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A popular morning drink can do more than just provide benefits – it can also help women stay healthy as they age.
This is based on new research from Harvard University, which tracks nearly 50,000 women in a 30-year nurse health study.
According to a press release from the American Nutrition Society, researchers found that drinking coffee every morning can help women stay mentally keen and physically strong in their lives.
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Dr. Sara Mahdavi, a PhD from Harvard School of Public Health at Harvard University, told Fox News Digital.
Drinking coffee every morning can help women stay mentally keen and physically strong in their lives, according to a new study. (iStock)
“It is important that this relationship persists even with key lifestyle factors such as diet quality, physical exercise and smoking, and each lifestyle is closely related to your own healthy aging.”
Women found to be eligible for “healthy elderly” consume an average of 315 mg of caffeine per day, mainly through coffee drinking.
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The study found that every cup of coffee has increased by 2% to 5% with healthier aging opportunities.
Although soda also contains caffeine, people who drink alcohol every day are shown to reduce the chance of healthy aging by 20% to 26%.
See benefits among middle-aged women who drink caffeine coffee. Decaf coffee and tea do not have the same effect. (iStock)
"The health benefits appear to be coffee-specific, not caffeine broader," Mahdavi noted. "We did not see the same association with Depaf coffee, tea or caffeinated soda, suggesting that the unique combination of bioactive compounds in coffee may play a key role."
The findings are scheduled for the 2025 Nutrition Conference of the American Nutrition Society in Orlando on Monday.
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"While past research has linked coffee to personal health outcomes, our study is the first to evaluate the impact of coffee over thirty years," Mahdavi said.
“The results of the study suggest that caffeine-based coffee … may uniquely support the aging trajectory that retains mental and physical functions.”
“Health benefits seem to be specific to coffee rather than broader caffeine.”
The researchers acknowledge that the study has some limitations.
“As with all observational studies, we cannot establish causality,” she told Fox News Digital. “Although we adjusted for many factors, there is always a possible confusion.”
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Mahdavi also noted that the research team mainly includes white, educated female health professionals.
“Further work is needed to confirm the universality of the wider population.”
Despite the potential benefits of coffee, regular exercise rather than smoking is the “most powerful and effective contributor” to healthy aging, the researchers said. (iStock)
The benefit of coffee is “relatively modest” compared to the benefits of overall healthy lifestyle habits, the researchers say.
“These results, while preliminary, show that smaller, consistent habits can shape long-term health,” Mahdavi said. “When combined with other healthy behaviors such as regular exercise, a healthy diet and avoiding smoking, moderate coffee intake may have some protective benefits.”
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“We don’t recommend starting coffee if you haven’t already, or if you’re sensitive to caffeine,” she continued. “But for those who have consumed moderate amounts (usually two to four cups a day), this study adds evidence that coffee can be part of a healthy lifestyle.”
"These findings suggest that caffeine coffee … may uniquely support the aging trajectory that retains mental and physical functions," the researchers said. (iStock)
Mahdavi stresses that nutrition, regular exercise rather than smoking are the “strongest and most effective contributors” to healthy aging.
Mahdavi said the team is planning to explore the bioactive compounds of coffee, especially polyphenols and antioxidants, which may affect molecular aging pathways, including inflammation, metabolism and vascular health.
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“Genetic and hormonal differences may also affect how individuals respond, which may pave the way for more personalized guidance in the future.”