Just as Americans, and really people all over the world, continue to drink endless cups of coffee, so too, do scientific studies on coffee and caffeine continue to fill up our research journals on an ongoing basis. We’ve covered the array of studies that have previously been undertaken to evaluate the health benefits- and possible risks- of consuming coffee, caffeine, tea, and other drinks containing caffeine. The consensus appears to be that whatever risks coffee and caffeine may pose, those can likely be handled by consuming in moderation or avoiding coffee and caffeine altogether if you are especially sensitive to its effects. A new article published in The Conversation confirms the array of health benefits coming from moderate coffee intake, including benefits to your heart, brain, and mental health. Some brand new studies take those benefits even further, detailing how coffee may help maintain your muscle mass, protect your cardiac and metabolic health and even protect against cognitive decline.

A recent study published in Frontiers in Nutrition examined the association between coffee intake and skeletal muscle mass in US adults. As you may remember, maintaining your muscle mass and avoiding sarcopenia is important for older adults as this reduces the likelihood of an injurious fall. This study reports that adults who drank coffee every day had an 11%-13% higher muscle mass than those who did not drink coffee. However, this was merely an association, not proof of causation. It’s possible that the anti-inflammatory compounds in coffee resulted in more sustained muscle mass, though researchers are not sure. But it’s a result worth pondering, so pour yourself a cup of coffee and read more here.

Next to consider are studies examining the connection between coffee/caffeine and cardiac health. One small new study out of India presented at the American College of Cardiology Conference in Asia suggested that excessive amounts of caffeine (more than the recommended limit of about 4 cups, or 400 mg per day) could put stress on your cardiovascular system and raise your risk of hypertension or some other cardiovascular problems. However, another new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that more moderate coffee daily consumption (in the range of 200-300 mg/day or about 3 cups of coffee a day), can actually lower your risk of such diseases as heart disease, stroke, or type 2 diabetes. Those study participants with this moderate level of coffee consumption had a 48% lower risk of heart or metabolic disease compared to those who drank no coffee. To read more about this study, fill up your coffee pot part way, and read more here.

Finally, when it comes to cognition, it appears moderate coffee consumption, once again, is the key to better outcomes. In a set of studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2024, data was presented from over 8400 participants who were grouped into study groups of high coffee consumption, moderate coffee consumption, and no coffee consumption. The cognitive function of participants was assessed at the beginning of the study and then at least twice over the course of the study. Researchers discovered that those in the “high consumption” group had the steepest decline in their “fluid intelligence” while those in the moderate coffee consumption group seemed to reflect a protective factor against cognitive decline due to coffee consumption. In essence, researchers determined that about 2-3 cups of coffee (or tea) a day might be the sweet spot for the protection of brain health and against cognitive decline. These studies were merely observational, however, and have not yet been published, so it could be that other factors may have played a role in these cognitive effects. For more on this study, take a sip and look here.