Recent research shows it’s not so darn harmful.

It can be hard to keep track of what is supposed to be good or bad to put into your body. Health reporting has gone back and forth over the years on whether things like eggs and fats are part of a healthy diet or a recipe for ending up in the hospital. Coffee is one of the many things we consume that has been on that roller coaster through the decades — which, admittedly, has not discouraged us from drinking a lot of it.

We wanted to check in with where the science is on coffee and its relationship to our health. In this feature, we take a look at a few recent peer-reviewed studies and the opinions of a very qualified professional. It must be stated here that we are not scientists or health professionals in any way. Hell, we’re not even health journalists, really. 

But we do trust scientists, health professionals, and the peer review system. So we feel good about sharing what we learned from them with you. We also feel pretty good about what we learned. You’ll find out why in about two sentences.

Most of You Are Fine To Drink Coffee Regularly, Says Science

There’s no need to beat around the shrub here. The general consensus at this time is that a few cups of coffee a day doesn’t seem to have negative health consequences for the majority of people. Outside of a few exceptions, a regular coffee habit is pretty safe, according to recent studies.

One 2017 study (which was amended in 2018) published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) entitled “Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes” analyzed more than 200 meta-analyses and concluded that most of us are fine to enjoy a few cups a day without concern.

In its conclusion, the paper states, “Coffee consumption seems generally safe within usual levels of intake, with summary estimates indicating largest risk reduction for various health outcomes at three to four cups a day, and more likely to benefit health than harm.”

That’s excellent news for those of us who have been subjected to decades of sensational health “journalism” that has, at times, promoted the idea that your next cup might just kill you. But it doesn’t come without caveats.

There Are Still Unsafe Levels of Coffee To Consume

The words “within usual levels of intake” in the aforementioned conclusion are doing a lot of heavy lifting. While regular consumption of moderate amounts of coffee appears to be just fine, drinking too much can have adverse effects. 

On its website, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends 400 mg of caffeine per day for healthy adults as the recommended limit. That number is based on a widely-cited 2017 study published in Food and Chemical Toxicology (FCT) entitled, “Systematic review of the potential adverse effects of caffeine consumption in healthy adults, pregnant women, adolescents, and children.”

The study (and the FDA) recommend a lower limit of 300 mg per day for people who are pregnant. It also states that a dosage level of 2.5 mg per kilogram per day is safe for children and adolescents. 

Drinking Coffee Might Actually Have Health Benefits, Too

The body of research used in these studies makes a strong case that drinking coffee in moderation probably isn’t bad for most people. But it also suggests that doing so may, in fact, actually be good for your health. And these positive health effects may be pretty wide-ranging.

Given its function as a stimulant, it would be logical to assume that coffee could be taxing on the heart. However, research cited in the BMJ study suggests the opposite.

“Coffee consumption was consistently associated with a lower risk of mortality from all causes of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke in a non-linear relation, with summary estimates indicating [the] largest reduction in relative risk at three cups a day.”

Drinking coffee might also help to reduce the risk of several types of cancer, according to the BMJ study. The authors state, “High versus low coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer, endometrial cancer, melanoma, oral cancer, leukaemia, non-melanoma skin cancer, and liver cancer.”

Higher coffee consumption has also shown an association with a reduced risk of gallstone disease and even Type 2 diabetes.

It is important to recognize a few things here. First, that association and correlation are not causation. There are many variables that may exist between test subjects that could have a more direct relationship with their risk of disease. 

In addition, the evidence for these health benefits is far from conclusive. The authors state plainly that, “Existing evidence is observational and of lower quality, and randomised controlled trials are needed.”

Some People Should Still Be Careful With Caffeine

The body of scientific evidence seems to point to moderate coffee consumption being perfectly safe for most people. However, the lower recommended daily dosage for pregnant people should be a glaring clue that, importantly, “most” does not mean all.

The FCT study points to correlations between higher levels of caffeine consumption and adverse developmental and reproductive effects in pregnant people. Consumption of more than 300 mg of caffeine per day has been linked to issues ranging from increased maternal stress to recurrent miscarriages in pregnant people. 

It also correlates to an increase in rates of birth defects and behavioral effects in children of people who consumed more than the FDA-recommended dosage of caffeine while pregnant. This study does note, however, that the research it analyzed examined caffeine intake, and not necessarily coffee intake.

Another group that has been found to experience adverse health effects from coffee consumption is people identified as female with elevated risk of bone fractures. The BMJ study found an association between increased coffee consumption and an increased risk of bone fracture. It did not observe a similar association with those identified as men.

Short-Term Effects of Coffee Drinking Can Be a Different Story

Most of the research in both of these studies is focused on long-term health impacts of caffeine consumption. But overconsumption of caffeine can cause some substantial adverse short-term health effects that are worth paying attention to. Some of these effects, which include things like heightened anxiety and sleep impairment, may be familiar to you if you’ve ever had one (or several) cups too many.

In addition, these short-term effects aren’t necessarily consistent from one individual to the next. The FCT study acknowledges that not only does caffeine sensitivity vary between people, people’s “own perception of sensitivity may be very different [from] another.”

Andi Halbsgut, MS, RD, LDN, a dietitian based in Durham, North Carolina, emphasizes these considerations in her practice when it comes to the subject of coffee and caffeine.

“Like most things, the dose makes the poison, so following FDA recommendations is a good idea,” said Halbsgut. “But that doesn’t mean that coffee is for everyone. Some potential effects include increased feelings of anxiety, shakiness, changes in bathroom habits, and decreased appetite, as well as increased heart rate and blood pressure.”

Halbsgut also offers a word of caution about balancing your coffee intake with staying properly hydrated.

“Drinking coffee throughout the day can also lead to dehydration,” she said. “Not only is caffeine a diuretic but it might also take the place of water consumption if someone is sipping it all day.” 

The Relationship Between Coffee and Health Is a Personal One

The results of both of the studies we looked at for this article should offer some relief for those worried about their coffee habit causing them harm. Outside of select groups of people and specific conditions and situations, that just doesn’t appear to be the case.

As part of their conclusion, the authors of the BMJ study state clearly, “Coffee drinking seems safe within usual patterns of consumption, except during pregnancy and in women at increased risk of fracture.”

We’ll need a lot more research to get a better understanding of if and how drinking coffee can benefit, rather than harm, our health. But for now, the possibility that our favorite beverage and hobby may actually help us live longer, healthier lives is an exciting one. 

Still, none of this research should be seen as hard proof that downing a bunch of coffee every day will help stave off disease, or even not have any adverse health effects. We humans are complex creatures with even more complex bodies that are all different from one another. Even if research could show conclusively that drinking coffee has a positive health effect across a sample population, there are still individuals within those populations.

Ultimately, how coffee affects your own health comes down to a lot of variables that no study could possibly account for. That means that no matter what the research, it’s always a good idea to check in on the relationship between your coffee habit and your health when you can.

This relationship is something Halbsgut encourages her patients to learn about and explore to enjoy their coffee while being responsible about their health.

“I always recommend education about how caffeine works so my clients can make the best decisions for themselves,” she said. “For someone who may be at risk for certain symptoms already, drinking coffee could contribute negatively.”

Halbsgut also understands that for many people, coffee is more than just a beverage or fuel to get through the day. 

“Coffee can also be a part of culture, ritual, connection, and joy,” she said.

Here’s hoping future research continues to tell us that it’s also just fine for our health — or maybe even good for us.