Modern Medical Studies Reveal Coffee Health Benefits

Down through the ages, learned men have extolled coffee's health benefits. Coffee, wrote the 11th century Islamic philosopher Ibn Sinna, "cleans up the skin, dries up the humidities that are under it, and gives an excellent smell to all the body." Another Arabic scholar observed that healthy coffee "is by experience found to conduce the drying of colds, persistent coughs and catarrh, and to unblock constipation and provoke urination," going on to say that it also "allays high blood pressure, and is good against smallpox and measles."

In 1582, the German physician Leonhard Rauwolf described coffee as "very good in illness, especially of the stomach. Those who attempted to blame coffee for illness rather than credit coffee's health benefits met with staunch opposition. As the renowned 18th century French philosopher Voltaire observed late in his life when told that coffee was a poison, "I have been poisoning myself for more than eighty years, and I am not yet dead."

Long-Term Coffee Health Benefits

To be sure, any good thing—which coffee most certainly should be considered—can become a bad thing when enjoyed in excess. But reputable medical studies continue to offer evidence that find among long term coffee drinkers coffee health benefits in abundance, some attributable to its caffeine content, others to different substances present in a cup of coffee. Consider a random sampling of the evidence:

Asthma.

In some cases, caffeinated coffee has been found to ease asthma symptoms.

Cirrhosis.

Coffee consumption may reduce risk of developing cirrhosis of the liver in heavy drinkers.

Colon Cancer.

Studies have found a 25 percent reduction in colon cancer risk among people drinking at least 2 cups of coffee daily.

Gallstones.

Gallstone production has been found to be less frequent among regular coffee drinkers.

Diabetes.

Several medical studies, including one at Harvard University, found that drinking coffee may decrease the risk of developing type-II diabetes.

Migraines.

While coffee can be a migraine trigger for some sufferers, other studies have found certain migraine drugs to be more effective in combination with coffee.

Parkinson's Disease.

Several studies have shown that regular coffee drinkers are less likely to develop Parkinson's disease.

Suicide.

Regular coffee consumption may lower the risk of suicide in women.

In addition, coffee has been found to be abundant in anti-oxidants, the micronutrients that have been found not only to fight certain forms of cancer but also to slow the aging process. So demographics alone may not explain the fact that there seem to be more and more young coffee drinkers; it may just be that coffee drinking makes people younger and younger!

Short-Term Benefits—and Some Cautions

Such long-term coffee health benefits may continue to be studied and debated for years to come. Meanwhile, you shouldn't forget the short-term health benefits of coffee, too, many of which may be attributable to its key active ingredients, caffeine. Coffee can keep a person awake and alert longer, a benefit for people who have to work late. And professional athletes have been found to perform better and longer after drinking coffee.

Remember, however, that none of coffee's benefits should be reason to overindulge in coffee. When dealing with any medical challenge, always check with a doctor first. Bear in mind, too, that the coffee has been found to affect some people with high blood pressure, and to raise blood cholesterol levels in certain individuals. Pregnant women and people with cardiovascular disease or at risk for osteoporosis should also check with their doctors before drinking coffee.