Coffee drinkers may live longer and be less exposed to disease risk. This appears to be demonstrated by an American review recently published in Nutrients. However, experts advise caution in consumption, especially during pregnancy and when health-harming additives are involved.
The Study
More than 100 large-scale epidemiological studies subjected to peer review and meta-analyses formed the basis of a US researchers’ investigation aimed at estimating the physiological benefits of coffee consumption.
From the analysis, it emerges that moderate consumption, roughly three to five cups of coffee per day, may be associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and several types of cancer.
Additionally there would be benefits for respiratory and renal diseases and a lower risk of frailty and accidents. For example, the study reportedly observed that coffee drinkers recover more quickly after colorectal surgery, with studies also showing a faster return to normal bowel function compared with groups that did not drink coffee.
Not least, the review also analyzed coffee’s effects on holistic well-being by examining variables such as hydration, physical performance, mental sharpness, and sleep disruption among participants after consuming the beverage.
The Results
By integrating evidence from long-running multi-decade cohort studies such as the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study and the UK Biobank, the review provides a robust, evidence-based synthesis of coffee’s role in health and disease.
In particular, decaffeinated coffee consistently associates with lower mortality and a reduced risk of disease, demonstrating that the benefits go beyond caffeine. On the regular coffee side, mortality and chronic disease data emphasize that moderate consumption reduces the overall risk of death.
Specifically, a meta-analysis of 40 studies, involving about 3.8 million participants, would show a lower risk of all-cause mortality associated with consuming about 3.5 cups per day, with a 15% risk reduction (Relative Risk [RR] 0.85; 95% CI 0.82–0.89). Investigating then specifically the association of coffee with cardiovascular diseases, which constitute the world’s leading cause of death, a meta-analysis of 36 studies seems to indicate that 3–5 cups per day correlates with a 15% reduction in mortality risk. In relation to T2D, a meta-analysis would indicate a 29% risk reduction among habitual coffee drinkers. Furthermore, studies have demonstrated coffee’s benefits in oncology — liver cancer, uterine cancer — in Parkinson’s disease, in cognitive disorders, and a protective effect also against respiratory and renal pathologies.
The review clarifies that, although the evidence for coffee’s physiological benefits is broad, mechanistic investigations into its impacts remain relatively sparse; it is currently estimated that health benefits, such as reduced inflammation, improved glucose metabolism, and increased fat oxidation, result from a combination of its bioactive compounds, including caffeine itself, and a wide range of polyphenols.
Precautions
However, the review highlights some caveats associated with coffee, for example for pregnant women, for whom major health organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend limiting caffeine intake to less than 200 mg per day (about two cups of coffee).
Indeed, a possible increased risk of low birth weight with higher cup counts cannot be ruled out, though confounding factors and recall bias complicate these findings. Other incidental factors, according to some studies, may include the addition of sugar and cream, which could substantially blunt the benefits of coffee, or even negate them in the case of sugar, whereas other studies suggest that benefits persist even with additives. It is also highlighted that excessive coffee consumption can lead to sleep disturbances and anxiety in sensitive individuals. Finally, caffeinated coffee drinkers have been observed to take roughly 1,000 more steps per day on average, a simple uptick in physical activity linked to markedly lower mortality rates.
In Conclusion
The meta-analysis appears to provide sufficient, consistent, and persuasive evidence linking moderate coffee intake to a longer life and a lower risk of numerous chronic diseases. Nevertheless, the authors emphasize that most current findings come from observational studies, and thus future randomized controlled trials and Mendelian randomization studies are needed to clarify causality. Overall, at present, these reviews would conclude that coffee is a safe and healthful beverage.
Source
Emadi RC, Kamangar F. Coffee’s Impact on Health and Well-Being. Nutrients, 2025, 17(15), 2558. DOI: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/15/2558
Abbonati a Karla Miller
