Coffee May Cut Heart Risk In Women
Reported June 17, 2008
Long-term drinking up to 6 cups of coffee a day may decrease risk for dying from heart disease in women.
A team of researchers from of Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain examined data from 84214 US women between 1980 and 2004 and 41736 US men between 1986 and 2004. None of the participants had a cardiovascular and cancer history before the study began. Study participants were given questionnaires on their coffee drinking, smoking, dieting, and lifestyle habits. Researchers also examined their medical history. Participants were then checked for mortality rates and the causes of deaths.
Women drinking from two to three cups of coffee a day had 25% lower risk for dying from heart disease than those women not drinking coffee. Men drinking coffee showed a bit increase risk for dying from heart disease, but the percentage was too low. Decaffeinated coffee consumption led to a small cut of overall mortality risk.
The study did not find a link between coffee consumption and cancer risk.
Previous coffee studies gave a mixture of results with some studies showing benefits of the drink and some others showing side effects. For example, there have been studies saying that coffee consumption by pregnant women doubles the risk for unhealthy delivery, another recent study was saying that coffee can lower type 2 diabetes risk, and it is quite clear that coffee can drive high blood pressure for a short while.
This study shows health benefits of coffee and it suggests that caffeine is not the most important compound leading to health improvement, because people drinking decaffeinated coffee showed even better heart improvement. Researchers suggest, that probably antioxidants are the ones giving health benefits. The study results are statistically significant because the number of participants was high and the study duration was long.
This research says, that coffee really cuts the risk for dying from heart disease if it is used regularly and for a long-term period. However, the researchers remind that all study participants were totally healthy, and people with health conditions should consult a doctor before making a ‘coffee decision’.