| Walk With the Doc Saturday August 5th, 7:00 am Is Coffee Good for Health? Finally, there has been a reversal in the thinking about coffee’s health effects. Early studies gave coffee a bad reputation. The problem was that many studies didn't take into account heavy smoking and physical inactivity which tended to be quite common among heavy coffee drinkers. By eliminating people with lifestyle habits that would overshadow any help coffee might offer, the effects of coffee became clearer. Today, coffee has a rather impressive portfolio of positive associations with health. According to two recent large-scale studies coffee consumption has become even more strongly associated with better health. The keyword here is “associated” not “proven.” These were observational studies, not controlled clinical trials. So while they demonstrate an association, they don’t identify the underlying cause and effect. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has changed their position. In 1991 they advised coffee may cause cancer. By 2016 research showed the opposite - coffee may be protective from certain cancers. These two new reports are unlikely to be the last word about coffee’s benefits. However, they do add to an expanding body of research sponsored by the coffee industry and others that generally indicates no harm for most and for many some benefits. While a daily walk would probably have more benefit than a cup of coffee that’s not a head-to-head study the coffee industry is likely to fund. To their credit, these recent studies were overseen by independent research organizations that collected health histories from over 500,000 people for a wide range of ethnicities spanning sixteen years. As far as nutrition research goes, this is about as good as it gets. One especially positive finding was an association indicating that a cup of coffee daily resulted in a twelve percent lower risk of death from heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, respiratory and kidney disease. And drinking three cups a day reduced the risk by eighteen percent. Another strong association from the study was lower death risk from digestive ailments, circulatory problems and liver disease. An unresolved question is why coffee provides preventative advantages. What researchers know is that caffeine alone is not the answer. Given that coffee is a complex concoction of molecules, researchers have plenty to puzzle over. Before jumping to the conclusion that more coffee is right for you, be aware that because of genetic differences, some people metabolize caffeine fast and others metabolize it more slowly. In one study, the slow metabolizers who drank four or more cups of coffee a day experienced a greater risk of nonfatal heart attacks. Aside from a few exceptions, these recent studies fit well with accumulating research that finds positive associations between coffee and health. No doubt, you are pleased there is still one way to get a buzz that’s not bad for health. For myself, a morning walk gives me the buzz I need although I must to admit rather enjoying a nice cup of tea or coffee. Many of the studies that brought attention to the potential health benefits of coffee came from research done at Harvard University and the National Institute for Health. Findings from these studies associated coffee with: • Reduced risk of developing Parkinson’s disease • Lower risk of a lethal form of prostate cancer • Reduced risks of heart failure at 2 cups per day but declined with more • Reduced risk of skin cancer • Protecting liver health • Reduced risk of death from non-viral liver cirrhosis. Various studies have identified 51 reasons why coffee may be healthy. While some of the claims would likely suffer in the light of rigorous scientific scrutiny it’s still an amazing list of possibilities. Just keep in mind that when the topic of coffee research is mentioned it’s not about the health benefits of syrupy frappuchinos. It’s fair to assume that coffee flavored sugar drinks are not what researchers have been studying. So, if drinking unadulterated coffee isn’t your thing then all bets are off on whether coffee will provide any health benefits. What I have far more confidence in is a morning walk. Why not join me? Nancy Neighbors, MD ***** While coffee containing caffeine may have many desirable effects, it may also present undesirable side effects. Possible side effects include insomnia, increased heart and breathing rate, nervousness and restlessness, stomach upset, nausea and vomiting, and other side effects. Consuming large amounts of coffee might also cause anxiety, agitation, headache, irregular heartbeats and ringing in the ears. For more about coffee’s possible side effects click here. Let’s take a walk Date: Saturday, August 5th Location: Jones Family Park (see map) Time: 7:00 am (Meet in front of Yogurt Mt.) Yogurt Mt. is the last store at the end of Valley Bend Shopping Center). If cloudy, bring an umbrella, we walk come rain or shine. Click here for Dr. Neighbors’ 2017 news page If you would prefer to discontinue receiving ideas about healthy living from Dr. Neighbors please phone (256) 882-6085. |
