Women who drink coffee during midlife are significantly more likely to maintain their physical and mental health as they age, according to new research from Harvard University that tracked nearly 50,000 women for three decades.
The study found that women who consumed about three cups of coffee daily had the highest rates of “healthy aging” — defined as reaching age 70 without major chronic diseases — while maintaining physical function, mental health and cognitive abilities. By contrast, cola consumption was strongly linked to poorer aging outcomes.
Of the 47,513 women followed since 1984 as part of the Nurses’ Health Study, 3,706 met the strict criteria for healthy aging by 2016. These successful agers consumed an average of 315 milligrams of caffeine daily during midlife with more than 80% coming from regular coffee.
“While past studies have linked coffee to individual health outcomes, our study is the first to assess coffee’s impact across multiple domains of aging over three decades,” lead author Sara Mahdavi, an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto and post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University, said in an announcement of the study. “The findings suggest that caffeinated coffee — not tea or decaf — may uniquely support aging trajectories that preserve both mental and physical function.”
The study defined “healthy aging” as reaching age 70 or older while remaining free from 11 major chronic diseases, maintaining physical function, preserving mental health and showing no cognitive impairment or memory loss complaints.
Compared to non-coffee drinkers, each additional cup of coffee per day was associated with a 2% to 5% higher likelihood of healthy aging, with benefits observed up to five small cups daily. Notably, these protective effects were specific to caffeinated coffee.
One of the study’s most striking findings was related to soda consumption — including caffeinated cola — with each additional small glass of soda linked to a 20% to 26% lower likelihood of healthy aging.
“These results, while preliminary, suggest that small, consistent habits can shape long-term health,” Mahdavi explained. “Moderate coffee intake may offer some protective benefits when combined with other healthy behaviors such as regular exercise, a healthy diet and avoiding smoking.”
Mahdavi presented the findings yesterday at Nutrition 25, the flagship event of the American Society for Nutrition. The research has not yet undergone the peer-review process for publication in a scientific journal.
Yet it adds to a growing body of evidence supporting moderate coffee consumption as part of a healthy lifestyle, with benefits such as decreased cognitive decline risks and overall health and longevity.
As of April, coffee containing less than 5 calories per serving could officially be labeled as “healthy,” according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules.
Said Mahdavi, “While this study adds to prior evidence suggesting coffee intake may be linked with healthy aging, the benefits from coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of overall healthy lifestyle habits, and warrant further investigation.”
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