Coffee Reduces the Risk for Diabetes and Prostate Cancer

Several new studies support the idea that coffee may be quite good for your health – even in higher amounts.  In one study it was shown that those consuming 3-4 cups of coffee per day had a 25% risk reduction for type II diabetes¹.  In another study it was shown that the highest coffee drinkers had a 60% less chance of developing aggressive prostate cancer².

Both studies indicate that decaffeinated coffee as well as caffeinated coffee confers benefit, indicating that it is something about coffee other than caffeine that is promoting the health benefit.  Other compounds in coffee include magnesium, antioxidants, and chlorogenic acids.

The diabetes study is a meta-analysisA quantitative statistical analysis of several separate but similar experiments or studies in order to test the pooled data for statistical significance. of 18 studies involving 457,922 people.  For each cup of coffee consumed the risk of diabetes drops 7%. 

The prostate cancer study followed the coffee intake of nearly 50,000 men every four years from 1986 to 2006; 4,975 of these men developed prostate cancer over that time.

These studies provide evidence that coffee consumption in higher amounts may be quite good for some.  Certainly, there are people who do best with little or no coffee.  And coffee consumption does not replace other healthy lifestyle and dietary measures.  Nevertheless, this is very good news for those who like more than a single cup of coffee per day.