Medical Does Coffee Reduce Mortality Risk?

[zoobyshoe]

Those who drank at least two or three cups a day were about 10 percent or 15 percent less likely to die for any reason during the 13 years of the study. But you don't necessarily need to be a heavy coffee drinker.

"Starting with those drinking a cup a day or more then there started to be this inverse association," he said.

When the researchers looked at specific causes of death, coffee drinking appeared to cut the risk of dying from heart disease, lung disease, strokes, injuries, accidents, diabetes and infections.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/20...e-help-you-live-longer-we-really-want-to-know

 

[ThomasT]

I'm 65, and in good health, except when I have Crohn's Disease flareups. I drink at least two cups of black French roast coffee per day. I have no idea if coffee helps with general health, but I'm quite sure that it's a stimulant that will keep you awake and somewhat alert when tired. I used to drink from 10 to 12 cups of coffee, sometimes with cream and sugar, sometimes not, per day. And during that time I felt good and healthy. So, I have to conclude, from personal experience, that coffee drinking isn't important, for me anyway, one way or the other. So, when I feel like having a cup of coffee ... I do.

 

[Drakkith]

I'm 27, almost 28 and if I never have a cup of coffee it will be too soon. Yuck!

 

[ThomasT]

I'm 27, almost 28 and if I never have a cup of coffee it will be too soon. Yuck!

Well, I think that's a good attitude. I don't know, but my guess would be that consuming coffee certainly isn't in any way necessary for, or inducive to, good health.

My point was that, apparently, it doesn't hurt either.

 

[Chi Meson]

I like coffee, so I drink it. I'm glad to know that, at the very least, it is not harmful to anything other than my teeth. The downside is that if I go a day without drinking, I get "the headache." The flipside to that, is the remedy: 3 advil and a good long sleep. Next day, with a coffee in hand, is wonderful.

That's my only vice, so be it.

 

[ThomasT]

The downside is that if I go a day without drinking, I get "the headache."

That's interesting. I've never experienced any such withdrawal symptoms. Sometimes I'll go days without having coffee or tea, and don't think about it. Some days I'm probably drinking more cups of the stuff than I should. Curious.

 

[KiwiKid]

I'm a tea-sipping elitist myself.

 

[Jack21222]

Looks steady to me:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/world-death-rate-holding-steady-at-100-percent,1670/

 

[gravenewworld]

Awesome. Drink my coffee black too. Gotta have a cup of Jo every morning too. My friend who is a surgeon also likes to tout coffee drinking with lower incidences of AZ. Caffeine in moderation is wonderful.

 

[Drakkith]

Well, I think that's a good attitude. I don't know, but my guess would be that consuming coffee certainly isn't in any way necessary for, or inducive to, good health.

My point was that, apparently, it doesn't hurt either.

Oh I'm not saying that coffee is some terrible drink that is horrible for you, I just can't stand the taste lol.

I like coffee, so I drink it. I'm glad to know that, at the very least, it is not harmful to anything other than my teeth. The downside is that if I go a day without drinking, I get "the headache." The flipside to that, is the remedy: 3 advil and a good long sleep. Next day, with a coffee in hand, is wonderful.

That's my only vice, so be it.

That's interesting. I've never experienced any such withdrawal symptoms. Sometimes I'll go days without having coffee or tea, and don't think about it. Some days I'm probably drinking more cups of the stuff than I should. Curious.

Many people experience withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, irritability, etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine#Addiction.2C_tolerance_and_withdrawal

 

[Astronuc]

I've been drinking coffee since I was 12, and tea before that. I'm not about to stop. I drink about 1-2 pints/day, and sometimes more depending. I've had those nasty headaches when going a day without coffee, but more recently, it hasn't been much of a problem.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

No it doesn't. No matter how much coffee you drink, you're still going to die.

 

[Astronuc]

No it doesn't. No matter how much coffee you drink, you're still going to die.

Then on the other hand, it doesn't increase the risk either.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Then on the other hand, it doesn't increase the risk either.

Neither does potassium cyanide.

