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Kelsey Collier
English Composition 1
2 December 2015
Overview on the Health Effects of Coffee
Coffee is a beverage that a sizeable portion of the adult population consumes daily.
Statistics from the Harvard School of Public Health say that roughly 54% of Americans over 18
drink coffee every day. As a college student, coffee is what gets me get my work done and I am
sure many others would agree. Coffee is a complex beverage rich in many different compounds
so it is important to understand the intricacies of this drink. Besides coffees main effect caffeine,
which wakes you up and energizes what else is coffee doing for us? What are the health benefits
of drinking coffee on a daily basis, and likewise what are the adverse affects? What is the stigma
against coffee, such as that it causes stunted growth or stomach ulcers? These are just some of
the questions I will be exploring in this article. I will argue that coffee is a healthy drink due to
its richness in natural compounds and those who drink a moderate amount daily will be
measurably healthier compared to those who do not drink coffee.
Research Studies on the Health Benefits of Coffee
Compared to the studies of the 20th century, more recent studies are showing the perks of
drinking coffee rather than unfavorable effects and debunking conclusions that coffee does more
harm than good. From the 1960s to the 1980s many studies gave coffee a bad reputation, such
as the Tromso heart study in 1983 and Coffee and Cancer of the Pancreas conducted in 1981.
These studies linked coffee to increased risk of bladder and pancreatic cancers, higher rates of
heart disease, and stomach ulcers. However, more recent research with stricter research
guidelines shows coffee in a different light.

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Recently it has been found that coffee is actually preventative of many serious medical
conditions and is on its way of being considered a real health drink. Multiple sources say that
coffee helps prevent the occurrence of type-2 diabetes. A 2012 European study published in the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that coffee consumption was not associated with
the overall risk of chronic disease and that a lower risk of type-2 diabetes was associated with
caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption (Floegel). Those who drink up to or more
than 4 cups of coffee a day have more than a 50% lower risk of getting type-2 diabetes. The
compound caffeic acid in coffee protects against the formation of a protein linked to type-2
diabetes. This study also proved that coffee consumption has no correlation with increased risk
of developing cancers or heart disease.
Even more interesting, studies are finding that coffee may prevent Parkinsons disease
and reduce the symptoms of the condition. The article Coffee and Parkinsons disease on
coffeeandhealth.org states that A large number of epidemiological studies report an inverse,
dose-responsive relationship between coffee/caffeine consumption and the risk of developing
Parkinsons disease. Parkinsons disease is partly a result of low dopamine levels in the brain.
When adenosine receptors are blocked by caffeine, dopamine increases in the brain which has
been seen to help prevent and reduce symptoms of Parkinsons disease. Although this is not a
proven cause and effect relationship more studies are being done to prove this hypothesis.
The list of health benefits goes on; studies are showing that drinking coffee can reduce
the risk of liver cancer or liver disease. Since liver disease and type-2 diabetes are closely linked,
coffee is able to hit two birds with one stone. Dr. Carlo La Vecchia, author of the Italian study
that produced these results says "The favorable effect of coffee on liver cancer might be
mediated by coffee's proven prevention of diabetes, a known risk factor for the disease, or for its

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beneficial effects on cirrhosis and liver enzymes." (Weber). For these findings to be considered
truly as a cause and effect relationship more research needs to be done, however the future of
coffees reputation seems promising.
Popular Myths and Stigma on Coffee
One of the most popular myths about coffee is that it stunts the growth of children. Every
parent wants their child to grow to their full potential, but why would coffee be preventative of
this? The old wives tale that coffee stunts growth has been passed down for generations and it is
unclear how it began. An article from the New York Times titled The Claim: Drinking Coffee
can stunt a childs growth explains possible answers to this question. Author Anahad OConner
explains that the concern that caffeinated beverages pose a risk for osteoporosis stemmed from
early studies that associated caffeinated beverages with reduced bone mass. These results were
inconsistent and the participants studied were elderly people who drank so much caffeinated
drinks that they did not drink milk or other drinks that would maintain bone health. A study
conducted in 1992 titled Is Caffeine Consumption a Risk Factor for Osteoporosis? found that
there was no association between overall caffeine consumption and bone mineral [loss]
(Cooper). Bone loss was only found in the elderly subjects, who were also more likely to smoke
or drink alcohol compared to the younger subjects whos bone mass was unaffected by caffeine
consumption. There seems to be little to no correlation of coffee consumption to bone loss and
simply adding milk or creamer to coffee can mediate any calcium loss.
Another reason people give to not drink coffee is that it causes stomach ulcers. It has
been long thought that the acid in coffee erodes the stomach lining causing painful ulcers,
however this is simply untrue. A page from the John Hopins medical library titled Stomach and
Duodenal Ulcers explains that research shows that most ulcers (80 percent of gastric ulcers and

