A new study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention suggest those who drink four or more cups of coffee per day may have a 39% decreased risk of oral cavity and pharynx cancers combined, compared with non-coffee drinkers.¹

This review from a pooled-analysis of nine studies collected by the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium revealed that the association is more reliable amongst those who are frequent, regular coffee drinkers . T ea consumption was not associated with head and neck risk.¹

These results are important as:

^· Approximately 7800 people in the UK are diagnosed with head and neck cancers each year²

^· The mortality rate for head and neck cancers is just over 50%³

^· Mouth cancer kills one person every 3 hours in the UK because of late detection³

Dr Euan Paul, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association, commented, “The impact of coffee consumption upon the development of head and neck cancer has not been widely studied, however this study shows that moderate coffee consumption of 4-5 cups of coffee per day may be associated with a reduced incidence of the cancer may in fact play a role in prevention. Additional research is needed to determine the mechanisms of action, but the data is very encouraging and builds on research which has demonstrated that moderate coffee consumption does not increase the risk of cancer of the kidney or pancreas ⁴ ”

As advised by the Food Standards Agency guidelines, pregnant women should moderate their intake of caffeine to 200mg per day from all sources⁵.

References

1. <Insert full reference upon receipt of paper>

2. Types of Head and Neck Cancer, Macmillan http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Headneck/Aboutheadneckcancers/Typesofheadneckcancer.aspx

3. Patient's Guide, Mouth Cancer Foundation http://www.rdoc.org.uk/patientguide.html

4. Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective - a report from the World Cancer Research Fund: http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/

5. Food Standards Agency, http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2008/nov/caffeinenov08

Following reports in today's newspapers about coffee and alertness it is important to remember that there is an overwhelming wealth of evidence showing that caffeine does increase alertness levels. Caffeine is a stimulant and act s on the central nervous system by prompting the release of adrenaline. This affect is found when subjects are in a low state of alertness e.g. night time shift workers, or those who wake-up early in the morning, but also in subjects who already have a high state of alertness. Further research is required to look at how the results of this new study may affect the wider population.

A recent study by Professor Andrew Smith, Cardiff University, clearly demonstrated that regular coffee consumers who are then given additional doses of caffeine show the same benefit and response improvement in their mental performance as those who had not consumed caffeine or who had withdrawal imposed upon them.

A Cochrane Review of 13 studies involving shift workers has suggested that coffee consumption can help keep workers alert and therefore prevent mistakes in the workplace. Whilst these results are of course encouraging, the investigators highlighted that more research is required to find a conclusive link.

A meta-analysis of observational studies published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease in 2010 demonstrates that coffee consumption may be associated with a 25% reduction in the risk of Parkinson's disease.Analysis of data from 25 cohort, nested case-control and cross sectional studies, showed an inverse relationship between caffeine consumption and the risk of development of Parkinson's disease.

The results of the study also indicate an inverse association, with higher intakes of caffeine being associated with a lower risk of Parkinson's disease¹.

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease with an estimated world-wide prevalence of 0.5 to 4% among the elderly. It has long been thought that coffee consumption can help to prevent the onset of Parkinson's disease, and studies conducted throughout the world from 1968 up until the present day have demonstrated that coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of Parkinson's disease¹.

These findings are particularly important as:

· One person in every 500 has Parkinson's disease- that's 120,000 people in the UK²

· There is currently no cure for Parkinson's disease, and scientists don't yet know why people develop the condition²

Dr Euan Paul, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association, commented, “This study adds further support to the already overwhelming weight of evidence which demonstrates that coffee consumed in moderation- that is four to five cups per day, is safe and may confer certain health benefits . This evaluation builds on sound research in this area which has demonstrated that moderate coffee consumption may protect against the onset of Parkinson's disease^3,4,5,6,7,8. Further research to determine the mechanism of action is required, however the results are very encouraging .”

