Latest news with #T.H.ChanSchoolofPublicHealth
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Harvard‑backed study reveals each cup of coffee boosts healthy aging odds by 5%; How many cups should you have per day?
Coffee doesn't need any more good press than it already has. Thanks to its rich source of antioxidants and certain compounds like caffeine, coffee can be beneficial for health. Moderate consumption of coffee has often been linked to reduced risks of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver and endometrial cancers, Parkinson's disease, and depression. Moreover, coffee can also improve mood, enhance cognitive function, and boost physical performance. So, having your daily cuppa not only comes with great benefits, but also preps you for the hustle and bustle! But could your daily coffee habit be a secret to aging gracefully? Turns out, the answer is yes. A major new study, backed by Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, suggests so, and it might have you brewing another cup. What does the study say? In a massive study of nearly 50,000 women over a time frame of 30 years, researchers found that drinking more coffee – to a point – during midlife was linked to less chronic disease, physical mobility issues and cognitive decline in later years. However, other caffeinated products, plus decaffeinated coffee, did not garner the same results. The aforementioned study tracked 47,513 women from the US Nurses' Health Study, beginning between 1984 and 1986, when participants were aged 45–60. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo This wasn't superficial: to qualify, participants had to live past 70 and remain free of 11 major chronic diseases (including heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes), while maintaining robust mental, cognitive, and physical health. Researchers followed them for over three decades, ending in 2016, and identified 3,706 women who met the criteria for "healthy aging." Coffee intake – both in type and quantity – was tracked through rigorous questionnaires. Researchers converted it into caffeine intake (measured per 80 mg unit, roughly the amount in a single espresso shot). On average, healthy agers consumed 315 mg of caffeine daily, the equivalent of three small cups of coffee. What are the findings? Dr Sara Mahdavi, from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, as reported by New Atlas, stated, 'Our study has several key strengths,' adding, 'In addition to the large sample size and 30 years of follow-up, we assessed several different aspects of longevity and healthy aging as well as very comprehensive information on nutritional and lifestyle habits that were collected every four years after the initiation of the study. ' What is the key takeaway? Each extra cup of brewed caffeinated coffee—up to about five cups a day—was linked with a 2% to 5% increased chance of healthy aging. Why does this matter? Over time, modest gains stack up. For someone drinking three cups daily, versus none, that's around a 15% to 25% increased likelihood of aging healthily – a substantial difference. As Dr Mahdavi stated, 'While past studies have linked coffee to individual health outcomes, our study is the first to assess coffee's impact across multiple domains of aging over three decades.' As per her, 'The findings suggest that caffeinated coffee – not tea or decaf – may uniquely support aging trajectories that preserve both mental and physical function.' More than caffeine: Coffee's unique blend What's fascinating is that this benefit wasn't observed with tea, decaf, soda, or other caffeine sources. In fact, cola intake was linked to 19% to 26% lower odds of healthy aging per daily glass. This suggests that coffee's bioactive compounds, like chlorogenic acids, polyphenols, and diterpenes, play a starring role, beyond caffeine itself. Harvard Health echoes this, noting that coffee's antioxidant components may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation. According to Dr Madhavi, 'These results, while preliminary, suggest that small, consistent habits can shape long-term health.' The bitter/sweet spot: 2 to 4 cups a day As Dr Madhavi quoted, 'Moderate coffee intake may offer some protective benefits when combined with other healthy behaviors such as regular exercise, a healthy diet, and avoiding smoking. While this study adds to prior evidence suggesting coffee intake may be linked with healthy aging, the benefits from coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of overall healthy lifestyle habits and warrant further investigation. ' What's the ideal number of cups, then? Most health benefits plateau after 3 to 4 cups daily. Even Harvard Health states moderate intake (2 to 4 cups) is beneficial for longevity and cardiovascular health. The Mayo Clinic recommends up to 400 mg/day – about four cups – as a safe limit. Moreover, drinking more than 5 cups daily has shown diminishing returns, and could bring downsides like anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues, or elevated cholesterol (especially from unfiltered brews). Besides, genetics also matters in this case, as individuals with slower caffeine metabolism may not experience the same benefits, and could be more sensitive to harm. Coffee drinkers undergo lower risks of death as compared to non-coffee drinkers: Study One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Midlife coffee drinkers enjoy healthier old age, study finds
