MORE findings by local researchers have shown that there is a link between moderate consumption of coffee beverages and increase in healthy life expectancy.
An average of two to five cups of coffee (about 200 to 300mg of caffeine) per day will reduce the risk of cancer, stroke, heart diseases, Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver cancer, liver cirrhosis, gall bladder disease, among other diseases that shortens healthy lifespan.
The local researchers under the aegis of Ignite, a science based programme on coffee and health, recently shared their findings with stakeholders in the health sector, stressing that abuse or misuse of the widely consumed substance account for health problems often attributed to the substance.
Consultant Cardiologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos, Dr Akinsanya Olusegun, noted that coffee, the most pleasurable hot beverage in the world, is also one of the most controversial beverage with long history of being blamed for many ills.
He, however, noted that recent studies indicate that coffee may not be so bad after all and may impact positively on healthy life expectancy, “as the antioxidant effect of coffee is becoming increasingly known.”
Akinsanya observed that a May 2012 study by the New England Journal of Medicine found that coffee drinkers “who drank at least two or three cups a day were about 10 or 15 percent less likely to die for any reason during the 13 years of the study.”
The result, according to him, further corroborated earlier studies that had shown that coffee moderately reduces the incidence of dying from cardiovascular disease, based on a large prospective cohort study published in 2008.
Also, a 2009 prospective study in Japan following nearly 77,000 individuals aged 40 to 79 found that coffee consumption was associated with a reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Moderate consumption of this beverage had also been shown to reduce the risk of developing heart failure.
Continuing, Akinsanya said, “Besides, scientific studies have found that regular coffee consumption lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes by up to 67 per cent. This appears to result from reduced levels of blood glucose, increased insulin sensitivity, and decreased storage of both fat and carbohydrate.
“Scientific studies show that coffee’s compounds lower blood pressure over the long term, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is believed to be a result of the beneficial action of chlorogenic acids on the arteries.
“A meta-analysis of the available prospective studies from 1966 to 2011 shows that moderate coffee consumption is associated with lower risk of stroke. In the pooled analysis, habitual moderate coffee consumption was associated with decreased risk of stroke,” he said.
Nutritionists with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Dr Bartholomew Brai, though noted that coffee was still poorly understood in this clime, but scientific evidences are suggesting that coffee has several bioactive properties that account for the health benefits.
He observed that the potential bioactive are caffeine, polyphenols, which are antioxidants, diterpenes, cafestrol and kahweol found in the oil. Coffee also contains fiber and micronutrients.
“Antioxidants (that protects from free radicals that damages DNA and cells and triggers cancer and other chronic diseases) are natural in coffee and it is the highest source of antioxidants among diets of fruits, tea, wine and so on. Also, for every cup of coffee (240ml), there is chlorogenic acid of 70 to 350mg; magnesium of 7 to 24mg; Potassium of 34 to 116mg.”
Public Health Physician, Dr Kemi Odukoya, however, stressed that it is not advisable to consume coffee in gallons, but in moderate form because excessive intake, like any other substance, would be deleterious.
She said complaints of restlessness, agitation, awareness of heartbeat are attendant effects in very high consumers of >5 cups of coffee/day.
“But, these are almost negligible in low consumers <2 cups of coffee/day, and moderate consumers 2–5 cups of coffee/day. Coffee drinking is not intended to replace other healthy life style behaviours like exercise, smoking cessation, reduced salt and fatty meals,” she said.
An average of two to five cups of coffee (about 200 to 300mg of caffeine) per day will reduce the risk of cancer, stroke, heart diseases, Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver cancer, liver cirrhosis, gall bladder disease, among other diseases that shortens healthy lifespan.
The local researchers under the aegis of Ignite, a science based programme on coffee and health, recently shared their findings with stakeholders in the health sector, stressing that abuse or misuse of the widely consumed substance account for health problems often attributed to the substance.
Consultant Cardiologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos, Dr Akinsanya Olusegun, noted that coffee, the most pleasurable hot beverage in the world, is also one of the most controversial beverage with long history of being blamed for many ills.
He, however, noted that recent studies indicate that coffee may not be so bad after all and may impact positively on healthy life expectancy, “as the antioxidant effect of coffee is becoming increasingly known.”
Akinsanya observed that a May 2012 study by the New England Journal of Medicine found that coffee drinkers “who drank at least two or three cups a day were about 10 or 15 percent less likely to die for any reason during the 13 years of the study.”
The result, according to him, further corroborated earlier studies that had shown that coffee moderately reduces the incidence of dying from cardiovascular disease, based on a large prospective cohort study published in 2008.
Also, a 2009 prospective study in Japan following nearly 77,000 individuals aged 40 to 79 found that coffee consumption was associated with a reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Moderate consumption of this beverage had also been shown to reduce the risk of developing heart failure.
Continuing, Akinsanya said, “Besides, scientific studies have found that regular coffee consumption lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes by up to 67 per cent. This appears to result from reduced levels of blood glucose, increased insulin sensitivity, and decreased storage of both fat and carbohydrate.
“Scientific studies show that coffee’s compounds lower blood pressure over the long term, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is believed to be a result of the beneficial action of chlorogenic acids on the arteries.
“A meta-analysis of the available prospective studies from 1966 to 2011 shows that moderate coffee consumption is associated with lower risk of stroke. In the pooled analysis, habitual moderate coffee consumption was associated with decreased risk of stroke,” he said.
Nutritionists with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Dr Bartholomew Brai, though noted that coffee was still poorly understood in this clime, but scientific evidences are suggesting that coffee has several bioactive properties that account for the health benefits.
He observed that the potential bioactive are caffeine, polyphenols, which are antioxidants, diterpenes, cafestrol and kahweol found in the oil. Coffee also contains fiber and micronutrients.
“Antioxidants (that protects from free radicals that damages DNA and cells and triggers cancer and other chronic diseases) are natural in coffee and it is the highest source of antioxidants among diets of fruits, tea, wine and so on. Also, for every cup of coffee (240ml), there is chlorogenic acid of 70 to 350mg; magnesium of 7 to 24mg; Potassium of 34 to 116mg.”
Public Health Physician, Dr Kemi Odukoya, however, stressed that it is not advisable to consume coffee in gallons, but in moderate form because excessive intake, like any other substance, would be deleterious.
She said complaints of restlessness, agitation, awareness of heartbeat are attendant effects in very high consumers of >5 cups of coffee/day.
“But, these are almost negligible in low consumers <2 cups of coffee/day, and moderate consumers 2–5 cups of coffee/day. Coffee drinking is not intended to replace other healthy life style behaviours like exercise, smoking cessation, reduced salt and fatty meals,” she said.
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