Conway McLean, DPM, Journal columnist

The importance to our health of the substances we consume is a frequent topic in the media, yet poorly understood.

A beverage consumed by billions of people globally will naturally generate concerns regarding its benefits to well-being. Tea is currently the most popular beverage in the world but coffee is gaining rapidly. More than two billion cups of the black beverage are drunk every day. Coffee is second only to oil as the most valuable traded commodity in the world. For many Americans, life without it would be unimaginable.

We drink more coffee than ever before. Overall, coffee consumption is up by 5% nationally over the last half decade. Nearly two out of three people drink coffee every day in this country, with the average consumption just over 3 cups per day. But coffee wasn’t very popular here initially, when coffee plants reached this country in the early 18th century. Not until the Boston Tea Party (in 1773), when switching to coffee became something of a patriotic duty.

For years, coffee got a “bum rap,” criticized for all sorts of negative health consequences. In fact, if you go back far enough, the claims were laughable, like instigating illegal sex in the 1500’s. In the 1800’s, it was thought to cause a stunting of growth. The Post cereal company placed ads at that time stating it was as bad for you as morphine or strychnine, even implying it led to blindness. The ailments of the times were all linked somehow to coffee, such as palpitations, nervousness, and indigestion.

As research advances and new discoveries are made, the health benefits of coffee have become ever more apparent. Some are old news, well known and well accepted, like the energy boost we experience with a cup of strong jo. Caffeine acts as a central nervous system stimulant and can even boost athletic performance, which is why it has been shown in studies to increase the time required to reach exhaustion.

A somewhat predictable consequence of this stimulation is weight loss, but not just because of coffee’s stimulant effects. Higher coffee consumption seems to be associated with decreased body fat, especially in men. Coffee seems to be effective at supporting a weight management program. One study found that people who consumed were more likely to be physically active, an obvious aid to weight loss and weight maintenance.

Coffee apparently preserves the function of certain cells of the pancreas, known as beta cells. These produce insulin, and are therefore essential to the regulation of blood sugar. It is believed this is why regular coffee consumption is associated with a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In fact, a review of many studies found that each cup of coffee people consumed per day was linked to a 6% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Other benefits include its high levels of antioxidants and ability to modulate inflammation and metabolism, all factors in the development of diabetes.

Years ago, scientists were concerned about the effects of coffee on the heart, but our thinking on this topic has changed radically. The data is clear: regular coffee drinking, especially two to three cups a day, is not only safe for the heart but seems to be cardioprotective, meaning the heart is better protected against disease and injury. We can now go so far as to say the regular intake of coffee, and more seems to be better, significantly reduces the risk of all-cause mortality. In regards to a concern from the ’60’s, numerous studies show no increased risk of arrhythmias.

Need more? Although we are uncertain on the “why,” there seems to be no link between stroke risk and coffee consumption. Another massive study, spanning nearly half a century with nearly half a million participants, found no connection between coffee and a risk of stroke. On the contrary, there was a small benefit, with a slightly lower risk of having one.

Did you know caffeine is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive drug? It is not a hallucinogenic, of course, but it is a stimulant, and not just physically but mentally. This makes it “psychoactive” and perhaps is associated with coffee’s protective effects against certain neurodegenerative disorders, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. And again, the higher the consumption the greater the benefits. One study found that the more coffee consumed, the lower people’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. But we’re not done. Moderate coffee consumption has been shown to be associated with a lower risk of dementia and cognitive decline (a reduction in one’s abilities to think and reason).

The story of coffee’s origins seem to go back to a goat herder in Ethiopia who watched his goats prance about after consuming certain red berries. The result is a coffee shop on every corner of most American cities. Coffee has become almost a culture unto itself. Small university towns usually end up with quite a few. Coffee shops across the country have become the epicenter for an active social scene, likely a healthier atmosphere than many bars.

We have the data. Many studies suggest coffee consumption is able to extend longevity, probably thanks to its multitude of health benefits. A study of half a million Caucasians revealed a reduced risk of death up to 14%, with higher consumption. The mechanism for such an important consequence we can only guess at. But after reading this, you may now have an inkling as to the “how’s and why’s” for such a benefit.

Unfortunately, I haven’t addressed the elephant in the closet, the things that are added to coffee. The sheer volume of chemicals, sweeteners, and additives that end up in our drinks is scary. But, because it’s in solution (meaning it’s dissolved and invisible), you don’t see it. This is the great masquerade of commercial beverages; who knows what some of those chemicals are. Yet millions of these products are consumed on a regular basis.

We may never find out exactly what these unnatural substances do to the human body. But a cup of black coffee? Now we know, that’s healthfood!

Editor’s note: Dr. Conway McLean is a physician practicing foot and ankle medicine in the Upper Peninsula. Dr. McLean’s practice, Superior Foot and Ankle Centers, has offices in Marquette and Escanaba, and now the Keweenaw following the recent addition of an office in L’Anse. McLean has lectured internationally, and written dozens of articles on wound care, surgery, and diabetic foot medicine. He is board certified in surgery, wound care, and lower extremity biomechanics.