Caffeine is one of the main chemicals found in coffee that helps enhance energy and alertness. However, caffeine also might cause nausea, nervousness and insomnia. As a result, people often choose decaffeinated coffee as a substitute. Research indicates that consuming decaffeinated coffee might provide a few health benefits.
Type 2 Diabetes
Decaffeinated coffee might reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes, a condition that causes high blood sugar levels, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia and the University of Paris in France. Scientists reviewed the literature regarding the relationship between decaffeinated coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes. They reported in the December 2009 issue of the "Archives of Internal Medicine" that subjects consuming three to four cups of decaffeinated coffee per day lowered their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Gout
Gout is a painful arthritic condition that causes inflammation of the joints in the body. Scientists from the University of British Columbia and Brigham and Women's Hospital studied the effects of coffee consumption on the risk of gout in men. They discovered that men consuming four or more cups of decaffeinated coffee per day decreased their risk of developing gout compared with those who did not drink any decaffeinated coffee. Researchers reported their findings in the June 2007 issue of the journal "Arthritis and Rheumatism."
Advanced Prostate Cancer
Scientists from Harvard Medical School investigated the impact of regular and decaffeinated coffee on the risk of advanced prostate cancer. They found that men with prostate cancer who drank the most coffee lowered their risk of developing advanced prostate cancer by up to 60 percent compared with those who did not drink coffee. Researchers stated that caffeine was not the key factor in the results, but were unsure of the compounds responsible for the effects, according to the Science Daily website.
Mortality
In research published in the June 2008 issue of the journal "Annals of Internal Medicine," researchers from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital examined the relationship between coffee consumption and mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancer. They found that consuming up to six cups of regular or decaffeinated coffee slightly lowered the risk of mortality from heart disease compared with non-drinkers. Coffee consumption was not associated with a lower risk of cancer death.
References
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, and Tea Consumption in Relation to Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; R. Huxley et al.; December 2009
- "Arthritis and Rheumatism"; Coffee Consumption and RIsk of Incident Gout in Men; H.K. Choi et al.; June 2007
- Science Daily: Coffee Consumption Associated With Reduced Risk of Advanced Prostate Cancer
- "Annals of Internal Medicine"; The Relationship of Coffee Consumption with Mortality; E.L. Garcia et al.; June 2008
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