Coffee and Tea Drinking Associated with Significant Health Benefits

New studies are showing that drinking coffee and tea on a regular basis may be protective against dementia as well as some types of cancer. Researchers recently found that drinking more green tea or coffee is related to more neural network activity in several key networks that play pivotal roles in maintaining cognitive functioning and are relevant to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). 

“We looked at correlations between activity in brain networks and consumption patterns of coffee, green tea, and black tea. We found that drinking more coffee or green tea was related to more activity in brain networks involved in thinking and planning, motor function, and processing sensory information. By contrast, drinking more black tea was related to mildly less activity in these networks and a network involved in processing memories,” said Auriel Willette, who is an associate professor in the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research and the Department of Neurology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey.

While the team did not look at potential mechanisms of action, there are some molecular pathways that may be impacted. “First, catechins are potent antioxidants that can reduce oxidative stress that may otherwise negatively impact the brain. Second, L-Theanine is an amino acid whose levels are very high in green tea. L-Theanine can promote mental alertness and improve cognitive function by affecting neurotransmitters like glutamate and GABA,” said Willette.  

This study provides novel insights into the differential effects of coffee and tea consumption on neural network connectivity, considering the potential mediating effects related to genetic and familial risk factors for AD. These relationships are modulated by APOE4 status and a family history of AD. The contrasting effects observed between green and black tea highlight the need for more nuanced and detailed research in this area. “These results underscore the complex interplay between dietary habits, genetic factors, and brain function, emphasizing the importance of personalized approaches in understanding and potentially mitigating the risk of cognitive decline,” concluded the authors.

Combating Cancer with Coffee and Tea

A new analysis of data from more than a dozen studies is suggesting that coffee and tea consumption are associated with lower risks of developing head and neck cancers, including cancers of the mouth and throat. Cancers of the head and neck are the seventh most common forms of cancer worldwide. Many studies have assessed whether drinking coffee or tea, which contain bioactive compounds with potential antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects, is associated with head and neck cancer, with inconsistent results.

To provide additional insight, investigators led by the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute examined data from 14 studies by different scientists associated with the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium, a collaboration of research groups around the globe. Study participants completed questionnaires about their prior consumption of caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea in cups per day/week/month/year.

“While there has been prior research on coffee and tea consumption and reduced risk of cancer, this study highlighted their varying effects with different subsites of head and neck cancer, including the observation that even decaffeinated coffee had some positive impact,” said senior author Amy Y Lee, an adjunct associate professor for the Division of Public Health in the University of Utah’s Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. “Coffee and tea habits are fairly complex, and these findings support the need for more data and further studies around the impact that coffee and tea can have on reducing cancer risk.”

When investigators pooled information on 9,548 individuals with head and neck cancer and 15,783 individuals without cancer, they found that compared with non-coffee-drinkers, individuals who drank more than four cups of caffeinated coffee daily had 17% lower odds of having head and neck cancer overall, 30% lower odds of having cancer of the oral cavity, and 22% lower odds of having throat cancer. Drinking three to four cups of caffeinated coffee was linked with a 41% lower risk of having pharyngeal cancer (a type of cancer at the bottom of the throat).

Drinking decaffeinated coffee was associated with 25% lower odds of oral cavity cancer. Drinking tea was linked with 29% lower odds of hypopharyngeal cancer. Drinking one cup or less of tea daily was linked with a 9% lower risk of head and neck cancer overall and a 27% lower risk of hypopharyngeal cancer.

Recent studies found that coffee drinkers are less likely to die from heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease.  Studies showed that adults who drink more coffee are less likely to get type 2 diabetes and drinking one to two cups of coffee a day may help ward off heart failure. Caffeine is not only linked to a lower chance of developing Parkinson’s disease, but it may also help those with the condition better control their movements.

Both regular and decaf coffee seem to have a protective effect on your liver. Research shows that coffee drinkers are more likely to have liver enzyme levels within a healthy range than people who don’t drink coffee. Dark roast coffee decreases breakage in DNA strands, which occur naturally but can lead to cancer or tumors if not repaired by your cells. One in 23 women develop colon cancer, however researchers found that women coffee drinkers (decaf or regular) were 26% less likely to develop colorectal cancer.  

Almost two-thirds of Americans living with AD are women. However, the caffeine in two cups of coffee may provide significant protection against developing the condition. In fact, researchers found that women 65 and older who drank two to three cups of coffee a day were less likely to develop dementia in general. For women, drinking at least one cup of coffee a day is associated with lowered stroke risk, which is the fourth leading cause of death in women. John Schieszer is an award-winning national journalist and radio and podcast broadcaster of The Medical Minute. He can be reached at medicalminutes@gmail.com