Be Well, 0418 WYBJ, Vol. 41 No. 2. 50
| Author | Maryt L Fredrickson, Ninth Judicial District Court Jackson, Wyoming |
| Position | Vol. 41 2 Pg. 50 |
Surprise! Coffee Can Be a Boon
Maryt L Fredrickson, Ninth Judicial District Court Jackson, Wyoming
The Be Well column in the previous issue was pretty heavy. It was about breaking the social stigma against mental health and substance abuse treatment in the legal profession. This month's topic is far lighter. It is about the health benefits of coffee. Surprised? Keep reading.
A lawyer stopped me in the street recently and remarked on my coffee cup. When I explained it was tea and that I had given up coffee, he shared how many cups of coffee he usually drinks each day. His tone was negative, as if he thought he should also give up coffee. I cheerily rattled off some of the benefits of coffee in the hopes he wouldn't be so hard on himself. I hope the same applies to you as you pour your cup (or cups) of joe.
Coffee has been studied extensively over the years. A relatively recent study of more than 200,000 people over 30 years concluded that moderate consumption—measured at three to five cups per day—is actually linked to positive health benefits.1
How Coffee Is Good for You
Parkinson's Disease. Studies show the risk of Parkinson's disease is lowered by half in people who drink coffee. One study showed that women who drank between one and three cups of coffee per day had a lower risk of Parkinson's.2 The same study among men showed a decrease risk of Parkinson's with a higher intake of up to five cups per day. If coffee is not your preferred drink, these results were also apparent for those individuals who consumed caffeinated tea.
Type 2 Diabetes. Long-term coffee consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes. This applied to both regular coffee and decaffeinated coffee (although positive effects were higher among caffeinated coffee drinkers) thanks to the antioxidants, magnesium, and the hundreds of other components of coffee. The unique combination of compounds contributes to improved sensitivity to insulin, thus lowering the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Depression. The same comprehensive 30-year, 210,000-person study mentioned above also linked coffee consumption to a decreased risk of depression and suicide. Another study which took place over 20 years found that depression was reduced by 20% among women who drank between two to four cups of coffee per day.3 Researchers hypothesized that the...
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