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90 percent of duodenal ulcers) develop as a result of infection with a bacterium called

Helicobacter pylori. Caffeine does stimulate stomach acid and can irritate an existing ulcer but
it does not cause ulcers. Heavy alcohol consumption and habitual smoking are the second most
likely cause of stomach ulcers next to infection.
Other reasons why some would be hesitant to drink coffee are because a sizable amount
of people say that coffee makes them anxious or causes insomnia. It is likely that the two are
related because coffees active ingredient is caffeine which prevents drowsiness. If you are
someone who experiences extreme jitteriness or cannot sleep because of drinking coffee it is
probably a good idea to stay away from the drink or limit your consumption to certain times of
day. Another option is to drink de-caffeinated coffee, if you really enjoy the taste of coffee.
If you worry about getting yellow-teeth from coffee there are a couple ways to help this.
Whitening strips are an option, but they can be expensive and they take a long time to work.
Simply brushing your teeth or rinsing with mouthwash right after drinking coffee seems to be the
easiest way to prevent yellowing teeth. Not all yellowing is preventable though. Coffee is a
splendid drink, sometimes you have to take the good with the bad.
In America, obesity has become a serious issue. Some blame coffee for weight gain, but
coffee itself is not to blame. Sugary flavoring, syrups and heavy cream are what rack up calories
and cause weight gain. Black coffee with no sugar is actually a great way to lose weight. Black
coffee has zero calories and the caffeine helps you burn extra calories during the day by
increasing your metabolism. An article on jillianmicheals.com titled Coffee & Weight Loss
states that coffee helps with calorie burning by stimulating thermogenesis--our body's way of
generating heat from metabolizing food (Fadden). For those struggling to stay away from the
cabinet, coffee is an anorectic so it suppresses appetite. Coffee is a great thing to add to your diet

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if you want to lose weight but it is important to also maintain other healthy habits such as
exercise, drinking water and eating other natural healthy foods.
Things to Keep in Mind
Although coffee is an awesome drink for many reasons, there are also some things to be
careful about when drinking coffee. Coffee can dehydrate you. Although Coffee does contribute
to your daily fluid requirements, caffeine is a diuretic which means it promotes the excretion of
fluids from the body. You may not feel the need to drink water after consuming coffee, adding to
the dehydration. Not only that, but coffee can also act as a mild laxative. A study conducted in
1990 titled Effect of Coffee on Distal Colon Function found that drinking coffee can stimulate
a motor response of the distal colon (Brown). This is good if you are feeling blocked up, but if
you want to lessen your trips to the bathroom you may want to avoid drinking coffee.
If you find yourself groggy, tired and irritable after going a while without a cup of Joe it
may be because you have a mild caffeine addiction. Although caffeine is addictive it does not
cause the extreme dependence that street drugs create. Withdrawal from caffeine usually lasts 1
to 2 days as caffeine is flushed out of the body relatively quickly. Physical symptoms of caffeine
withdrawal such as headaches, depressed mood and difficulty concentrating are very mild and
easily dealt with. The best way to avoid withdrawal symptoms is to slowly decrease caffeine
intake over a period of 2 to 3 days.
If you are pregnant you may want to avoid coffee, recent studies have linked coffee to
possible miscarriages. In a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynecology it was concluded that a daily habit of drinking 200 milligrams of caffeine the
amount typically found in just two cups of coffee significantly increases the risk of
miscarriage (Mitchell). The reasoning is that caffeine consumption restricts blood vessels in the

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mother, causing low blood flow to the developing fetus. The best way to stay safe is to drink up
to or less than 2 cups of coffee a day if you are pregnant.
Conclusions
I hope this article has given a greater understanding and also a greater appreciation for
coffee and its many facets. Coffee has so much to offer in the way of health benefits, such as a
lower risk for type-2 diabetes, lower risk for Parkinsons disease, a lower risk for liver disease
and so much more. Coffees richness in natural compounds and antioxidants make it truly a
miracle drink. More and more studies are showing the health benefits of drinking coffee and
proving that coffee can help you live a longer, happier, healthier life. Drinking coffee does have
its downsides, but they can easily be helped through careful consumption. I hope that if you had
any negative views on coffee that this article has helped you rethink your original assumptions. If
you already drink coffee regularly I hope this article has reinforced your love for the drink and
given you new insight into its health effects. So get brewing, relax and drink up.