The Buzz about Caffeine

Nearly 90 percent of American adults drink a cup of coffee at some point during the day, and most Americans drink two. Coffee is the most common way adults consume caffeine — beyond that taken in from black teas, colas, energy drinks and chocolate — making caffeine the most widely used psychoactive drug.

To take a closer look at the health effects of coffee, scientists from several medical schools, including the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, reviewed over 95 studies of what is for so many a cherished morning ritual. They found no long-term health risks from drinking several cups of coffee a day and evidence that, in fact, coffee offers some health benefits. Here is what they reported.

It’s always a good idea to pay attention to the amount or timing of your caffeine intake as it relates to the way you feel or ability to get a good night’s sleep.

Caffeine can help with weight management. By reducing appetite and boosting metabolism, it may decrease the risk of obesity, assuming that caffeinated beverages aren’t laden with sugar or high-fat dairy products which can lead to weight gain.

As students and truck drivers will tell you, caffeine is a well-known way to improve mental focus and brain health, especially as we get older. Coffee and caffeine, consumed in moderation, are also associated with a lower risk of suicide and depression. It can even improve teamwork.

Coffee also appears to offer some protection against the number one killer in the U.S., heart disease. Despite the fact that caffeine is a stimulant, caffeinated coffee does not appear to raise the risk of developing high blood pressure or making blood pressure problems worse. It also does not increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases or stroke.

Drinking a few cups of coffee a day has been shown to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. Regular consumption may lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, skin cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, Parkinson’s disease, gallstones, kidney stones and liver disease.

Coffee drinkers live longer, too. People who drink two to five cups of coffee daily have a lower chance of dying from any cause, and this is true for those who drink either decaf or caffeinated coffee.

Coffee contains hundreds of biologically active ingredients other than caffeine, any of which could decrease inflammation, improve bacteria in the gut and help control blood sugar levels, so it’s not completely certain if caffeine alone or a combination of ingredients in coffee are responsible for the health benefits of drinking coffee.

Moderate amounts of caffeine are fine for most people, but some experience unpleasant side effects such as anxiety, rapid heart rate and sleeplessness if they have too much caffeine. The negative effects of caffeine usually show up as the result of very high intake in the form of energy drinks or shots, particularly when mixed with alcohol.

What is “too much” coffee varies from person to person, so it’s always a good idea to pay attention to the amount or timing of your caffeine intake as it relates to the way you feel or ability to get a good night’s sleep.

The negative effects of caffeine usually show up as the result of very high intake in the form of energy drinks or shots, particularly when mixed with alcohol.

Three to five cups of coffee, equivalent to about 400 milligrams of caffeine, a day seems to be a safe amount for most people, with one exception — pregnant women should be cautious about their caffeine intake. High caffeine consumption during pregnancy may result in babies with low birthweight. Mothers-to-be should aim for 200 milligrams a day, or about 12 ounces of coffee during pregnancy.

While there appears to be a number of health benefits to drinking coffee, the evidence just isn’t strong enough to recommend drinking coffee for disease prevention, but the good news is that your daily java habit can fit right in with a healthy lifestyle. The review was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.