Is Coffee Good or Bad For You? The Pros & Cons of Coffee Drinking
92Do you like coffee? I do, it's taste and aroma make my mornings so much better! But I heard that regular coffee drinking can have some negative effects on my health, so I decided to do my own little research and here is what I have found:
Coffee Pros
- 1. Antioxidants. Coffee is rich in antioxidants like chlorogenic acid and melanoidins. Antioxidants help prevent oxidation, a process that causes damage to cells and contributes to aging.
- 2. Parkinson's disease. Regular coffee drinking reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease. A number of studies [1],[2] have demonstrated that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are significantly less likely to develop Parkinson's disease.
- 3. Diabetes. Coffee drinking has the potential to protect against the development of type 2 diabetes. A prospective study[3] as part of the US Nurses Health Study found that moderate consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in younger and middle aged women.
- 4. Liver cirrhosis. Coffee drinking may protect against liver cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis.
- 5. Gallstones. There is some evidence [4] that coffee drinking may be protective against gallstone formation in both men and women.
- 6. Kidney stones. Coffee consumption lowers the risk of kidney stones formation. Coffee increases the urine volume, preventing the crystallization of calcium oxalate, the most common component of kidney stones.
- 7. Improved mental performance. Caffeine in coffee is a well-known stimulant. Coffee promotes alertness, attention and wakefulness. The cup of coffee can also increase information processing.
- 8. Alzheimer's disease. Regular coffee drinking may help to protect against Alzheimer's disease. Recent study [5] in mice showed that caffeine equivalent to 5 cups of coffee per day reduced the build up of destructive plaques in the brain.
- 9. Asthma. Caffeine in coffee is related to theophylline, an old asthma medication. Caffeine can open airways and improve asthma symptoms.
- 10. Caffeine safety. In 1958, caffeine was placed on the Food and Drug Administration's list as generally recognized as safe.
Coffee Cons
- 1. Heart disease. This is somewhat controversial. Most prospective cohort studies haven't found that coffee consumption is associated with significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
On one hand, diterpenes cafestol and kahweol present in unfiltered coffee and caffeine each appear to increase risk of coronary heart disease. High quality studies [6] have confirmed the cholesterol-raising effect of diterpenes. Also, coffee consumption is associated with an increase of plasma homocysteine, a risk factor for coronary heart disease.
On the other hand, a lower risk of heart disease among moderate coffee drinkers might be due to antioxidants found in coffee.
- 2. Cholesterol. Heavy consumption of boiled coffee elevates blood total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels [7]. Unfiltered coffee contains two cholesterol-raising compounds cafestol and kahweol.
- 3. Blood vessels. Coffee negatively affects the blood vessel tone and function.
- 4. Heart rhythm disturbances. Coffee can cause rapid or irregular heartbeats (cardiac arrhythmias).
- 5. Blood pressure. Although coffee drinking is not a significant risk factor for hypertension, it produces unfavorable effects on blood pressure [8] and people prone to hypertension may be more susceptible. Recent Italian study found that coffee drinking can slightly increase the risk for development of sustained hypertension in people with elevated blood pressure.
- 6. Osteoporosis. Coffee intake may induce an extra urinary excretion of calcium. Heavy coffee consumption (600 ml or more) can modestly increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially in women with a low calcium intake [9].
- 7. Heartburn. A cup of coffee can trigger the heartburn.
- 8. Sleep. Most are aware of the stimulatory effects of caffeine. High amounts of caffeine taken before going to sleep can cause difficulty falling asleep, tendency to be awakened more readily by sudden noises, and a decreased quality of sleep. However, some people can drink coffee and fall right asleep.
- 9. Dehydration. The caffeine in coffee is a mild diuretic and can increase urine excretion. This effect may be easily neutralized by drinking an extra glass of water.
- 10. Dependence. Although "generally recognized as safe" by the FDA, caffeine is still a drug, a mild central nervous system stimulant, and it produces dependence. Caffeine withdrawal is a real syndrome. You may get a few days of headache and irritability if you choose to quit drinking coffee, however, it is relatively easy to break this habit, and most people are not addicted to caffeine.