References

¹ Journal of Alzheimer's Disease 20 (1020) S221-S238 http://www.j-alz.com/issues/caffeine.html

² Parkinsons.org http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/about_parkinsons/what_is_parkinsons.aspx

³ Eskelinen et al, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Volume 16, 2009 Hernan et al, Annals of Neurology, Volume 52, 2002

⁴ Ascherio et al, Annals of Neurology, Volume 50, 2001

⁵ Ross et al, Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 283, 2000

⁶ Ascherio et al, American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 160, 2003

⁷ Maia and De Mendonca, European Journal of Neurology, Volume 9, 2002

⁸ Lindsay et al, American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 156, 2002

⁹ Food Standards Agency, http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2008/nov/caffeinenov08

A prospective cohort study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition¹ demonstrates that coffee consumption may be associated with a significantly reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Analysis of data from a cohort of 69,532 French women aged 41-72 years old, showed an inverse relationship between coffee consumption and diabetes and suggested that the time of drinking coffee plays a distinct role in glucose metabolism. Four or more cups of coffee per day was associated with a 34% reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes compared to those that did not drink coffee¹.

This large prospective study suggests that the association of coffee intake and type 2 diabetes may be independent of caffeine content and may be influenced by the meal when coffee is drunk. Further research is warranted to fully understand the role of time of drinking coffee and the association with specific nutrients of the diet on the risk of type 2 diabetes.

These new findings are particularly important as:

• Type 2 diabetes is the most common of the two main types of diabetes and accounts for between 85 and 95 per cent of all people with diabetes²
• There are currently over 2.5 million people with diabetes in the UK²

Dr Euan Paul, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association, commented, “This study adds further support to the already overwhelming weight of evidence which demonstrates that coffee consumed in moderation- that is four to five cups per day, is safe and may even confer certain health benefits . This evaluation builds on sound research in this area which has demonstrated that moderate coffee consumption may protect against the onset of type 2 diabetes^3,4,5,6,. Further research to determine the mechanism of action is required, however the results are very encouraging .”

This meta-analysis builds on important research from Van Dieren et al, a prospective cohort study recently published in Diabetologia⁶which demonstrated that consumption of at least three cups of coffee or tea (regardless of the levels of caffeine content) per day reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by approximately 42%².

As advised by the Food Standards Agency guidelines, pregnant women should moderate their intake of caffeine to 200mg per day from all sources⁷.

References

1. AJCN, Differential effects of coffee on the risk of type 2 diabetes according to meal consumption in a French cohort of women: the E3N/EPIC cohort study http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/ajcn.2009.28741v1

2. Diabetes UK http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Introduction-to-diabetes/What_is_diabetes/ Accessed December 2009

3. Van Dam, R.M. and Feskens, E.J.M. Lancet, 360, 1477-1478, 2002

4. Van Dam, R. et al. Diabetes Care, 29, 398-403, 2006

5. Van Dam, R. et al. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease, 16, 69-77, 2006.

6. Van Dieren, S. et al “Coffee and tea consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes” Diabetologia 2009

A meta-analysis of a number of cohorts studies published in the International Journal of Cardiology¹demonstrates that habitual coffee consumption may be associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in women.

Analysis of data from 21 cohort studies showed that moderate coffee consumption (of up to four cups of coffee per day) were associated with a 18% reduction in risk of CHD in women¹. The investigators note that such an effect was unlikely to be caused by chance.

These new findings are particularly important as:

• Coronary heart disease is the UK's biggest killer, with one in every six women dying from the disease²
• In women, cardiovascular disease (CVD), including CHD and stroke, accounts for more deaths across all ages than cancer, diabetes or respiratory disorders³

Dr Euan Paul, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association, commented, “A large number of studies have addressed coffee consumption and the risk of CHD, but have not provided definitive results. This study demonstrates that not only does coffee consumption not increase the long-term risk of CHD, but that moderate coffee consumption may actually reduce the risk of the disease in women. These data further demonstrate that moderate coffee consumption of four to five cups per day is safe and may even confer certain health benefits such as reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes and, as shown in this study, may even reduce risk of CHD in women. As advised by the Food Standards Agency guidelines, pregnant women should moderate their intake of caffeine to 200mg per day from all sources.”

It is also worth noting that earlier in the year, data published in Circulation also suggested that coffee consumption may be associated with a 19% reduction in risk of stroke in women^4.

