DR. COFFEE, MD

Apr 09 2009

The health benefits from drinking coffee continue to be reported—and to the extent where they almost seem too good to actually be true.

Coffee decreases diabetes risk. Drinking six cups a day slashed risk of diabetes by 54% for men and 30% for women in an 18-year Harvard study. Even drinking only one cup a day was found to reduce risk by several percent.

At least six additional studies indicate coffee drinkers reduce their risk of Parkinson’s disease by up to 80%.

And other studies have reported that drinking at least two cups of coffee a day can reduce risk of colon cancer by 25%, risk of gallstones by 50% and risk of liver cirrhosis by 80%.

There’s even evidence that coffee drinking offsets some of the health damage caused by smoking and excessive drinking—those who engage in such health vices but also drink coffee have been reported to suffer less heart and liver damage than those who don’t.

And other studies have indicated coffee may help to control asthma, relieve headaches, lift spirits and even prevent cavities.

Coffee can also increase athletic performance and endurance—until recently, it was a controlled substance at the Olympic Games.

Moreover, coffee is even good for children. One study in Brazil indicated that children (age 12 average) who drank coffee with milk were less prone to depression and were more alert in school. No study indicates that coffee consumed in reasonable amounts is in any way harmful for children.