And here is the list of studies to confirm some points:
1. Saaksjarvi K, Knekt P, Rissanen H, Laaksonen MA, Reunanen A, Mannisto S. Prospective study of coffee consumption and risk of Parkinson's disease. PubMed
2. Hu G, Bidel S, Jousilahti P, Antikainen R, Tuomilehto J. Coffee and tea consumption and the risk of Parkinson's disease. PubMed
3. van Dam RM, Willett WC, Manson JE, Hu FB. Coffee, caffeine, and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study in younger and middle-aged U.S. women. Diabetes Care. PubMed
4. Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Spiegelman D, Colditz GA, Giovannucci EL. Coffee intake is associated with lower risk of symptomatic gallstone disease in women. Gastroenterology. PubMed
5. Arendash GW, Schleif W, Rezai-Zadeh K, Jackson EK, Zacharia LC, Cracchiolo JR, Shippy D, Tan J. Caffeine protects Alzheimer's mice against cognitive impairment and reduces brain beta-amyloid production. Neuroscience. PubMed
6. Urgert R, Essed N, van der Weg G, Kosmeijer-Schuil TG, Katan MB. Separate effects of the coffee diterpenes cafestol and kahweol on serum lipids and liver aminotransferases. PubMed
7. Urgert R, Weusten-van der Wouw MP, Hovenier R, Lund-Larsen PG, Katan MB. Chronic consumers of boiled coffee have elevated serum levels of lipoprotein(a). PubMed
8. Winkelmayer WC, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Curhan GC. Habitual caffeine intake and the risk of hypertension in women. PubMed
9. Hallstrom H, Wolk A, Glynn A, Michaelsson K. Coffee, tea and caffeine consumption in relation to osteoporotic fracture risk in a cohort of Swedish women. PubMed
Share it! — Rate it: up down [flag this hub]
Comments
Katie, I am also a great coffe drinker - a pot in the morning. Leaving the afternoon and evening coffee free seems to help me sleep at night. The article is very informative.
I'm taking all the pros and forgetting all the cons. Java is essential to my early morning routine.
A quick tip: If you haven't invested in a coffee grinder, do so. Grinding the beans just prior to brewing makes a huge difference in taste; for the better of course.
I Agree with Rob. The psychological benefits of well made coffee out-weigh a lot of risk factors. And he's right about the grinder. We also use an espresso maker, so our morning coffee is a home-made latte with a double shot of expresso. Much better than that boiled hot dark liquid! :)
Thanks for the tip about this health issue. Really Appreciate it.
I love that list of Pros! I am a coffee addict. Moderation is the key (that I don't have). :)
Good piece of article. What's your conclusion? Does the benefit outway the negative effects? I think it would have been a good feed back. What do you think?
Let's look at the evaluation of coffee drinking this way. What is the Plus, Minus and Interesting things about coffee drinking.
Let the debate go on! I' loving ---it.
Well done!
Good piece of work.
Some people drink coffee because they add alot of sugar. This will increase the chance of getting diebetic
I love coffee and I drink with no sugar
I really think the pros of drinking coffee far far outweigh the cons. I always say, anyting in moderation is fine! Just don't have TOO much coffee and the benefits for you are tremendous!
I like coffe SO MUCH that I would forget about all cons. I was drinking a cup of coffee every morning for the past 15 years, but have recently switch to decaff. I have noticed some of the cons that you listed here and I decided that it is a good time to stop getting coffeine. Feel better now, but still love true coffee.
Great information. Like every thing, moderation is the key. Drink 2 or 3 cups over the course of a day and you'll live to be a ripe old age. Guzzle down 6 or 8 cups and you could be doing your self some harm.
I love a good cup of java.
The benefits sound great! I love my morning cup of joe. I didn't know about the cholesterol thing... maybe that explains why mine is so high!
It's weird. I actually don't drink coffee, but I'd say about 95% of the people I know do. That being said, I like things that give me a little pick-me-up, so I would'nt be surprised if I become president of the Coffee Drinkers of America Association within the next few months. As a "fitness guy", I don't think a cup or two a day is a bad thing, just as long as you drink plenty of water. Nice information.
