Health Benefits of Coffee
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In this segment, Dr. Edward Martin will discuss the health risks and benefits of drinking coffee with his sister Dr. Kathryn Martin, and his brother Dr. John Martin.
Through the years, many studies have been done looking at the health effects of coffee consumption. The conclusions have varied making it confusing for the consumer. Some of the studies stated that there were health risks involved with coffee consumption, without looking carefully at the other harmful behaviors which were associated with the coffee drinking, such as smoking.
There are other factors which need to be examined when doing a study on coffee consumption. How big is the cup? How much caffeine is in the coffee? This is especially important, since the amount of caffeine can differ tremendously from cup to cup, and with different roasts. And it is surprising to most people to learn that the lighter roasts actually have more caffeine than the darker roasts.
With coffee consumption there can be:
Decreased risk of:
1. Diabetes Mellitus II
2. Parkinsons
3. Suicide
4. Colon Cancer
5. Liver disease
6. Can be performance enhancing
Increased risk of:
1. Cardiovascular disease
a. MI- heart attack – usually only seen in people who drink 8-10 cups/day
b. Hypertension
c. Arrhythmia is NOT associated with coffee consumption
2. Osteoporosis – hip fractures – may decrease the absorption of calcium
3. Maternal health
a. Delayed conception
b. Miscarriage with high coffee use
c. Breast feeding – may irritate the infant
4. GI – heartburn and reflux, with both caffeinated and decaffeinated
At this point most research shows that coffee consumption is beneficial to your health. So feel free to indulge in your favorite coffee choice, but as with all things, drink in moderation!