Study: coffee and longevity

New research shows that drinking coffee can increase the chances of a longer life, even for those who drink at least eight cups a day.

In a study of nearly half a million British adults the coffee drinkers have a slightly lower risk of death than the others

The apparent increase in longevity has was observed with instant coffee, ground and decaffeinated, results that were taken up by EE research. UU C is the first major study to suggest a benefit, even in people with genetic deficiencies that affect how their body uses caffeine.

In general, coffee drinkers had between 10 and 15% less than a decade of follow-up Differences in the amount of coffee consumed and genetic variations were minimal.

The results do not prove that their coffee maker is a source of youth or a reason for those who do not start drinking coffee, says Alice Lichtenstein, a nutrition expert at Tufts University who did not not participated in the research. But he said the results reinforce previous research and add extra comfort for coffee drinkers.

"It's hard to believe that anything we value so much could be good for us," Lichtenstein said. in JAMA Internal Medicine.

It is not clear how drinking coffee can affect longevity. Lead author Erikka Loftfield, a researcher at the US National Cancer Institute UU., Says that coffee contains over 1,000 chemical compounds, including antioxidants, that help protect cells.

Other studies have suggested that substances contained in coffee can reduce inflammation and improve the way the body uses insulin, which can reduce the chances of developing diabetes.

For the study, the researchers invited 9 million British adults to participate: 498,134 women and men aged 40 to 69 accepted the invitation.

Participants completed questionnaires on daily coffee consumption, exercise and other habits, and received physical exams, including blood tests. Most were coffee drinkers: 154,000 or close to one-third drank two to three cups a day and 10,000 drank at least eight cups a day

Over the next decade, 14,225 people died , mainly from cancer or heart disease. Caffeine can cause short-term increases in blood pressure, and some smaller studies have suggested that it could be related to hypertension, especially in people with genetic variation that causes them to metabolize slowly caffeine.

Coffee drinkers in the UK study did not show higher risks than those who did not suffer from heart disease and other causes related to blood pressure.

The survey did not focus on black coffee or cream and sugar. But Lichtenstein said that adding fat and calories to the coffee is not healthy.