Latest news with #Mahdavi
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Tea or coffee? Harvard researcher's 30-year study on 50,000 women might settle the debate
In a revelation that could reshape your morning routine, a Harvard-backed study spanning over three decades and involving nearly 50,000 women has linked moderate coffee consumption with healthier aging and improved longevity. And no, tea or decaf doesn't make the cut. Led by Dr. Sara Mahdavi, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the research presented at the American Society of Nutrition's annual meeting suggests that caffeinated coffee—specifically—may play a pivotal role in preserving both mental sharpness and physical vitality well into old age. How Coffee Came Into the Anti-Aging Spotlight Beginning in 1984, the study followed 47,513 women, tracking their health outcomes, lifestyle choices, and daily beverage habits. Fast forward to 2016, and only 3,706 of them qualified as 'healthy agers.' What counted as healthy aging? Reaching age 70 or older without major chronic illnesses, cognitive decline, or physical impairments—and with self-reported good mental health. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Things Women Should NEVER Wear! Undo The standout factor? Coffee consumption. Women who drank at least one cup of caffeinated coffee daily were more likely to fall into the healthy aging group. Even more compelling: for every additional cup consumed per day (up to five), the chances of aging well increased by 2% to 5%. The benefits, however, tapered off after five cups—suggesting moderation is still key. 'Moderate coffee intake may offer some protective benefits when combined with other healthy behaviors,' said Dr. Mahdavi in a press release, adding that the findings reinforce—but don't outweigh—the impact of exercise, a balanced diet, and avoiding smoking. You Might Also Like: India's silent epidemic: 6 foods to include in your diet if you have fatty liver Not All Caffeine Is Created Equal Interestingly, the benefits were exclusive to regular coffee. Tea and decaffeinated versions showed no significant impact on healthy aging, while soda—specifically cola—was associated with reduced positive health outcomes. This isn't the first study to give coffee a gold star. A separate study published in May 2024 involving 50,000 American adults found that one to three cups of coffee daily reduced the risk of death within the next decade by 15% compared to non-coffee drinkers. But Dr. Mahdavi cautions that coffee isn't a miracle brew. While it may help tip the scales toward graceful aging, its effects are modest when weighed against broader lifestyle choices. 'The benefits from coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of overall healthy lifestyle habits and warrant further investigation,' she said. So, Should You Pour Another Cup? If you're healthy, active, and already enjoy your daily brew, science says—go ahead. Your coffee habit may be doing more than waking you up. It might just be helping you age better. But remember, more isn't always better. It's about striking the right balance—just like the perfect cup. You Might Also Like: This 'healthy' breakfast drink may be doing more harm than good for diabetics. Health experts warn
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Economic Times
Tea or coffee? Harvard researcher's 30-year study on 50,000 women might settle the debate
How Coffee Came Into the Anti-Aging Spotlight You Might Also Like: India's silent epidemic: 6 foods to include in your diet if you have fatty liver Not All Caffeine Is Created Equal So, Should You Pour Another Cup? You Might Also Like: This 'healthy' breakfast drink may be doing more harm than good for diabetics. Health experts warn In a revelation that could reshape your morning routine, a Harvard-backed study spanning over three decades and involving nearly 50,000 women has linked moderate coffee consumption with healthier aging and improved longevity. And no, tea or decaf doesn't make the by Dr. Sara Mahdavi, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the research presented at the American Society of Nutrition's annual meeting suggests that caffeinated coffee—specifically—may play a pivotal role in preserving both mental sharpness and physical vitality well into old in 1984, the study followed 47,513 women, tracking their health outcomes, lifestyle choices, and daily beverage habits. Fast forward to 2016, and only 3,706 of them qualified as 'healthy agers.' What counted as healthy aging? Reaching age 70 or older without major chronic illnesses, cognitive decline, or physical impairments—and with self-reported good mental standout factor? Coffee consumption. Women who drank at least one cup of caffeinated coffee daily were more likely to fall into the healthy aging group. Even more compelling: for every additional cup consumed per day (up to five), the chances of aging well increased by 2% to 5%. The benefits, however, tapered off after five cups—suggesting moderation is still key.'Moderate coffee intake may offer some protective benefits when combined with other healthy behaviors,' said Dr. Mahdavi in a press release, adding that the findings reinforce—but don't outweigh—the impact of exercise, a balanced diet, and avoiding the benefits were exclusive to regular coffee. Tea and decaffeinated versions showed no significant impact on healthy aging, while soda—specifically cola—was associated with reduced positive health isn't the first study to give coffee a gold star. A separate study published in May 2024 involving 50,000 American adults found that one to three cups of coffee daily reduced the risk of death within the next decade by 15% compared to non-coffee Dr. Mahdavi cautions that coffee isn't a miracle brew. While it may help tip the scales toward graceful aging, its effects are modest when weighed against broader lifestyle choices. 'The benefits from coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of overall healthy lifestyle habits and warrant further investigation,' she you're healthy, active, and already enjoy your daily brew, science says—go ahead. Your coffee habit may be doing more than waking you up. It might just be helping you age better. But remember, more isn't always better. It's about striking the right balance—just like the perfect cup.