References

1. Wu, J. Coffee consumption and risk of coronary heart diseases: A meta-analysis of 21 prospective cohort studies. International Journal of Cardiology 2009 137:216-225

2. Coronary Heart Disease, NHS Choices - http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Coronary-heart-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx Accessed December 2009

3. Deaths caused by cause, sex, age, 2007, United Kingdom, British Heart Foundation http://www.heartstats.org/datapage.asp?id=713 Accessed December 2009

4. Lopez-Garcia, E., et al Circulation - Journal of the American Heart Association, 2009 (available online: http://circ.ahajournals.org)

Harvard Medical School's report Healthy Eating for Type 2 Diabetes advises on the food and beverage choices that may help manage or prevent type 2 diabetes. When looking at coffee in particular it was found that one cup of coffee a day could lower diabetes risk by 13 percent and two cups a day could cut the risk by 42 percent, compared to people who drink none¹.

The report mentions important research from Van Dieren et al, a prospective cohort study recently published in Diabetologia²which demonstrated that consumption of at least three cups of coffee or tea (regardless of the levels of caffeine content) per day reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by approximately 42%².

References

1. Harvard Medical School Special Health Report – Healthy Eating for Type 2 Diabetes. September 2009

2. Van Dieren, S. et al “Coffee and tea consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes” Diabetologia 2009

There has been widespread coverage in the media today about a new study led by Dr Gary Arendash which has found that caffeine can boost memory in mice with Alzheimer's disease symptoms. Researchers found that mice with a rodent equivalent of Alzheimer's disease that had caffeine introduced to their diet had a 50% reduction in the build up of amyloid proteins in their brains – a key cause of Alzheimer's disease.

Whilst the research, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, has shown caffeine can boost memory in mice with Alzheimer's disease symptoms, the British Coffee Association stresses that more research into the effect of coffee drinking on degenerative diseases in humans is required.

The British Coffee Association welcomes additional scientific research to investigate the potential link between coffee consumption and a decreased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in humans.

A prospective cohort study published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention ¹ demonstrates that coffee consumption may reduce the risk of liver cancer.

Analysis of data from a cohort of 18,815 people in Japan showed that, compared to those who almost never drank coffee, increased coffee consumption was associated with a reduced risk of liver cancer in all participants¹. These findings were also observed in participants with either or both hepatitis C and B infection.

These findings are particularly important as liver cancer is one of the top twenty most common cancers in the UK and 3,120 new cases were confirmed in 2005². Additionally for those patients with hepatitis C (HCV) or B (HBV), HCV and HBV infections are the most important risk factors for liver cancer.

Furthermore, previous scientific research published in May 2009 also demonstrated that chlorogenic acid, quinic acid and caffeic acid present in coffee may even inhibit hepatitis B virus replication, highlighting that not only are they important in contributing towards liver cancer prevention but may also have important anti-viral properties against hepatitis B³.

Dr Euan Paul, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association, commented, “Coffee contains polyphenolic antioxidants which are thought to contribute to cancer prevention. This new research builds upon previous studies that have found an increase in 2 cups of coffee per day to be associated with a 43% reduced risk of liver cancer⁴ . As hepatitis C and B are the most important risk factors for liver cancer this research is particularly important for these patients, especially as further research highlights that chlorogenic acid in coffee may inhibit replication of HBV virus .”

This study further adds to the overwhelming weight of evidence which demonstrates that moderate coffee consumption of four to five cups per day is safe and may even confer certain health benefits. As advised by the Food Standards Agency guidelines, pregnant women should moderate their intake of caffeine to 200mg per day from all sources⁵.

For more information on coffee and health please visit www.britishcoffeeassociation.org. Alternatively if you would like to speak with a healthcare professional or a representative from the British Coffee Association please contact Sebastian Stokes at Red Door Communications on 020 8392 6922.