 

[zoobyshoe]

No it doesn't. No matter how much coffee you drink, you're still going to die.

The claim is not that it eliminates the risk of death, Jimmy.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

The claim is not that it eliminates the risk of death, Jimmy.

True. The claim is that it decreases the risk of death. I'm just pointing out that it doesn't.

 

[Drakkith]

True. The claim is that it decreases the risk of death. I'm just pointing out that it doesn't.

I think we can all agree that it's supposed to be the risk of earlier death, not the risk of death.

 

[zoobyshoe]

True. The claim is that it decreases the risk of death. I'm just pointing out that it doesn't.

What? You're picking on the fact the thread title abbreviates the full claim?

Those who drank at least two or three cups a day were about 10 percent or 15 percent less likely to die for any reason during the 13 years of the study.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

during the 13 years of the study

Herein lies the flaw in the study.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Herein lies the flaw in the study.

Go ahead and analyze it, then.

 

[zoobyshoe]

OK, Jimmy has PM'ed me that he was joking. I didn't catch it because I was fully expecting someone, or several people, to attempt to deconstruct the study when I posted it. (It seems kinda loose to me, open to much questioning.)

Everyone may proceed with their coffee.

 

[collinsmark]

Given how much coffee* I drink, I'm suspect that it might actually decrease my risk of eventual death. Although I concede that my other vices might get me in the end.

*(For years I've called "coffee" "sacred fluid of life.")

Then again, I don't believe in life before coffee, so I guess it doesn't really matter.

 

[Drakkith]

Given how much coffee* I drink, I'm suspect that it might actually decrease my risk of eventual death. Although I concede that my other vices might get me in the end.

*(For years I've called "coffee" "sacred fluid of life.")

Then again, I don't believe in life before coffee, so I guess it doesn't really matter.

Nonsense, everyone knows that Zeus drank Mountain Dew, aka "The Nectar of the Gods" to stay immortal. It was like Popeye's spinach to him.

 

[Jack21222]

OK, Jimmy has PM'ed me that he was joking. I didn't catch it because I was fully expecting someone, or several people, to attempt to deconstruct the study when I posted it. (It seems kinda loose to me, open to much questioning.)

Everyone may proceed with their coffee.

I made the joke first, and nobody responded. :-(

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I made the joke first, and nobody responded. :-(

My bad. I didn't follow the link and ended up repeating your joke. If it's any consolation, yours was funnier.

 

[zoobyshoe]

My bad. I didn't follow the link and ended up repeating your joke. If it's any consolation, yours was funnier.

I think we've all learned a lesson about humor here: death is hilarious, but coffee is not funny.

 

[russ_watters]

Perhaps the study just proved that people who have time to drink coffee have safe jobs?

 

[Astronuc]

I think we've all learned a lesson about humor here: death is hilarious, but coffee is not funny.

I think most folks take death pretty seriously, especially when it comes to one's own.

Those who drank at least two or three cups a day were about 10 percent or 15 percent less likely to die for any reason during the 13 years of the study.

It's not like anyone is looking for a reason, eh?

The important point is that drinking coffee won't change the likelihood of dying at the end of one's life. So we can rest easy.

In the meantime, at the moment, I'm drinking Top Sail Imperial Porter.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Perhaps the study just proved that people who have time to drink coffee have safe jobs?

I was thinking it could be spun to say that healthy people are more likely to drink coffee everyday. It's probably safe to conclude at least 75% of people in comas don't drink coffee, for example.

 

[Dakota Fang]

But it still caffeine, which acts as stimulant drug if ingested too much. That is why moderation is needed

 

[Evo]

But it still caffeine, which acts as stimulant drug if ingested too much. That is why moderation is needed

It's not the caffiene according to the study, so decaf is just as beneficial.

 

[KiwiKid]

It's not the caffiene according to the study, so decaf is just as beneficial.

Not to mention that *anything* you ingest is best done in moderation. You can kill yourself with water, too. I don't think anyone is thinking that this study shows that since coffee is healthy, we should all have 30 cups a day.

