Daily Aussie habit that could add years to your lifespan
For many Aussies, drinking coffee is a quick way to get a sure-fire energy boost.
But a new study, presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, suggests it might also support longer-term health, specifically, healthy ageing.
While the study hasn't been peer-reviewed or published yet, it was thorough and tracked a large group of women over many decades.
It adds to the growing body of research linking coffee to a longer life and various health benefits, including lower risks of certain chronic illnesses.
Fang Fang Zhang, a professor of nutritional epidemiology at Tufts University who wasn't involved with the study, told The New York Times that the findings connecting coffee with healthier ageing weren't surprising.
'The data is quite consistent that coffee consumption is actually beneficial,' she said.
The study methodology
Researchers followed more than 47,000 female nurses over several decades, starting in the 1970s.
The women answered questions about various lifestyle factors every few years, including how much coffee, tea, and cola (Coca-Cola or Pepsi) they drank.
In 2016, the researchers looked at how many were still alive and met the criteria for 'healthy ageing'.
Just over 3700 women met this definition: they were 70 or older, in good physical and mental health, with no cognitive impairment or memory loss, and free from 11 chronic diseases like cancer, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis.
They found a correlation between the amount of caffeine consumed (mostly from coffee) between ages 45 and 60 and the likelihood of healthy ageing.
After adjusting for other factors that could affect ageing, such as diet, exercise, and smoking, the women who consumed the most caffeine (nearly seven small cups a day) were 13 per cent more likely to age healthily than those who had the least (less than one cup a day).
Drinking tea or decaf coffee wasn't linked to healthy ageing, possibly because the overall consumption of tea and decaf was lower among the study participants, making it harder to see benefits.
What other research says
The study lead warned that just because drinking seven cups of coffee daily was associated with healthier ageing doesn't mean everyone should do so, nor is it necessarily healthy.
However, many other studies have found similar links between regular coffee consumption and health benefits.
A team from Queen Mary University, London, recently revealed that caffeine can help you live longer by influencing how cells grow, repair, and respond to stress.
The British researchers believe this could significantly boost longevity and even help ward off dementia, diabetes, and heart failure.
Another study from May this year, involving over 46,000 adults, found that those who drank one to three cups of coffee daily were 15 per cent less likely to die within the next nine to 11 years compared to those who didn't drink caffeinated coffee.
The takeaways
While these studies can't prove cause and effect, the consistent benefits observed suggest they are unlikely to be due to other factors, experts say.
Interestingly, drinking coffee is often linked with habits like smoking and less exercise. However, the fact that benefits are still seen after accounting for these factors hints that coffee might really have a positive effect.
Experts also warn that adding too much cream or sugar can negate some of the health benefits of coffee, so keep that in mind next time you order your cup of Joe.
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