References

1. M Inoue et al. Effect of Coffee and Green tea Consumption on the Risk of Liver Cancer: Cohort Analysis by Hepatitis Virus Infection Status, Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention (2009)

2. Cancer Research UK, Liver Cancer – UK Liver Cancer Incidence and Statistics. Accessed online at: http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/liver/incidence/

3. Wang, G.-F., et al. Anti-Hepatitis B virus activity of Chlorogenic Acid, Quinic Acid and Caffeic Acid in vivo and in vitro, Antiviral Research (2008)

4. Larsson, S & Wolk, A. Coffee Consumption and Risk of Liver Cancer – A Meta Analysis. Gastroenterology, ( 2007)

5. Food Standards Agency - http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2008/nov/caffeinenov08

Closely following the publication of study findings last week which showed that coffee consumption may be associated with a reduction in the risk of stroke in women¹, new research shows that regular coffee consumption is not associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), such as stroke, or mortality in diabetic men².

This prospective cohort study of 3,497 diabetic men found no association between caffeinated coffee consumption and a higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality. Decaffeinated coffee consumption was also examined and no significant association to risk of CVD and mortality was observed.

Dr Euan Paul, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association, commented, “This study further demonstrates that moderate coffee consumption of four to five cups per day is safe and may even confer certain health benefits. As advised by the Food Standards Agency guidelines, pregnant women should moderate their intake of caffeine to 200mg per day from all sources .”

Additional information about coffee and health is attached to this email. If you would like to speak with a healthcare professional or a representative from the British Coffee Association please contact Sebastian Stokes or Jane Seaton at Red Door Communications on 020 8392 8040. Alternatively please visit us at www.britishcoffeeassociation.org.

References

1. Lopez-Garcia, E., et al Circulation - Journal of the American Heart Association , 2009 (available online: http://circ.ahajournals.org)

2. Zhang, W, et al. Coffee Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases and All-Cause Mortality among Men with Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care , February, 2009

A prospective cohort study published in Circulation – Journal of the American Heart Association ¹demonstrates that coffee consumption may be associated with a reduction in the risk of stroke in women.

Analysis of data from a cohort of 83,076 women without a history of stroke, coronary heart disease, diabetes or cancer showed that women who consumed two to three cups of coffee per day had a 19% lower risk of stroke ¹.

These new findings are particularly important as:

• Stroke is the third largest cause of death in the United Kingdom after heart disease and all cancers²
• Strokes are more often fatal for women than men³

Dr Euan Paul, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association, commented, “This study further adds to the overwhelming weight of evidence which demonstrates that moderate coffee consumption of four to five cups per day is safe and may even confer certain health benefits such as reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes and, as shown in this study, may even reduce risk of stroke in women. At this stage these results do need to be supported by further research before any possible implications for public health and clinical practice can be considered, however the results are encouraging. As advised by the Food Standards Agency guidelines, pregnant women should moderate their intake of caffeine to 200mg per day from all sources .”

It is of note that one of the study authors, Dr Rob Van Dam, has previously published several studies which suggest that coffee drinking may protect against the onset of type 2 diabetes^{4, 5,6}.

For more information on coffee and health please visit www.britishcoffeeassociation.org. Alternatively if you would like to speak with a healthcare professional or a representative from the British Coffee Association please contact Sebastian Stokes at Red Door Communications on 020 8392 6922.

References

1. Lopez-Garcia, E., et al Circulation - Journal of the American Heart Association , 2009 (available online: http://circ.ahajournals.org)

2. Wolfe, C., “The Burden of Stroke” in Wolfe, C., Rudd, T. and Beech, R. (eds), Stroke Services and Research (1996), The Stroke Association

3. http://www.stroke.org.uk/information/our_publications/factsheets/women.html

4. Van Dam, R.M. and Feskens, E.J.M. Lancet , 360, 1477-1478, 2002

5. Van Dam, R. et al. Diabetes Care, 29, 398-403, 2006
6. Van Dam, R. et al. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease, 16, 69-77, 2006.

The British Coffee Association (BCA) read with interest the proposed new study by Dr Marcus Cooke and the University of Leicester which aims to reduce the risk of childhood leukaemia . The BCA welcomes all additional research and analysis in order to further investigate maternal caffeine and coffee consumption during pregnancy.

