It appears that one American habit, a cup or more of coffee in the morning, may actually be good for you, in particular men. A new study has found that male coffee drinkers, especially those who have at least three cups of coffee a day, are at a far lesser risk for prostate cancer.
According to a major study out of the Harvard School of Public Health, men who drank six cups of coffee per day had a 60 percent lower risk of developing the most lethal form of prostate cancer, and a 20 percent lower risk of developing any form of the disease.
Even at a more modest one to three cups of coffee per day, the risk was cut by 30 percent. This hidden benefit is likely linked to compounds in coffee that act as antioxidants, reduce inflammation and regulate insulin. Previous studies found that coffee consumption was associated with lower risk of a wide range of diseases including Parkinson's, type 2 diabetes and liver cancer.
The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, looked at nearly 48,000 men over the course of 12 years. Starting in 1986, every four years the men reported their intake of various substances including coffee. The researchers took into account other risk factors such as smoking and obesity and adjusted the findings accordingly. As of 2006, 5,035 men had developed prostate cancer, 642 defined as fatal or metastatic.
Further research must be done to validate the findings. If confirmed, this would add be a significant addition to the growing list of coffee's potential health benefits. Other health benefits associated with coffee include reduced blood pressure. Results from long-term studies proved that coffee may not increase the risk for high blood pressure over time, as previously thought. Study findings for other cardiovascular effects are a mixed bag.
In addition, two substances in coffee - kahweol and cafestol - raise cholesterol levels. Paper filters capture these substances, but that doesn't help the many people who now drink non-filtered coffee drinks, such as lattes. Researchers have also found a link between cholesterol increases and decaffeinated coffee, possibly because of the type of bean used to make certain decaffeinated coffees.
Heavy coffee drinkers may be half as likely to get diabetes as light drinkers or nondrinkers. Coffee may contain chemicals that lower blood sugar. A coffee habit may also increase your resting metabolism rate, which could help keep diabetes at bay.