CNBC
2 days ago
- Health
- CNBC
Harvard study of nearly 50,000 women over 30 years finds coffee drinking linked to healthy aging, longevity: It seems to offer 'protective benefits'
Coffee, and whether or not it's good for you, has been a research focus for decades. A regular cup or two has been linked to better heart health, a longer life, and most recently, a study led by a Harvard researcher, Dr. Sara Mahdavi found that drinking coffee may even aid healthy aging in women. "The findings suggest that caffeinated coffee—not tea or decaf—may uniquely support aging trajectories that preserve both mental and physical function," said Mahdavi, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The paper, which was presented at the American Society of Nutrition's annual meeting, has not yet been published or peer-reviewed. But the findings are robust. Researchers followed 47,513 women over the course of decades, starting in 1984, and analyzed their health data and coffee-drinking habits. By 2016, only 3,706 participants were considered healthy agers. Factors that the researchers considered to define healthy aging were: The researchers considered additional lifestyle factors like smoking, exercise frequency and diet, and adjusted for their contribution to health outcomes. Participants were also asked to share how often they drank coffee, tea and either Coca-Cola or Pepsi, which can all be sources of caffeine. Women who had at least one cup of coffee daily were more likely to be among the healthy agers, the study found. Of the healthy agers, each extra cup of coffee they had each day was associated with a 2% to 5% increased chance of aging well, peaking at about five small cups a day. Drinking tea or decaffeinated coffee didn't have a clear connection to healthy aging in the study, and drinking cola drastically lowered chances of positive health outcomes. How much coffee per day leads to healthy aging is debatable. Mahdavi says drinking up to seven small cups of coffee daily was associated with healthy aging in the study, but whether or not that amount is healthy can shift depending on the person. Other recent studies have pointed to the potential health benefits of drinking coffee. A recent study of nearly 50,000 U.S. adults published this May found that having one to three cups of coffee a day could lower a person's chances of dying by around 15% within the following nine to 11 years, in comparison to those who didn't consume the drink. "Moderate coffee intake may offer some protective benefits when combined with other healthy behaviors such as regular exercise, a healthy diet and avoiding smoking," Mahdavi said in a press release. "While this study adds to prior evidence suggesting coffee intake may be linked with healthy aging, the benefits from coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of overall healthy lifestyle habits and warrant further investigation."
San Francisco Chronicle
07-06-2025
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Does coffee boost longevity? 47,000 women were studied for 30 years to find out
Drinking moderate amounts of coffee in midlife may boost healthy aging decades later, according to a study presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition. The findings add to the existing body of research showing there may be health and longevity benefits to consuming coffee. Most of these studies are observational and do not directly show that consuming coffee necessarily causes better health, just that people who drink coffee often tend to be healthier — as measured by such metrics as lower cardiovascular mortality, lower risk of some cancers and lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. The analysis, which followed more than 47,000 women over about 30 years, found that those who drank coffee during midlife, ages 45 to 60, were more likely to exhibit healthy aging later in life. On average, they consumed 315 milligrams of caffeine a day, the equivalent to about three small cups of coffee. The researchers defined healthy aging as being at least 70 years old and free from 11 major chronic diseases — including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer and Parkinson's disease — with no major mental health or cognitive impairment or memory problems. The study followed female nurses starting in 1984 and asked them to fill out questionnaires about their consumption of coffee, tea and soda. By 2016, about 3,700 women were considered part of the healthy aging group. Within that group, each extra cup of coffee a day was linked to a 2% to 5% higher chance of doing well later in life, up to five small cups a day. The same link between coffee consumption and better health in later life was not found among women who drank tea, soda or decaffeinated coffee. 'While past studies have linked coffee to individual health outcomes, our study is the first to assess coffee's impact across multiple domains of aging over three decades,' Sara Mahdavi, an adjunct professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto who led the study, said in a statement. 'The findings suggest that caffeinated coffee — not tea or decaf — may uniquely support aging trajectories that preserve both mental and physical function.' The study did not examine why caffeinated coffee and not other caffeinated beverages was linked to healthy aging. But previous research suggests that coffee contains antioxidants like polyphenols, which may help the body lower inflammation, reduce oxidative stress on cells and fight diseases. The analysis accounted for other factors that influence healthy aging including body weight, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, education level and protein in the diet. 'The takeaway is not that people should start drinking coffee for the sake of longevity, nor that more is better,' Mahdavi said. 'What we found is that moderate caffeinated coffee consumption — approximately 1 to 3 cups per day — was associated with a modestly higher likelihood of healthy aging over time.'