 

[zoobyshoe]

When the researchers looked at specific causes of death, coffee drinking appeared to cut the risk of dying from heart disease, lung disease, strokes, injuries, accidents, diabetes and infections.

Notice that coffee seemed to reduce the risk of death from injuries and accidents!

This suggests to me what I said to Russ, that they may have reversed cause and effect. The study may actually show that people who are already healthy and alert are more likely to feel like enjoying a couple cups of coffee a day. The presence of incipient heart disease, lung disease, strokes, diabetes, and infections, may increase people's tendency to have accidents, and also cut their desire to engage in unnecessary activities, like going out to a coffee shop. When you feel poorly you do less. In fact, people with some of these conditions may have been told by a doctor to avoid caffeine.

 

[dimensionless]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/20...e-help-you-live-longer-we-really-want-to-know

So maybe coffee drinkers are not addicts then. Still, this reminds me of all the hoopla surrounding the benefits of wine drinking, which I think, is somewhat overhyped and misguided. These beverages are probably being consumed in place of something else that could potentially be more nutritious. I will say that the evidence looks pretty good that coffee and modest amounts of wine are probably not harmful.

 

[SW VandeCarr]

True. The claim is that it decreases the risk of death. I'm just pointing out that it doesn't.

The language is a bit loose. In fact it's the relative risk of death in fixed time intervals for coffee drinkers vs non coffee drinkers; adjusted for age and sex.

 

[manojr]

From the URL in the original post: "Those who drank at least two or three cups a day were about 10 percent or 15 percent less likely to die for any reason during the 13 years of the study".

When reading such statistical summary, remember that Correlation does not imply causation.

 

[SW VandeCarr]

.

Correlation does not imply causation[/URL].

That's true for nearly all population based studies. You can only make inferences which can be strengthened by controlling for likely confounding factors. In this case, it's possible that patients with conditions that impact longevity (such as high blood pressure or certain heart conditions) would be advised not to drink coffee and avoid other other stimulants. If such subjects were classified as non coffee drinkers this could increase the risk of dying during the study in that group assuming their longevity was impacted negatively by these conditions.

In general, you need to specify what kind of study would be a sufficient empirical demonstration of a causal relationship. For some adverse drug reactions, if withdrawal of the drug results in resolution of the presumptive effect and reintroduction of the drug results in a recurrence of the effect and this was repeatable, most would accept this as a demonstration of a causal relationship.

This is a very special circumstance and would not be ethical in many situations. As for the study under discussion, how would YOU study a possible causal relationship between coffee drinking and longer survival vs non coffee drinkers. The authors make no claim of causality and warn against such an interpretation.

 

[mistygreen]

Yes,I also heard that coffee lower the risk of death.I drink almost 4-5 cup of coffee daily.I think taking sufficient amount of coffee is good for health.

 

[mcknia07]

I love my coffee! I know the withdraw symptoms and they suck! Been there, done that, and I don't want to go back. I like all coffee and teas! I need the caffeine, although, I'm hyper enough without it :) just adds to the fun!

 

[Pythagorean]

Adenosine antagonist. So is theobromine. Mmmm, theobromine. One of the best drugs in the world.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Adenosine antagonist. So is theobromine. Mmmm, theobromine. One of the best drugs in the world.

I had to google:

Theobromine (theobromide[3]), also known as xantheose,[2] is a bitter alkaloid of the cacao plant, with the chemical formula C7H8N4O2. It is found in chocolate, as well as in a number of other foods, including the leaves of the tea plant, and the kola (or cola) nut. It is in the methylxanthine class of chemical compounds,[4] which also includes the similar compounds theophylline and caffeine.[2] (In caffeine, the only difference is that the NH group of theobromine is an N-CH3 group.) Despite its name, the compound contains no bromine—theobromine is derived from Theobroma, the name of the genus of the cacao tree, (which itself is made up of the Greek roots theo ("God") and brosi ("food"), meaning "food of the gods")[5] with the suffix -ine given to alkaloids and other basic nitrogen-containing compounds.[6]

 

[Pythagorean]

Haha, food of the gods, I never realized that. It's so obvious from the root words.