The BCA would like to raise the following points in relation to this new study. Firstly, this study has been designed to look at caffeine intake from all dietary sources including tea, chocolate, colas and energy drinks, not just coffee¹. Additionally it is important to note that as of yet this study has not been completed, accepted or published by any medical journal¹, and therefore no conclusions should be drawn at this stage as any such conclusions would merely be speculation.

Coffee is one of the most heavily researched products in the world today and the overwhelming weight of scientific information on coffee and cancer has shown that moderate coffee consumption (4-5 cups per day) is not associated with an increased risk of developing cancer, for the general population^2,3. This point is additionally raised by Dr Cooke and the University of Leicester who mention that “the World Cancer Research Fund and Association for International Research Expert Group found that a substantial effect (between coffee and cancer risk) was unlikely.” For pregnant women, the Food Standards Agency recommends a safe upper limit of 200mg caffeine per day from all sources.

References

1. Dr Marcus Cooke, New Study Aims To Reduce Risk of Childhood Leukaemia, Unpublished , January 2009

2. World Cancer Research Fund. Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective , 1997

3. Tavani, A. and La Vecchia, C. European Journal of Cancer Prevention , 9, 241-256, 2000

A new scientific study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease demonstrates that coffee consumption is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and late-life dementia.

An analysis of 1409 individuals, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease , demonstrated a 65-70% decreased risk of dementia and a 62-64% decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease in participants who consumed 3-5 cups of coffee a day compared with low coffee consumption (two or less cups).¹

This study is the first to investigate the effects of midlife coffee consumption to the subsequent development of dementia.

Dr Euan Paul, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association, says that “this study adds to the growing evidence which demonstrates that coffee is not only safe for the general population but may be associated with health benefits. Pregnant women should however moderate their intake following the guidelines issued by the Food Standards Agency, to 200mg caffeine per day from all sources.”

These new findings are particularly important as:

· There are currently 700, 000 people with dementia in the UK²

· It is expected that there will be over a million sufferers in 2025 in the UK²

For more information on coffee and health please visit www.britishcoffeeassociation.org. Alternatively if you would like to speak with a healthcare professional or a representative from the British Coffee Association please contact Sebastian Stokes at Red Door Communications on 020 8392 6922.

References

1. Eskeline,M., et al, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease , Midlife Coffee and Tea Drinking and the Risk of Late-Life Dementia: a Population-Based CAIDE Study.

2. http://alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=341

Two new scientific studies have demonstrated that coffee consumption is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of developing endometrial cancer in women.

A meta-analysis of observational studies, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, demonstrated a 20% reduction in the risk of endometrial cancer among coffee drinkers (1-7 cups a day), compared with non coffee drinkers.¹

A separate study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, also found that women who drank two or more cups of caffeinated coffee had a 28% lower risk of developing endometrial cancer when compared to non-drinkers. ²

These new findings are important as:

• There are approximately 5,100 new cases of endometrial cancer in women each year in the UK³

• Endometrial cancer is the seventh most common female cancer worldwide ¹

For more information on coffee and health please visit www.britishcoffeeassociation.org. Alternatively if you would like to speak with a healthcare professional or a representative from the British Coffee Association please contact Sebastian Stokes at Red Door Communications on 020 8392 6922.

References

1. Bravi, F., et al, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Coffee drinking and endometrial cancer risk: a meta-analysis of observational studies

2. McCann, S., et al, International Journal of Cancer , Higher regular coffee and tea consumption is associated with reduced endometrial cancer risk

3. http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40000067/

The British Coffee Association welcomes all additional research and analysis in order to further investigate maternal coffee and caffeine consumption during pregnancy.

In light of the announcement issued by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which advises a safe upper limit of 200mg of caffeine a day during pregnancy (approximately two to three cups of coffee), the British Coffee Association will be revising its guidance to healthcare professionals and consumers in line with these recommendations with immediate effect.

Fiona Ford, Centre for Pregnancy Nutrition, University of Sheffield, says; “The evidence and analysis provided by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) has provided very clear guidance in terms of the consumption of caffeine during pregnancy. The guidance recommends that pregnant women limit their caffeine intake to 200mg per day (approximately two to three cups of coffee). All sources of caffeine should be considered when reviewing total daily intake, including coffee, tea, cola drinks, energy drinks and chocolate .”

