Caffeine: Friend or Foe?

When I was growing up, health magazines warned of the pitfalls of caffeine consumption, saying it ruins your skin and is bad for your health. Well, fast-forward several years and now the scientific community has reversed its stance altogether. So what's the verdict?

Once vilified for raising blood pressure and weakening bones, moderate caffeine consumption is now embraced as a weight-loss aid, memory booster and hedge against Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

Conflicting Reports

Over the years, scientific research has gradually chipped away at caffeine's alleged negative effects. For example, take the case of caffeine and cancer. Initial reports had cited a connection between caffeine and several kinds of cancer, including digestive and bladder. But now the consensus has shifted.

Experts now say there's no proof of any link between caffeine and any kind of cancer. Ditto for caffeine's connection to ulcers, cardiac arrhythmias, blood pressure and infertility. The issue of osteoporosis is still up in the air, but a recent study at the University of Pennsylvania suggests that bone strength isn't affected by caffeine consumption.

Potential Health Benefits

In addition, new research from the U.K. indicates that small amounts of coffee consumed throughout the day can boost alertness and improve performance on all kinds of tasks, including those that require hand-eye coordination and attention to detail.

Some preliminary studies also suggest that moderate regular caffeine consumption may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. And interestingly, a new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicates that people who drink four to six cups of coffee a day have a 28% lower risk of developing this illness than those who drink less than two cups a day. Researchers arrived at those numbers by pooling the results of nine different studies from the U.S. and around the world.

Practice Moderation

Caffeine also contains more antioxidants than blueberries and broccoli and for many athletes, it boosts speed and endurance. But before you down cup after cup of coffee, keep in mind that as with anything, moderation is key. Too much coffee can raise your blood pressure, make you jittery and disrupt sleep.

So enjoy your cup of Joe in the morning guilt-free. Just don't overboard.

Samantha Chang is the Executive Editor of TheImproper.com (www.theimproper.com). She previously was the Associate Editorial Director of High Net Worth Inc. and the Assistant Managing Editor of Crain's InvestmentNews.