Women who drink coffee age better – thanks to three key health benefits

Telegraph

2 days ago

It's good news for those unable to function without their morning brew: a new study has linked caffeine to healthy ageing in women. A 32-year-long study helmed by Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health showed that, of more than 47,000 women surveyed, those who drank 315mg of caffeine per day (or roughly three small cups) were 13 per cent more likely to see cognitive and physical benefits in their 70s and beyond.
Each additional cup was linked to around a 2 per cent higher chance of healthy ageing, though the research showed the benefits did not apply to drinkers of cola (responsible for a 20 per cent reduction in the likelihood of ageing well), nor consumers of tea or decaf.
The study's author, Dr Sara Mahdavi, iterated that caffeine was not a miracle cure. The findings are also yet to be peer-reviewed, but this is the first piece of research to assess the impact of consumption across multiple domains of ageing over a three-decade period.
The sweet spot for midlife women appears to be 48, says Mahdavi, who presented the findings this week at the annual conference of the American Society for Nutrition in Orlando, Florida. 'Those who drank moderate amounts of caffeinated coffee [at that age] were more likely to age in good health over the next 30 years.'
The study does not suggest that everyone should start drinking coffee, Mahdavi adds. 'But for women who already consume caffeinated coffee, and tolerate it well, the findings are reassuring'; the results, 'while preliminary, suggest that small, consistent habits can shape long-term health'.
Research is yet to demonstrate if and why women see enhanced benefits of caffeine consumption compared to men (the Harvard study only analysed women). 'While caffeine metabolism can vary between individuals due to factors like hormones and genetics, the biological mechanisms behind this association still need further investigation,' says Mahdavi.
Here's exactly how caffeine is impacting your health as you age
1. It contains brain-protecting polyphenols
Along with the immediate sharpening many experience after drinking coffee, caffeine consumption has been found in multiple studies to enhance brain function, particularly short-term or 'working memory'.
According to an analysis published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioural Reviews, 'the scientific consensus regarding basic cognitive functions is that caffeine in doses from 32 to 300 mg enhances fundamental aspects of cognitive performance, such as attention, vigilance, and reaction time'. This is thought to be due to caffeine blocking the adenosine receptors in the brain, which temporarily heightens memory and alertness.
Coffee is also rich in polyphenols, 'a group of antioxidants and particularly chlorogenic acids (naturally occurring compounds that appear in plants such as coffee and tea) that are linked to many brain health benefits,' explains Dr Emily Leeming, a nutritionist and author of Genius Gut: The Life-Changing Science of Eating for Your Second Brain.
'Studies in animals show they help relax and widen blood vessels, and in healthy people they may help lower blood pressure by boosting nitric oxide, a compound that helps keep blood vessels open, and may improve blood flow including to the brain.'
These polyphenols are believed to be protective against Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia. A 2023 meta-analysis published by scientists at Inje University in South Korea highlighted that for those who drank fewer than four cups a day, polyphenols 'may contribute to the prevention of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline'. Caffeine has also been shown to reduce amyloid-beta production and tau phosphorylation – key pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's.
Dr Gill Livingston, professor in psychiatry of older people at University College London, says that of the studies undertaken to date, 'the jury is still out but [caffeine] does not seem to harm you'. She adds that 'there are a few possible mechanisms for the beneficial effect of coffee and caffeine on dementia and Alzheimer's disease, including reducing inflammation, decreasing the chance of stroke and slowing neurone (nerve cell) death.'
2. It contains good bacteria that boost your gut health
The polyphenols in coffee also act as ' potential prebiotics for your gut microbes,' Dr Leeming says, boosting their growth and motility, and creating favourable conditions for other good bacteria to flourish.
Research from ZOE, the nutrition app, found that coffee had the strongest food-microbiome association of 150 consumables they surveyed. In particular, coffee drinkers had six to eight times more L. asaccharolyticus in their microbiome – a bacteria which also led to increased levels of hippurate, a key marker of metabolic and gut health.
Following data analysis of more than 22,000 people, they concluded that ' L. asaccharolyticus in coffee drinkers may be responding to these polyphenol pathways and could help explain coffee's health benefits.'
Dr Leeming also points out that while much has been made of the potential upsides of coffee drinking, caffeine can be deleterious for our health if consumed too late in the day. She advises drinking it no later than noon, 'as caffeine floats around in our bloodstream long after the buzz has worn off, and can lead to a lower quality of sleep, even for those who have no problem getting to sleep after an evening espresso'. Poor sleep has repeatedly been found to increase mortality risk.
There are concerns too that, as a high-caffeine diet increases the amount of calcium lost via urine, bone density could diminish if enough replacement calcium is not consumed. The Royal Osteoporosis Society advises that, 'if your calcium intake is low, or you have other risk factors for osteoporosis, aim to have no more than four cups of coffee a day'.
3. Coffee drinkers have improved heart health, studies show
A study by Queen Mary University of London and the Budapest Semmelweis University in 2022 found that up to three cups of coffee a day had a protective effect on heart health, and led to a reduction in overall mortality rate and risk of stroke. Research published in the European Heart Journal in January, meanwhile, showed that morning coffee consumption was associated with improved heart health. Compared to non-coffee drinkers, those who consumed theirs in the morning were 16 per cent less likely to die of any cause, and 31 per cent less likely to die of cardiovascular disease.
According to Tracy Parker, a senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, 'research shows that drinking moderate amounts of caffeine – up to four or five cups of coffee a day – doesn't seem to have a negative impact on the heart and should be fine for most people.' But she warns that excessive consumption (above the recommended 400mg daily), 'can lead to temporary increases in blood pressure and heart rate, as well as side effects like palpitations, anxiety, nausea and headaches.' Dr Leeming also adds that 'not everyone reacts well to coffee. It can cause jitters, or digestive issues in some people.'
For optimal heart health, considering what you put in your cup is just as important as how many of them you drink, Parker says. 'If you want a healthy cup of coffee, avoid added syrups, sugar, cream or large milky coffees – they all add up in terms of sugar, calories and saturated fat.'