Dr Euan Paul from the British Coffee Association says; “The guidance issued by the FSA on the advice of the COT is based on independent data plus robust review and analysis of all the current evidence pertaining to the consumption of caffeine during pregnancy, and the British Coffee Association's advice to healthcare professionals and consumers will immediately be amended in line with COT's findings. In addition to the two to three cups a day, pregnant women should be reassured that they can still enjoy decaffeinated coffee throughout their pregnancy.”

*ends*

Editor's Notes

Please contact Seb Stokes (020 8392 6922) or Annabel Pino (020 7392 8045) a t Red Door Communications if you require any further information or wish to discuss the recommendations with an independent healthcare professional.

Available for comment/interview:

Fiona Ford, Centre for Pregnancy Nutrition, University of Sheffield

Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP, Richford Gate Medical Practice

Sarah Schenker, independent Dietitian

Dr Euan Paul, Executive Director, The British Coffee Association

Secondary analyses of a large epidemiological database have demonstrated that higher caffeine consumption was associated with fewer cognitive failures, and a significant reduction in the risk of clinical depression.

The analyses were conducted to examine associations between caffeine consumption and cognitive failures (errors of memory, attention, and action) in a non-working sample. Associations between caffeine consumption and physical and mental health problems were also examined. The sample consisted of 3,223 non-working participants with a mean age of 49.6 years and confirms findings from working samples.

These findings are important as in the UK:

• Depression affects the lives of 1 in 10 people²
• There are 700,000 people living with cognitive disorders (such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other forms of dementia)³

The British Coffee Association welcome all further research in this area as the findings clearly demonstrate that it is important that we assess the real-life impact of coffee and caffeine on cognitive function and clinical depression. Dr Euan Paul, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association, says that “this study adds to the growing evidence which demonstrates that coffee is not only safe for the general population but may be associated with health benefits.”

For more information on coffee and health please visit www.britishcoffeeassociation.org. Alternatively if you would like to speak with a healthcare professional or a representative from the British Coffee Association please contact Sebastian Stokes at Red Door Communications on 020 8392 6922.

A new meta-analysis of 21 prospective cohort studies, which tested coronary heart disease (CHD) risk by coffee consumption, has been published in the International Journal of Cardiology and has found that moderate coffee drinking is associated with a lower risk of CHD.

The research conducted by lead investigator Jiang-nan Wu at the Sun Yat-sen University in China used the cohort studies to pool findings for a total of 15,599 participants to assess the overall effects of coffee and risk of CHD. The findings are important as previous studies have yielded inconsistent results - the results from this meta-analysis however clearly demonstrate that a significant lower CHD relative risk was found in women.

Dr Euan Paul, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association, says that “this is yet further evidence that not only is coffee drinking perfectly safe but increasingly research is suggesting it may confer some health benefits.”

New research by the National Cancer Centre in Tokyo, Japan, shows that coffee consumption was significantly associated with a decreased risk of endometrial cancer and was consistently observed in subgroup analyses stratified by potential confounders. This prospective cohort study conducted in 53,724 Japanese women is the first prospective study to identify an inverse relationship between coffee drinking and risk of endometrial cancer.

The mechanism of the protective effect of coffee consumption remains unclear but it has been suggested that coffee or its constituents may modulate 2 hormonal factors known to be related to endometrial cancer risk, namely insulin and estrogen

The study assessed a variety of different lifestyle factors including smoking, alcohol consumption, weight, and caffeine consumption from 8,669 questionnaires responded to by women who had previously undergone IVF treatment. The results suggest that smoking 1 cigarette per day, consuming alcohol 3 or more times per week, having a Body Mass Index of 27kg/m2, or consuming 4 or more cups of caffeine per day can all reduce the chance of a naturally conceived live birth.

For more information visit the 'Hot off the Press' section.....>

Caffeine is a well-known adenosine receptor blocker, and the study findings further demonstrated the importance of caffeine in permitting the infiltration of immune cells into the central nervous system of patients with MS. Mice given caffeine equivalent to a human drinking six to eight cups of coffee a day were protected from developing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the animal model for the human disease Multiple Sclerosis (MS)