When I was going through my undergraduate training – I would have 3 cups of coffee per day. My mom and my relatives kept telling me to cut back on my caffeine consumption, but never really told me why. “Its not good for you!” they would say, but what does the evidence say?
What are the health consequences of coffee?
When I reviewed the medical evidence, I found that that there may actually be health benefits to drinking coffee! A study published by the British Medical Journal in 2017 suggested that three or four cups a day (which is considered moderate consumption) confers greatest benefit, except in pregnancy and for women at risk of fracture.
“Coffee consumption seems generally safe within usual levels of intake, with summary estimates indicating largest risk reduction for various health outcomes at three to four cups a day, and more likely to benefit health than harm.”
What are the health outcomes related to caffeine consumption?
This study found that moderate consumption of coffee is associated with health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and other diseases.
After reviewing the evidence supporting the benefits of coffee, I will happily drink my 1-3 cups of coffee per day!
This post was co-authored by Stephanie Liu, MD, MSc, CCFP, MSc and Suzanne Black, MD, BSc.
References
https://www.bmj.com/content/359/bmj.j5024 – accessed June 8 2019