Love your java, guys? Here’s good news.
According to research, coffee may lower the risk of prostate cancer.
The U.S. Health Professionals Follow-Up Study tracked 48,000 men over a period of 20 years. They found that men who drank a moderate (1 to 5 cups, or 8-40 ounces) amount of coffee showed a 30% lower risk of developing lethal prostate cancer in comparison to men who drank no coffee. The interesting part of these results is that the risk was lower for coffee-drinkers regardless of whether the coffee they drank was regular or decaf.
So do you need to increase the amount of coffee you drink?
Not necessarily. While this is good news for coffee lovers, keep in mind that one research study is not enough to prove a preventative effect.
For those that drink regular coffee, caffeine in small amounts may have positive effects such as increased alertness and ability to focus. However, for those people who are sensitive to caffeine, negative effects may include insomnia, headaches, irritability and nervousness.
Other adverse health effects of caffeine include:
- Muscle tremors, nausea, anxiety and mood changes
- Increased heart rate, cholesterol and blood pressure
- Calcium imbalances leading to lowered bone density and increased bone fracture risk
Health Canada has reviewed these studies and has concluded that healthy adults are not at risk for these adverse effects as long as they limit their caffeine intake to 400 mg daily. This equals about 24 oz (3 cups) of caffeinated coffee per day.