ST. PAUL, Minn., June 2 (UPI) -- Regularly consuming coffee during middle age may provide a health boost for women as they get older, according to a finding unveiled Monday based on preliminary analysis of tens of thousands of health records. After combing through health data of more than 47,000 women collected over a 30-year period, researchers from Harvard's University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health said they have found evidence that women who drank caffeinated coffee in midlife were more likely to exhibit healthy aging, such as mental strength and sharpness, in their later years. An abstract of the study's preliminary results was presented at the American Society for Nutrition's NUTRITION 2025 conference in Orlando, Fla., by lead author Sara Mahdavi, a post-doctoral fellow at the school and an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto's Department of Nutritional Sciences. Although the health benefits were evident among coffee drinkers, they were not repeated among women who reported drinking similar beverages such as tea, decaffeinated coffee or cola, Mahdavi reported. The data used was culled from the Nurses' Health Studies, a landmark series of studies that have tracked lifestyle and health outcomes since 1976. They include regular follow-ups of study participants, repeating their assessments of health and lifestyle factors. The Harvard researchers looked at caffeine intake reported by 47,513 participants who filled out validated food frequency questionnaires. They defined "healthy aging" as "living to age 70 or older, being free from 11 major chronic diseases, maintaining physical function, having good mental health, exhibiting no cognitive impairment and showing no memory complaints." Using the Nurses' Health Studies follow-up data, they narrowed the field to 3,706 women who met all the healthy aging criteria 30 years after first enrolling in the study. Among them, subjects who said regular coffee was their primary source of caffeine had better odds (2% to 5%) of healthier aging outcomes in each of the defined domains. Decaffeinated coffee and tea intake, however, were not associated significantly with odds of healthier aging in any areas, while cola intake was actually associated with worse healthy aging outcomes. The study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, has yet to be submitted for the peer review process required for publication in a scientific journal, and thus it is considered preliminary. Mahdavi told UPI the results suggest that caffeine in and of itself is not necessarily an ingredient for a healthier old age. Rather, the benefit appears to come from the still mysterious ways in which it interacts with the chemical properties of the coffee. "While caffeine itself may contribute to short-term alertness and vascular effects, coffee is a complex beverage containing hundreds of bioactive compounds," she said in emailed comments. "Many of these -- including polyphenols like chlorogenic acids -- have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. "It's possible that the synergy between caffeine and these compounds is key. This may help explain why we see health benefits with coffee but not with other caffeine sources like soda or energy drinks." Meanwhile, an individual's genetic makeup also appears to play a role in how caffeine's benefits are translated into healthy aging. A 2023 study co-authored by Mahdavi focused on how differing genetics can effect an individual's ability to metabolize caffeine. It found that a genetic variation in a protein called CYP1A2 can affect how quickly a person detoxifies and clears caffeine from their system, which in turn can affect the how it affects their health. The researcher said the latest study is part of a broader effort to map out how individual genetics and can be tapped to tailor diets -- an emerging field known as nutrigenomics. It is broadly defined as the study of how nutritional factors can protect the human genome from damage. "I do believe we are moving toward a future where dietary advice can be tailored based on genetic and metabolic profiles," Mahdavi said. "Our prior work in nutrigenomics has shown that individuals metabolize caffeine at different rates based on genetic variants, such as in the CYP1A2 gene. "Understanding how people respond differently to the bioactive compounds in coffee could help optimize not just safety, but also health benefits -- particularly as we learn more about how these compounds affect inflammation, vascular aging, and longevity pathways," she added.
