A new study suggests that drinking caffeinated coffee on a regular basis may lower the risk for colon cancer recurrence and improve survival in patients with stage three colon cancer. The study found that drinking four or more cups of coffee on a daily basis was the most beneficial. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute studied 953 patients who had stage three colon cancer. The patients completed dietary pattern questionnaires while undergoing chemotherapy as well as six months after receiving chemotherapy. The researchers were most interested in the influence of coffee, non-herbal tea and caffeine on cancer recurrence and mortality.

The researchers found that patients who drank four or more cups of coffee a day (around 460 milligrams of caffeine) were 42 percent less likely to experience a recurrence of colon cancer compared to patients who did not drink coffee at all. The patients who regularly drank four or more cups of coffee were also 33 percent less likely to die from cancer or any other cause during the follow-up period. After conducting additional analysis, they also found that that the lower cancer risk was related to the amount of caffeine consumed by the patients rather than other components of the coffee. It is unclear as to what the exact mechanism is behind these findings. However, the researchers suggest that it may be that caffeine consumption increases insulin sensitivity. This means that less insulin is required by the body, which potentially reduces inflammation. Inflammation is risk factor for both cancer and diabetes.

It is currently estimated that people drink about three cups of coffee per day. And about 54 percent of Americans that are older than 18 drink coffee every day.

Risk factors for Colorectal Cancer:

·         Age 50 and over (90% of new cases occur in people ages 50 and over).

·         Inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis.

·         People with an immediate family member with a history of colon cancer have 2-3 times the risk of developing colon cancer.

·         African-Americans have a 20% higher risk of developing colon cancer and a 45% higher mortality rate.

·         Lifestyle factors – Physical inactivity, a diet low in fruits, vegetables, fiber and high in fat, being overweight or obese, alcohol and tobacco use.

Other health benefits of coffee include an increase in the amount of antioxidants you consume, potentially lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, improved liver health, improved mood and decreased depression, lower risk of skin cancer, lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, and improved brain health.