Good news for coffee lovers! The advantages of drinking coffee often outweigh the disadvantages.

Coffee, as one of the three major drinks in the world, has become the favorite drink of many people, and many people in life are used to "one cup a day" or more. However, the effect of coffee on the human body has been mixed. Recently, an article published by Medscape (professional medical search engine) summarizes the recent research on the effects of coffee on the human body.

Coffee has a positive effect on health

Earlier this year, the Advisory Committee on Dietary guidelines (DGAC) released a report that drinking more than five cups of coffee a day or consuming more than 400mg of caffeine a day did not cause health problems. Not only that, they even point out that there is evidence that drinking coffee can reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders. More and more data show that moderate coffee concentration or tea intake will not cause harm, but will promote health.

According to a study published in 2012 in the New England Journal of Medicine, a 13-year follow-up study of more than 400000 coffee drinkers showed that drinking coffee reduced mortality by about 10 per cent. A meta-analysis published in 2014 in the American Journal of Epidemiology also found that drinking 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day significantly reduced mortality, including cardiovascular disease. In short, the positive effect of caffeine on health is undeniable.

Two cups of coffee a day can prevent heart failure

The relationship between coffee and the cardiovascular system is somewhat counterintuitive: caffeine can raise blood pressure, but it is good for the cardiovascular system. Occasional caffeine intake can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure, but when caffeine is ingested through coffee, its pressor effect is relatively weak, coupled with the cardiovascular protective effect of coffee itself, after neutralizing the two, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Studies have shown that moderate coffee intake can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease over the next 10 years, and an average of two cups of coffee a day can even prevent heart failure.

It has long been believed that coffee aggravates arrhythmias, and the mainstream view has been advising people with arrhythmias to avoid drinking coffee. However, there was no association between coffee and atrial or ventricular extrasystole, according to the 2015 Rhythm Association meeting.

Coffee can protect cerebral vessels.

The benefit of coffee on blood vessels is also shown in its cerebrovascular protective effect. Drinking 1 to 6 cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of stroke by 17%, according to a 2011 meta-analysis. A large 10-year follow-up study of women in Sweden found that coffee intake reduced cardiovascular risk by 22% to 25%.

At the 2012 European Conference on Hypertension and Cardiovascular Protection, a meta-analysis found that 1 to 3 cups of coffee a day can prevent the risk of ischemic stroke in the general population. A 2013 study of more than 80,000 Japanese adults without cardiovascular disease showed that people who drank coffee or green tea for an average of 13 years had a 20% lower risk of stroke than those who consumed little caffeine.

Although coffee increases blood pressure to some extent, it seems to be good for metabolic syndrome, which refers to high blood pressure, high blood sugar, abnormal lipid levels and weight gain. Many studies have found that drinking coffee regularly can improve glucose metabolism and insulin secretion, and significantly reduce the risk of diabetes. Research published this year shows that even for smokers or patients with a family history of high blood pressure and diabetes, coffee drinkers still have half the risk of diabetes as non-coffee drinkers. Experts suggest that coffee may also reduce the risk of diabetes because it contains chlorogenic acid, a plant antioxidant compound thought to reduce glucose absorption.

Coffee does not increase the risk of cancer

Foods such as alcohol and barbecue meat are recognized as cancer-causing foods, but when it comes to coffee, at least recent studies suggest that it does not increase the risk of cancer. There is evidence that moderate or even excessive consumption of coffee can reduce the risk of a variety of cancers, including endometrial cancer (> 4 cups / day), prostate cancer (6 cups / day), head and neck malignant tumors (4 cups / day), basal cell carcinoma (> 3 cups / day), melanoma and breast cancer (> 5 cups / day). These benefits should have something to do with the antioxidant and anticancer effects of coffee.

Coffee helps to improve memory

A 2012 study found that plasma caffeine levels of more than 1200 ng / ml (equivalent to 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day) in patients with mild cognitive impairment could avoid developing Alzheimer's disease over the next 2 to 4 years. Similarly, a study last year reported that caffeine intake helps improve memory. In addition, the neuroprotective effect of coffee on patients with Parkinson's disease is recognized. The 2012 study also showed that coffee drinking may reduce the formation of Lewy bodies, a typical pathological manifestation of Parkinson's disease.

A 2011 study showed that drinking coffee may also be good for mental health. Women who drank two to three cups of coffee a day had a 15% lower risk of depression than those who drank less than one cup of coffee a week. People who drink more than 4 cups a day can reduce the incidence of depression by 20%.

Coffee can reduce the incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver.

The liver can break down coffee, but coffee can protect the liver. There is evidence that drinking coffee slows the progression of alcoholic cirrhosis and hepatitis C and reduces the risk of developing liver cancer. A 2012 study showed that coffee intake was associated with a lower risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and a 2014 study found that coffee reduced the incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease while preventing liver fibrosis in such patients.

Coffee also has a negative side to health.

Although there are many benefits of drinking coffee, the benefits are often accompanied by risks, and coffee drinking also has negative medical and psychological effects. In addition to the above increased risk of high blood pressure, coffee can also cause or increase the risk of anxiety, insomnia, tremors and glaucoma. In addition, caffeine withdrawal syndrome itself is a mental illness.

Source: health News