What Coffee Does to Your Body

Moderate coffee consumption (three to four cups daily) is associated with many health benefits, including improved alertness and performance, improved physical endurance, and helping with cardiovascular disease. It may also lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and cancer.

Coffee is a popular beverage. According to the National Coffee Data Trends (NCDT), 63% of American adults drink coffee daily. Once suspected to be a cancer-causing agent, the World Health Organization (WHO) has removed coffee from its possible carcinogen list, and coffee can actually have positive health benefits.

A 2015 study in the journal Circulation found moderate coffee consumption (three to four cups daily) was associated with an 8 to 15 percent reduction in the overall risk of death. 

Black coffee also contains a number of micronutrients, including potassium, magnesium and niacin. 

What coffee does to your body:

• Improves alertness and performance
• Improves physical endurance
  • It may also lower the perceived rate of exertion
• May help with cardiovascular disease 
  • Moderate coffee intake may be beneficial for cardiovascular conditions including coronary artery disease, heart failure, and arrhythmias
• May lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
  • Drinking 3 to 4 cups of coffee daily is associated with about a 25% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to drinking less than 2 cups per day or no coffee at all
• May lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease 
  • Regular coffee consumption over a lifetime may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease
• May lower the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease
  • Moderate coffee consumption may lower the risk for common neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease
• May lower the risk of developing certain cancers
  • Drinking coffee may lower the risk head and neck, colorectal, breast, uterine endometrium, and liver cancers
• May inhibit the onset of cirrhosis
  • Coffee may inhibit the onset of alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver cirrhosis
• May reduce the risk for depression
  • One study found that increased caffeinated coffee consumption corresponded with a decreased risk for depression; more study is needed