Great post- coffe drinkers are sure to sit up and take notice! I think overall coffe is very benefitial, it is largely the sugar and ( or sugar substitues) and cream that make it less healthy. In moderation coffee has been proven to help physical exercise and concentration.
Personally, too much makes me irritable.(no one wants to be around that!)
I like organic, fair trade coffee because I know there are no perservatives and chemicals added to the beans. This is important to me becasue I am grinding up the bean and then soaking it in boiling water - this is also how you'd extract chemicals form something. So why risk it.
A friend of mine turned me on to a great organic coffee that has reishi mushrooms in it. The infuse the beans with cordyceps and ganoderma ( performance and immune enhancing herbs) You can't taste anything but really really good coffee, and it is a much nicer way to boost my immune system every day!Normally I drink about 2 1/2 mugs a day.
After that I switch to water. Oh yeah, the coffee is called Nutricafe, http://www.enerfood.com - you can get it online and it is very reasonable , plus it tastes good < the most important thing!
Great topic!
Wow...the Pro's definitely outweight the con's (unless a person has a current cardiac condition)....That's a good thing because I've got to have my coffee. That's a good idea about matching a glass of water for every cup of coffee.
thanks for the info. I love coffee and have read few articles about coffee, but your article is a great summary of the pertinent points. Thanks again!
The most serious health risks of coffee are related to it's caffeine content. So, moderation is a key.
Wow you have really done your hoemwork with this. The problem I have with all this info, is that its just overwhelming. I mean that level of detail is probably available on almost everything we eat / drink, and whether things are good or bad for you seems to change so frequently (in terms of latest medical advice).
I really cannot take all this in... so I just drink cofee cos I like it, and dont worry too much about the stats...
Great hub page though!
I like to drink coffee but I limit myself to drink only once a day. And each time, I don't drink a full cup of coffee. I believe that if you don't eat or drink excessively, things should be fine.
Every food and drink will have their pros and cons depending on how they are managed and consumed.
Looks yummy. Great insight
Good thing I drink coffee! :-)
Katie - Thank you for the thorogh research and for sharing it with us.
It took time and effort and is much appreciated by this coffee fan.
For those ofyou who love coffee and have not embarked on the adventure of grindingyour own beans-there is a whole new wonderful experience awaiting you. Starbucks, etc. have nothing on home brewed coffee from your own fresh coffee beans. And there are many, many wonderful flavors to be had!
Have a joyful, jazzy, java day!.... vilynn
Organically grown fair trade coffee in moderation ( even instant coffee ) can form a great part of your day.
Coffeepot Conversation
Alan
I wouldn't like to miss my daily coffee. Regardless of the benefits or dangers. This is a coffee junky speaking ;-)
Katie,
Val and I Owned a coffee lounge at 24 years of age, Survived 50 years of marriage. Today by 8.00 am I have had three large mugs of coffee. By 10 PM tonight I will have drunk at least five more, that is normal.
Some comments to your points: -
Parkinsons agree
Gallstones - Had 10 weeks in hospital with three operations ( Horror time) 99 gallstones blamed, mostly on coffee intake.
Liver - 2 of the 3 operations were for ulcers on the liver caused as a result Cholestcystectomy
Kidney stones Agree
Improved mental performance Val disagrees
Alzheimer's disease. I am getting worried
Asthma agree
Cholesterol Became very high. Changed diet and exercised Lost the Cholesterol
Perfect blood pressure.
I like your hub and have become a fan
Don't give up your coffee.
In the papper yesterday a Radio personality was drinking 13 cups of Coffee and 8 litres of Coca Cola Per day. That sounds a little extreme.
Great effort on your hub
It's ok of drank in moderation. Some suggest to drink no more than 3 cups and day. Too much caffeine intake can fatigue your adrenal glands over time. I've also read not to drink coffee after 2 pm to get a quality sleep at night.
Enjoyed seeing the antioxidant qualities of coffee. My doctor says that until one drinks 10 eight ounce cups each and every day, there are no actual physical harms...unless you personally notice that drinking the caffeine later in the day causes you "wakefulness" at night that hinders your sleep. I personally can't imagine drinking the equivalent of 10 eight ounce cups of coffee each day!! Though I guess there are these folks now that things like Red Bull exists. Nice post!