 

[manojr]

As for the study under discussion, how would YOU study a possible causal relationship between coffee drinking and longer survival vs non coffee drinkers. The authors make no claim of causality and warn against such an interpretation.

I agree that authors did say "Now, Freedoman stressed that the study doesn't prove coffee can make people live longer. A study like this can never prove a cause-and-effect relationship".


But, in my opinion, people tend to forget or do not understand such warnings, and remember what they prefer/like to: "It's a big new study that found that people who drink java appear to be less likely to die prematurely than those who don't."

I would like to add that, in such studies, individual experiences do not count, what matters is overall result in group of people. For example, you must have heard smoker saying, in support of his smoking, that his neighbor has been heavily smoking for years and he is still alive at age of 90. What smoker does not realize that half-life (analogy) of group of smokers is much lesser than that of group of non-smokers.

I expect that members on this forum are rational enough to understand statistical nature of the study and draw right conclusion, but I am sure there are lot of visitors who may misunderstand.

One comment on that report has also pointed is out, and nicely summarized of what many people think: "Caffeine does what, now? Yeah. Make that a double latte, heavy foam."

 

[zoobyshoe]

I agree that authors did say "Now, Freedoman stressed that the study doesn't prove coffee can make people live longer. A study like this can never prove a cause-and-effect relationship".


But, in my opinion, people tend to forget or do not understand such warnings, and remember what they prefer/like to: "It's a big new study that found that people who drink java appear to be less likely to die prematurely than those who don't."

I would like to add that, in such studies, individual experiences do not count, what matters is overall result in group of people. For example, you must have heard smoker saying, in support of his smoking, that his neighbor has been heavily smoking for years and he is still alive at age of 90. What smoker does not realize that half-life (analogy) of group of smokers is much lesser than that of group of non-smokers.

I expect that members on this forum are rational enough to understand statistical nature of the study and draw right conclusion, but I am sure there are lot of visitors who may misunderstand.

One comment on that report has also pointed is out, and nicely summarized of what many people think: "Caffeine does what, now? Yeah. Make that a double latte, heavy foam."

This post has an awful lot of words in it. I can't be bothered. I am simply happy to know the article assures that if I drink enough coffee I will be immortal.

 

[Darken-Sol]

if i have coffee in the morning i feel less of an urge to strangle co workers. it might prevent others deaths

 

[meldraft]

Most people I know drink coffee because of stress. They also think it's good to have a smoke along with it, so I wouldn't think that healthy people drink coffee more that the rest

 

[DaveC426913]

Well whether or not it does decrease risk of death, I can tell you a lot of Torontonian pedestrians think it makes them immortal.

My wife has made a game of counting the number of people who dash across 4 lanes of heavy downtown traffic, always clutching a cup of Charubucks in their hand like some sort of force field generator.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Well whether or not it does decrease risk of death, I can tell you a lot of Torontonian pedestrians think it makes them immortal.

My wife has made a game of counting the number of people who dash across 4 lanes of heavy downtown traffic, always clutching a cup of Charubucks in their hand like some sort of force field generator.

 

[DrChinese]

From the URL in the original post: "Those who drank at least two or three cups a day were about 10 percent or 15 percent less likely to die for any reason during the 13 years of the study".

When reading such statistical summary, remember that Correlation does not imply causation.

Cthugha pointed me to a great study:

False-Positive Psychology: Undisclosed Flexibility in Data Collection and Analysis Allows Presenting Anything as Significant (2011)
http://psy2.ucsd.edu/~dhuber/Simmons_Nelson_Simonsohn_2011.pdf

Using traditional research techniques to perform an actual study, the authors "prove" 2 intentionally ridiculous ideas:

a) listening to children's songs makes you feel older.
b) listening to the Beatles' When I'm 64 makes you actually younger.

It is time to raise the bar on studies like that of the OP. Either that, or I am going to spend all day drinking coffee while listening to "When i get older, losing my hair...".

 

[meldraft]

^^ hahahaha this is awsome