Coffee: good or bad?

The research seems pretty clear that coffee is good for you. And I personally drink 1-2 espressos a day.

But there still seems to be a "stigma" against coffee drinking (like it's a bad habit).

This umbrella review seems like a definitive source on the matter (at least from a big picture). It's a massive review covering 218 meta-analyses (sort of like a meta-analysis of meta-analyses).

It basically says that drinking coffee (especially 3-4 cups a day) is likely good for you (unless you are pregnant or at risk of fractures, and maybe if you smoke).

Good in what ways?

Drinking more coffee is associated with lower risk of "all cause mortality" (dying), cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular disease, (some kinds of) cancer, neurological conditions, metabolic conditions, and liver conditions.

Decaf also seems to have benefits (but I'm not sure if it's equivalent to regular coffee).

The review does note that we need more studies that examine causality more rigorously (vs say observational studies).

So, I guess I'll increase my intake to ~3-4 cups a day. And to prevent being over-caffeinated, some of those cups can be decaf. (And anyway, I like coffee!)

But I hope to learn more about:

• Why is coffee generally good?

• Different health impacts of decaf vs regular coffee?

• What are the studies that examine causality?

• What about tea?

Coffee and Cancer

Cancer is all too prevalent, and is of course a leading cause of death. My family is no exception.

One highlight I came across – from this umbrella review of "coffee consumption and health" – is that drinking coffee seems to lower cancer risk.

The umbrella review highlighted results from this meta-analysis of 40 cohort studies , that found that drinking coffee is associated with an 18% lower risk of (any) cancer.

(Note: this is 18% lower "relative risk", not lower "absolute risk".)

But not for all cancer types, unfortunately.

Drinking coffee is associated with lower risk of: melanoma, leukaemia, and prostate, endometrial, oral, non-melanoma skin, liver, and lung cancers.

(A caveat: among smokers, those who drink more coffee seem to have higher mortality risks.)

But (sadly) there is no association between coffee consumption and: lymphoma, glioma, or gastric, colorectal, colon, rectal, ovarian, thyroid, breast, pancreatic, oesophageal, and laryngeal cancers.

Still – plus points for coffee!

Coffee: Good for Health?

The research seems pretty clear that coffee is good for you. And I personally drink 1-2 espressos a day.

But there still seems to be a "stigma" against coffee drinking (like it's a bad habit).

This umbrella review seems like a definitive source on the matter – at least from a big picture. It's a massive review covering 218 meta-analyses (sort of like a meta-analysis of meta-analyses).

It basically says that drinking coffee (especially 3-4 cups a day) is likely good for you (unless you are pregnant or at risk of fractures, and maybe if you smoke).

Good in what ways?

Drinking more coffee is associated with lower risk of "all cause mortality" (dying), cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular disease, (some kinds of) cancer, neurological conditions, metabolic conditions, and liver conditions.

Decaf also seems to have benefits (but I'm not sure if it's equivalent to regular coffee).

The review does note that we need more studies that examine causality more rigorously (vs say observational studies).

So, I guess I'll increase my intake to ~3-4 cups a day. And to prevent being over-caffeinated, some of those cups can be decaf.

Things I hope to explore more:

• Why is coffee generally good?

• Different health impacts of decaf vs regular coffee?

• What are the studies that examine causality?

• What about tea?

Coffee and Cancer

Cancer is all too prevalent, and is of course a leading cause of death. My family is no exception.

Does drinking coffee reduce cancer risk?

This umbrella review of "coffee consumption and health" finds drinking coffee seems to lower cancer risk.

The umbrella review highlighted results from this meta-analysis of 40 cohort studies, that found that drinking coffee is associated with an 18% lower risk of (any) cancer.

(Note: this is 18% lower "relative risk", not lower "absolute risk".)

But not for all cancer types, unfortunately.

Drinking coffee is associated with lower risk of: melanoma, leukaemia, and prostate, endometrial, oral, non-melanoma skin, liver, and lung cancers.

(A caveat: among smokers, those who drink more coffee seem to have higher mortality risks.)

But (sadly) there is no association between coffee consumption and: lymphoma, glioma, or gastric, colorectal, colon, rectal, ovarian, thyroid, breast, pancreatic, oesophageal, and laryngeal cancers.

Still – plus points for coffee!