Your hub on the pros and cons of coffee was interesting, but even though you didn’t come right out and make any conclusions on the info, your pro-coffee bias was there. From the other comments it apparently made the majority, who are coffee lovers, happy. That’s all right if you feel that way.
I just think you’re better off without it coffee, especially the caffeinated variety. I’ve been caffeine-free for a while and I feel so much better now that I don’t have those highs and lows and need my morning fix to get going.
Studies are like scriptures, you can find one to say just about anything you want. Really though, to quote a 1958 statement from the FDA saying caffeine was safe? Didn’t they say eating tons of eggs and drinking whole milk was good for you then too? Cigarettes weren’t even bad.
There were a lot of “may be’s” and “can be’s” in the pros you mention too. I just think there are better ways to get antioxidants, prevent diabetes, protect your liver and so on than by drinking coffee. There are still some that think it is toxic, caffeinated or decaffeinated, best avoided. I don’t know about that either, but I don’t set much store on studies proved today and disproved tomorrow. It really is hard to know what is good for you or not.
Really, I’m not trying to stir up any controversy or hate. I appreciate your hub. There are a lot worse things than drinking coffee. So, if you enjoy it, go ahead and if you don’t drink it, that is fine too.
informative and interesting, i'm not really a coffee person... lol but its nice to know
Coffee is my life! :}
herb teas might be an interesting hub, you want me to request one from you...? Marisue
Somehow it just clears up the mind . Or should I say : It perks you right up .........
Unless you drink it like my niece - she's a night shift nurse , and she takes two coffee and seven sugar to a cup . ( yes , seven sugar - she only fills the cup half with coffee to leave space for all the sugar - and she's a nurse.......)
Fun hub! I love my coffee so I guess I'll focus on the PROS!
Thanks for the balanced lists though. It is appreciated!
~~Mary K
Wow! This was a very interesting topic! You wowed me with about every fact on here, that is so crazy! I did not know that coffee could possibly raise your cholestrol! Good, informative hub!
Hi,
Coffee is my drink of choice. I drink it pretty much 24/7. I do also drink milk and water upon occasion. My cholesterol level is low, as is my blood pressure. I do not drink decaffeinated, ughhhh,,,,,and I have absolutely no trouble sleeping, although for a period of time I did, but it was from some other cause. I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat, anytime, anywhere, my late hubby used to say I could fall asleep on a rock. And no, I do not have narcolepsy lol,,,,
I have forgotten that I have a coffee grinder, so I'm going to go dust it off now and make some coffee,,
thanks for the hub,,
Patty
Unfortunately I cannot have coffee as I have IBS and caffeine is a definite antagonist. I have herb or redbush tea which has no caffeine. Still, it just goes to prove that the 'experts' really don't know what they're talking about as we've been warned off coffee for so long. Great Hub
Great info here! I Love coffee!
Terrific info! And very interesting since I'm a coffee drinker myself. :)
coffee is nice especially when the wetaher is cold, it gives you extra spirit n stamina
Great information. I love good coffee. I have been drinking coffee for about 50 years. I have probaly read all the literature regarding the benefits or lack of, of coffee.
If you drink coffee in moderation ( say 2 or 3 cups over the day) Then the benefits far out weigh the so called negative. As with anything, moderation is key.
Considering that about 80 billion cups of coffee are consumed around the world every year, I find it hard to belive that there is much health risk. Generally speaking, the amount of caffeine we consume in North America is minor compared to a lot of European and Middle East countries.
Have you ever had Turkish coffee or Greek coffee? How about espresso. Italy and France have a culture of drinking many cups of espresso in a day.
Like a lot of studies done years ago, most are inaccurate and out of date. Newer science and information has a habit of reversing old opinions.
So, in my opinion, if your biggest worry in life is how much coffee you should consume, you're a lucky person :)
Thanks for the tip about this health issue. Really Appreciate it.
I am an avid coffee drinker. Awesome Hub with pros and cons!
hi
it is a nice hub but i beg to differ from you that coffee has antioxindats and prevents type 2 diabetes.in fact it is the other way around as reported in our medical litterature. just one study may not be substantiate evidence.
