Is drinking coffee healthy?

Answer From Donald Hensrud, M.D.

Drinking coffee can be healthy. For example, studies find that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death from any cause compared to people who don't drink coffee.

The benefits of coffee depend on things like how much you drink, your age, being biologically male or female, medicine you take, and even your genes.

Some benefits are linked to caffeine. Other benefits are related to the other components in coffee. But in general, studies find that coffee is linked to health in many ways. Drinking coffee may be linked to a lower risk of:

  • Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease among some groups of people.
  • Metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease.
  • Liver cancer and liver disease, including cirrhosis.
  • Gallstones and kidney stones.

Drinking coffee with caffeine has been linked with improved mood and a lower risk of depression in some groups. Drinking 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day is linked to a lower risk of stroke in some studies. And coffee may help protect against cancers of the mouth, throat and digestive system. But the evidence isn't conclusive.

Coffee has some risks, mostly due to caffeine.

  • Taking in too much caffeine can cause anxiety, headache or faster heart rate.
  • Caffeinated coffee can increase heartburn symptoms, also called reflux symptoms.
  • Urinary symptoms including frequency and urgency may increase from caffeine.
  • Coffee that's made without a filter, such as using a French press, has been linked to a small rise in cholesterol levels.

Some studies link drinking five or more cups of coffee a day to lower bone density among some groups of women. But taking in higher amounts of food and drink with calcium can limit this potential issue.

People who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding should limit their consumption of caffeine to 200 milligrams per day. That is about the amount in 12 fluid ounces (360 milliliters) of coffee.

Daily coffee is OK for many

For most people, it's OK to drink coffee daily and it may have benefits. But if you have side effects from caffeinated coffee, slowly cut down on how much you drink to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

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Jan. 31, 2025 See more Expert Answers

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