institute of Nutritional Medicine at the University of Lübeck Analysis results to the news agency dpa. The coffee drinkers from the studies were less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, liver disease and there were among them 18 percent fewer cancers, the expert said.

No general recommendation for drinking coffee

"Before all euphorically churning coffee into it, let's just say: such studies make it difficult to derive general recommendations", "Three to four cups a day should not hurt most people," says Sina. In addition, coffee is often consumed with products that are rich in refined sugars and unhealthy fats, which can contribute to adverse health outcomes, regardless of coffee. (Vb)