Drink to your health
of coffee, who knows what to believe?
With so many studies on the health effects
BY BRENDA PORTER-ROCKWELL
the last 20 years or so, coffee has been among the most oſten- studied food items. While there is always good and bad news gleaned from studies, there is primarily good news for coffee drinkers: In some way, shape or form, coffee is good for you. A quick review through the archives of research at the
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early every day there's a new headline surrounding research into the health benefits and risks of consuming coffee. In
National Institutes of Health (NIH) reveals that, in general, drinking up to six cups of coffee a day is not as harmful as we once thought. In terms of what the studies tell us, this year alone, we've heard that coffee lowers the risk of skin cancer, dementia and diabetes. Before that, coffee consumption had been shown to improve motor function related to Parkinson's disease and reduced levels of depression among women. And there's good news for nursing mothers. A new study
out of Brazil says new moms can enjoy their morning pick- me-up without worrying that caffeine, transferred through breast milk, will keep babies up at night. The study looked at the sleeping habits of nearly 1,000 babies and concluded that the caffeine does not appear to affect breastfed babies. Could coffee make you skinny? We've seen the numerous
diet pills containing caffeine. However, a new study offers greater promise to those trying to lose weight. Chemists at the
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University of Scranton conducted a clinical trial involving green coffee bean extract's effect on weight loss. As part of the study, a group of 16 overweight young adults lost an average of 17.5 pounds in 22 weeks, for an average weight loss of 10.5 percent. Of the 16 volunteer subjects, six lost enough weight to move their body mass into the normal range. The effect may result from the bean extract reducing absorption of fat and glucose and elevating insulin levels, said chief researcher Joe Vinson. A larger study with 60 subjects is being planned, he said.
COFFEE-INDUCED LAZINESS? A different rat study suggested caffeine, frequently used as
a stimulant to promote concentration and hard work, could turn normally hard workers into sloths. This one, conducted at the University of British Columbia and published online in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, divided rats into "workers," those willing to perform high-effort tasks for high food rewards, and "slackers," who were not. When the rats were given caffeine and amphetamines, the slackers appeared more willing to undertake challenges; the stimulants had the opposite effect on the workers, who appeared to become less motivated. Even better news about coffee has come to light. Study results have indicated coffee can extend the lifespan. A report
