Coffee drinkers might have more in common than post-caffeine jitters and a selective palate for dark roast, according to a new study.
The study, which was published online in The New England Journal of Medicine, points to increased longevity for coffee drinkers.
According to The New York Times, the study evaluated more than 400,000 men and women ranging from 50 to 71 years of age and concluded there is a decreased risk of dying from various diseases for those who frequently drink coffee compared with those who drink little or no coffee.
Those diseases include diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke and infections as well as injuries and accidents, according to the Times.
Francie Astrom, a registered dietician and nutrition counselor at WellWorks, said the findings can be explained by the various compounds found in coffee.
Coffee contains phytochemicals — chemicals that are found naturally in plants — that act as antioxidants in the caffeinated drink, Astrom said. The antioxidants are responsible for stabilizing free radicals that are used for energy transfer.
“The more processed the food is, the fewer phytochemicals,” Astrom said, explaining that phytochemicals can also be found in fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
For those weighing the benefits of a coffee habit, Astrom said breaking addiction to the caffeinated drink is a slow process.
In a previous Post article, Janet Duerr, an associate professor in Ohio University’s biological sciences department, explained that caffeine mimics adenosine — a purine nucleoside responsible for regulating energy transfer in the body. It replaces adenosine by attaching to adenosine receptors in the brain.
Over time, caffeine can alter the level of the receptors in the brain, making it difficult to nix a caffeine habit.
Amanda Dunson, a sophomore studying biology, said she first began drinking coffee at the end of Winter Quarter and consumes a cup about every other day.
“I have heard that (coffee) lowers your ability to absorb iron, so for me, that’s an issue,” Dunson said. “But other than that, I don’t think it’s a problem.”
Astrom said the recently published study on coffee is nothing new and that research conducted during the past 10 to 12 years shows both positive and negative effects for long-term coffee drinkers.
“There was a time when we told people that coffee was dangerous, that caffeine would kill you,” she said. “I think now we understand that it has some positive benefits.”
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