Harvard study links caffeinated coffee to healthier aging in women

Researchers at Harvard University have found that consuming caffeinated coffee during middle age may improve the quality of healthy aging in women. A three-decade study involving nearly 50,000 women, part of the Nurses' Health Study, tracked participants' diets and health from 1984 to 2016.

To qualify for the study's strict definition of ‘healthy aging,’ women had to live at least until age 70 without developing any of 11 major chronic diseases, while maintaining physical, mental, and cognitive health. The study found that women who consumed approximately 315 mg of caffeine daily—roughly equivalent to three small cups of coffee—during middle age (ages 45 to 60) were more likely to reach their 70s in optimal condition.

Each additional cup of coffee per day was associated with a 2% to 5% increase in the chances of healthy aging, up to a limit of about two and a half cups. Notably, no such correlation was found with tea or decaffeinated coffee. Dr. Sara Mahdavi, who led the team at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, suggests that bioactive compounds in coffee, such as chlorogenic acids, may play a role by influencing inflammation, blood vessel function, and blood sugar levels.