Coffee has been linked to lower risk of several chronic diseases—one reason why may be its role in helping maintain a healthy gut.
Last year, a study led by Mingyang Song, associate professor of clinical epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, found that “moderate” drinkers—those who drank between three cups of coffee per month and three per day—and “heavy” drinkers, who consumed more than three cups per day, had significantly higher levels of several bacteria species than people who drank less coffee.
Researchers are working to gain a better understanding of these bacteria, which are believed to be beneficial to the microbiome, Song said in an April 15 WebMD article.
Song’s team is also working on a study of the relationship between coffee and colon cancer risk.
He said that there is “compelling evidence” that drinking moderate amounts of coffee has health benefits for most people but cautioned that the risk of adverse consequences—including high blood pressure, heart palpitations, and sleep disruptions—are more likely for those who drink more than three or four daily cups.
