The July 2021 issue of Advances in Nutrition published findings from a meta-analysis that revealed a lower incidence of several major diseases in association with drinking caffeinated coffee.*

Matteo Di Maso of the Università degli Studi di Milano and his associates selected 26 studies that investigated the association between drinking coffee and cardiovascular diseases and deaths, type 2 diabetes, hepatocellular carcinoma (the most common type of liver cancer), endometrial cancer, and melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers.

The studies selected were conducted in the U.S. and included a total of 3,713,932 participants among whom there were 93,706 cases of the selected disease outcomes during follow-up. Follow-up periods ranged from 8 to 28 years.

Analysis of pooled participant data revealed a significant reduction in the incidence of cardiovascular disease or mortality of 10%, a decrease in type 2 diabetes of 10%, a decline in endometrial cancer of 15%, a decrease in melanoma of 11% and a reduction in nonmelanoma skin cancer of 8% in association with any non-decaffeinated coffee drinking compared to no consumption. A nonsignificant 7% reduction in hepatocellular carcinoma was also observed in association with drinking coffee.

The greatest reduction in cardiovascular disease/mortality risk was associated with drinking three to four cups of coffee per day. When other outcomes were examined, the risk of disease decreased linearly in association with the number of cups of coffee consumed each day.

For example, drinking 1 cup of coffee per day was associated with a 4% reduction in type 2 diabetes, but 3 cups were associated with a 17% reduction and an 8 cup intake with a 43% reduction.

Using data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), the researchers estimated that current patterns of U.S. coffee drinking could result in the avoidance of 6% to 12% of the cases/deaths according to the disease being considered.

“Because of its caffeine content, coffee has been considered unhealthy in the past,” the authors wrote. “However, coffee also contains phenolic acids, diterpenes, minerals, nicotinamide equivalent, and other compounds with potentially beneficial effects.”

“This study confirms the beneficial health effects of caffeinated coffee consumption in the US population on cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hepatocellular carcinoma, endometrial cancer, melanoma, and nonmelanoma skin cancer, and quantifies their possible magnitude,” they concluded.

*Di Maso M et al. Adv Nutr. 2021 Jul 30;12(4):1160-1176.