UPI
02-06-2025
- Health
- UPI
Midlife coffee drinkers enjoy healthier old age, study finds
1 of 2 | Sara Mahdavi, a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard's University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, co-authored a study released Monday that showed a connection between coffee consumption in middle age and healthier aging among women, Photo by Robert McGee ST. PAUL, Minn., June 2 (UPI) -- Regularly consuming coffee during middle age may provide a health boost for women as they get older, according to a finding unveiled Monday based on preliminary analysis of tens of thousands of health records. After combing through health data of more than 47,000 women collected over a 30-year period, researchers from Harvard's University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health said they have found evidence that women who drank caffeinated coffee in midlife were more likely to exhibit healthy aging, such as mental strength and sharpness, in their later years. An abstract of the study's preliminary results was presented at the American Society for Nutrition's NUTRITION 2025 conference in Orlando, Fla., by lead author Sara Mahdavi, a post-doctoral fellow at the school and an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto's Department of Nutritional Sciences. Although the health benefits were evident among coffee drinkers, they were not repeated among women who reported drinking similar beverages such as tea, decaffeinated coffee or cola, Mahdavi reported. The data used was culled from the Nurses' Health Studies, a landmark series of studies that have tracked lifestyle and health outcomes since 1976. They include regular follow-ups of study participants, repeating their assessments of health and lifestyle factors. The Harvard researchers looked at caffeine intake reported by 47,513 participants who filled out validated food frequency questionnaires. They defined "healthy aging" as "living to age 70 or older, being free from 11 major chronic diseases, maintaining physical function, having good mental health, exhibiting no cognitive impairment and showing no memory complaints." Using the Nurses' Health Studies follow-up data, they narrowed the field to 3,706 women who met all the healthy aging criteria 30 years after first enrolling in the study. Among them, subjects who said regular coffee was their primary source of caffeine had better odds (2% to 5%) of healthier aging outcomes in each of the defined domains. Decaffeinated coffee and tea intake, however, were not associated significantly with odds of healthier aging in any areas, while cola intake was actually associated with worse healthy aging outcomes. The study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, has yet to be submitted for the peer review process required for publication in a scientific journal, and thus it is considered preliminary. Mahdavi told UPI the results suggest that caffeine in and of itself is not necessarily an ingredient for a healthier old age. Rather, the benefit appears to come from the still mysterious ways in which it interacts with the chemical properties of the coffee. "While caffeine itself may contribute to short-term alertness and vascular effects, coffee is a complex beverage containing hundreds of bioactive compounds," she said in emailed comments. "Many of these -- including polyphenols like chlorogenic acids -- have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. "It's possible that the synergy between caffeine and these compounds is key. This may help explain why we see health benefits with coffee but not with other caffeine sources like soda or energy drinks." Meanwhile, an individual's genetic makeup also appears to play a role in how caffeine's benefits are translated into healthy aging. A 2023 study co-authored by Mahdavi focused on how differing genetics can effect an individual's ability to metabolize caffeine. It found that a genetic variation in a protein called CYP1A2 can affect how quickly a person detoxifies and clears caffeine from their system, which in turn can affect the how it affects their health. The researcher said the latest study is part of a broader effort to map out how individual genetics and can be tapped to tailor diets -- an emerging field known as nutrigenomics. It is broadly defined as the study of how nutritional factors can protect the human genome from damage. "I do believe we are moving toward a future where dietary advice can be tailored based on genetic and metabolic profiles," Mahdavi said. "Our prior work in nutrigenomics has shown that individuals metabolize caffeine at different rates based on genetic variants, such as in the CYP1A2 gene. "Understanding how people respond differently to the bioactive compounds in coffee could help optimize not just safety, but also health benefits -- particularly as we learn more about how these compounds affect inflammation, vascular aging, and longevity pathways," she added.
