05 Nov 2014 Is Coffee Bad for You?
I’ve been excited about the research showing that coffee is not all that bad for us…
The Science:
In fact, it’s been associated with a decrease in “all-cause mortality” (though, admittedly, the study had some significant flaws). But, as I tell my patients frequently, the research about nutrition is ever-changing. New research out of Israel shows that coffee consumption may be associated with increased aging. The research focused on telomere length and how they’re affected by various stimuli.
Telomeres protect the ends of your chromosomes and their length, which is highly regulated, has been associated with cellular aging and age-related diseases and cancers. The new research found that caffeine may shorten telomere length (at least in yeast and molds). Interestingly, alcohol was found to increase telomere length.
Our Recommendation:
Now, since I’m very protective of my morning cup of coffee, I’m not jumping to any crazy conclusions about giving it up (yet)! Unless you have a health condition which is adversely affected by coffee such as heartburn, anxiety, or reactive hypoglycemia, my advice (as always) is as follows:
Your best bet when it comes to healthy nutrition is to have a varied, colorful diet and not eat or drink too much of any one food. Moderate intake (up to a couple of servings) of coffee and alcohol are likely fine for most people and, if it ever turns out they’re not, if you stick to a varied, balanced diet, you’ll be just fine.
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