Hi, great hub and its the only place I have read about coffee & asthma, I always have a coffee if I am feeling an asthma attack come on or after one and it´s something I have done as its what i´ve wanted to do, not becuase its something I have been told about or read about, so its great to know that the coffee is a benefit and now maybe people won´t think i´m mad !!
Hi KatieBI was viewing this hubPage and I noticed it didn't have very many graphics, so I made some. check them out at http://hubpages.com/hub/Free-clipart-for-hubpages they're free to use I hope you find them useful Cheers NightSquid
damn. i drink like sixteen cups a day. i am going to die
Thanks for research. I have been enjoyning having coffee since I moved to the US without knowing about bad or good. I just fall in love with coffee.
In our culture, people say that there are two white poison of health: Sugar and Salt.
I beleive it. So I just drink coffee without sugar.
I couldn't move in the morning without coffee. I can drink it all day long with no effect on my sleeping (I'm chasing a 1 yr. old and a 4 yr. old all day in addition to running a home-based business) so I sleep like a rock. I'll admit though that the addiction factor is huge, I cut back significantly during pregnancy and the withdrawal headaches were unbelievable. I was one really cranky hormonal mess until the withdrawal was over. Now I'm just my overcaffeinated bitchy self again.
Boy did you hit a subject! I didn't start drinking coffee until I was 33! Now I do love the jump start in the morning but can I not have it and still feel good and ready for my day? The answer is not until last year I actually found a product to put into my water that lets me keep the even keeled energy and well being feeling that helps me without coffee. But do I still drink it... yes I'm just a latte girl and don't mind saying so! Stay Happy! Vicki
Coffee! Can’t live with it and can’t live without it. Besides being addictive, it creates a vicious circle. You crash; you need another coffee because you feel so exhausted. An excessive amount of Coffee is great for causing Adrenal Fatigue. Still, there is nothing like a fresh, hot, cup of coffee in the morning. :)
Yeah coffee is bad i think...
I don't drink coffee at night anymore... I can never get to sleep ever! LOL
Great hub, thanks for all of the information
I am a fan of coffee, but I quit during my pregnancy--its not so good to have more than 1 small cup a day when your pregnant. But now--nothing gets in the way of that huge 22oz cup of Java--I'm addicted! Great Post!!! Jenevieve
I love coffee! I don't really care about medical info, because they are changing their discoveries every few years.
I trust to my personal feelings, wonderful smell and delicious taste of coffee...
I absolutely cannot function in the morning till I've had a cup of coffee and wouldn't dream of giving it up--tried once and had the headache from hell for two days. Never again! well written, and supremely useful info. and the documentation of sources knocks my socks off. Thumbs UP!
How old should you be to start drinking coffee?
great hub, full of information
I drink coffee regulary and enjoy it totally, only thing is, I cannot stand perked coffee and only drink instant. Are the pros and cons universal or is instant different in some way?
Great Hub!
I didn't know there were so many "pros" to coffee. I personally don't like it black and have to drink at least 1 cup every day. Thanks for the article!
I don't think the pros outweigh the cons..... "It wakes me up in the morning, but hardens my arteries and may give me a heart attack -lol"... I personally feel like I can't function in the morning without my coffee, but addiction is no excuse. I'm going to slowly cut back, I've tried before, and get a headache if I don't drink some. But I think it's healthier not to drink it daily.....
Very interesting - comparing the lists, I can't decide which is worse! I guess it just comes down to personal preference after that! Great hub, tons of interesting info!!!
Good one.
Thanks for sharing
Great hub, i'm studying neuroscience and I have an exam soon on psychopharmacology and the psychology of addiciton. Coffee is in my exams and I've found this really helpful that you have linked to Pubmed.
Thanks
I used to have to take at least two cups of coffeee in the morning to get me awake. However I am not taking ti anymore....it makes me gittery after taking this supplement in the morning. I feel really awake and alive :0)
working
jonixk says:
6 weeks ago
Great article katie. I'm a coffee drinker myself, 2-3 coffees a day. I didn't khow that coffee could prevent so many diseases.