The Hill
05-06-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Drinking coffee daily tied to healthy aging among women, study finds
Related video: Could the cost of coffee rise due to tariffs? (NEXSTAR) – A study presented at the American Society for Nutrition Monday suggests that an eye-opening cup of java may also have long-term health benefits for women. 'Our study has several key strengths,' said Sara Mahdavi, lead researcher and an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto, in a press release. 'In addition to the large sample size and 30 years of follow-up, we assessed several different aspects of longevity and healthy aging as well as very comprehensive information on nutritional and lifestyle habits that were collected every four years after the initiation of the study.' The study followed 47,513 women using dietary and health data from the Nurses' Health Study dating back to 1984. While not yet peer-reviewed or published, the supporting data is extensive, experts say, and its conclusion lines up with several other studies that have found coffee to have beneficial effects. 'The data is quite consistent that coffee consumption is actually beneficial,' a Tufts University professor not affiliated with the study told The New York Times. The study looked at the frequency with which the participants drank coffee, tea, cola or decaffeinated coffee, while accounting for other factors that could influence health aging, such as body weight, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, education level and protein consumption. Every four years, researchers collected follow-up information on the participants' nutritional and lifestyle habits, including regular caffeine consumption. After three decades, there were 3,706 women who met the definition of a health ager: 'living to age 70 or older, being free from 11 major chronic diseases, maintaining physical function, having good mental health, exhibiting no cognitive impairment and showing no memory complaints.' In mid-life, those same woman consumed, on average, 315 mg of caffeine per day, or about one and a half large cups of coffee. The vast majority of that caffeine intake came from regular coffee, according to the study. 'For women in the healthy agers group, each extra cup of coffee per day was tied to a 2% to 5% higher chance of doing well later in life, up to five small cups per day, or about 2.5 cups according to today's measures,' the news release stated. Alternatively, researchers found no link between healthy aging and decaffeinated coffee or tea. 'The health benefits apppeared specific to coffee, rather than caffeine more broadly,' Mahdavi told Fox News Digital. 'We didn't see the same associations with decaf coffee, tea or caffeinated soda, suggesting that coffee's unique combination of bioactive compounds may play a key role.' Caffeinated soda, the study found, lowered participants' chances of healthy aging by 20 percent to 26 percent. 'These results, while preliminary, suggest that small, consistent habits can shape long-term health,' said Mahdavi. 'Moderate coffee intake may offer some protective benefits when combined with other healthy behaviors such as regular exercise, a healthy diet and avoiding smoking. While this study adds to prior evidence suggesting coffee intake may be linked with healthy aging, the benefits from coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of overall healthy lifestyle habits and warrant further investigation.' Despite the generous sample size, Mahdavi noted that the study mostly examined the health and habits of white, educated female health professionals. 'Further work is needed to confirm generalizability to broader populations,' she told Fox News Digital, adding that, while the results are positive for coffee drinkers, the study doesn't show a direct causal relationship between the beverage and long-term health. In other words, there's no guarantee that starting a coffee habit will lead to a healthier aging process, but the study suggests that coffee drinkers don't necessarily need to cut back on the beverage in an attempt to maintain their health as they get older, David Kao, professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical School told CNN. For those people who aren't already coffee drinkers, or abstain from caffeine, Mahdavi said her team does not recommend taking up the habit. People with medical concerns including high blood pressure, sleep issues or anxiety, should speak with a healthcare provider before drinking coffee, as it may not be advisable.
