By Karen Kier
Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU HealthWise team

The idiom “wake up and smell the coffee” is used to refer to realizing the truth about one’s situation or to become more aware of what is happening around you. I have heard this phrase more in the last two years than in my previous years. The plethora of misinformation during the pandemic has truly been a difficult situation for healthcare professionals and unfortunately, much of the misinformation is still circulating. The suggestion has been made to wake up and smell the coffee regarding the facts surrounding the pandemic. This idiom applies to so much more as well.  

A better title for this article would be wake up and drink your coffee!  Some recent studies have shed light on the benefits of java or a cup of joe.

Coffee is one of the world’s most consumed beverages, known for its stimulant effects on the body.  The most common type of coffee grown is Arabica, which is 60% of the global market.  Hawaii and California are two states that grow coffee. Roasted coffee is a very complex mixture of compounds making it difficult to isolate which of the over 1000 bioactive compounds has the health benefits.  

An Annals of Internal Medicine study published on May 31, 2022 evaluated coffee with and without sugar on death rates. The study followed 171,616 participants for seven years and recorded their coffee habits. The study evaluated all types of coffee including ground, instant, and decaffeinated. The study recorded if the participants used sugar or artificial sweetener or drank it unsweetened. The study findings were that moderate coffee intake reduced death rates no matter the type of sweetness.  

The study defined moderate coffee intake as 1.5 to 3.5 cups per day. Interestingly, the most benefit was seen with unsweetened coffee with the least benefit in those using artificial sweeteners added to the coffee. The sugared coffee benefit was between the unsweetened and the artificial sweeteners. The study reported a decrease in any cause of death, as well as a reduction in cancer-related deaths and heart disease deaths.  

Another study in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Research evaluated published studies on the relationship between coffee consumption and the risk of developing endometrial cancer.  This study combined data from nearly 700,000 individuals and found that a higher intake of coffee was associated with a lower risk of developing endometrial cancer. The benefit started with one cup of coffee per day with an increasing benefit with higher coffee consumption.  Coffee intake was most beneficial for women who had completed menopause, as well as those who were overweight.  No difference in benefit was observed between caffeine content, but was related to coffee consumption itself.  

Coffee should not be considered as a cure for endometrial cancer. However, the results of this study demonstrate its potential as a possible preventative intervention. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends that adults should drink no more than four cups of coffee per day.  

A study in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation evaluated coffee’s effects on kidney function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A problem with diabetes is the long-term damage of the disease on kidney function. Diabetes and high blood pressure are two of the primary reasons for patients having kidney failure resulting in dialysis treatment. The 2022 study demonstrated that one to two cups of coffee per day reduced the decline in kidney function. So, this is actually good news because the coffee consumption slowed the progression of kidney damage.  

Sometimes researchers will perform a study called a meta-analysis, which I refer to as a study of studies. This is the scientific process of combining studies together to analyze the results as a larger pool of data. This process is done to improve the power of the conclusions and reduce potential errors in smaller studies. A meta-analysis was performed combining data from 201 clinical human trials on coffee consumption and health. The study was published in the British Medical Journal in 2017.  The study reported a lower all cause death rate with three-four cups of coffee per day, as well as lower rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer-related deaths. The authors concluded the benefits of three-four cups per day of coffee outweighed the potential harm except for pregnant women. Caffeine and coffee can increase the risk of premature labor and birth as well as harm to the unborn child. Due to conflicting information, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the March of Dimes recommend that pregnant women drink less than 12 ounces (1 cup) of coffee per day. 

There are health benefits reported with coffee. So, it is okay to wake up and drink the coffee!

ONU HealthWise is offering COVID-19 including boosters Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM. Call the pharmacy for an appointment for other time slots. The ONU HealthWise pharmacy offers Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. Call the pharmacy to get more information.  

ONU HealthWise Pharmacy
419-772-3784
www.onuhealthwisepharmacy.com