Regular coffee intake linked to higher odds of healthy aging, but no association seen for decaffeinated coffee, tea intake
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, June 3, 2025 (HealthDay News) — For women, caffeine and regular coffee intake in midlife is associated with increased odds of healthy aging (HA), according to a study presented at NUTRITION 2025, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, held from May 31 to June 3 in Orlando, Florida.
Sara Mahdavi, R.D., Ph.D., from Harvard University in Boston, and colleagues examined the association between caffeine intake in midlife and the likelihood of HA among 47,513 women from the Nurses’ Health Study. Caffeine intake was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires. HA was defined as living to age 70 years and older, being free from 11 major chronic diseases (MCD), and having no physical function limitations (PFL), no mental health or cognitive impairments (GMH), and no memory complaints (NMC) based on questionnaires in 2014/2016.
The researchers found that 3,706 women met all criteria for the definition of HA by 2016. Total caffeine intake was moderately associated with a higher likelihood of HA after a 30-year follow-up, with an odds ratio of 1.01 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.03) per 80 mg caffeine increments/day; odds ratios (95 percent confidence intervals) for MCD, PFL, GMH, and NMC were 1.02 (1.01 to 1.03), 1.01 (1.00 to 1.02), 1.01 (1.00 to 1.01), and 1.01 (1.00 to 1.02), respectively. In terms of the primary source of caffeine, regular coffee intake was associated with higher odds of HA (odds ratio per cup increment/day: 1.05; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.02 to 1.08) and with 2 to 5 percent higher odds of each HA domain. No significant associations were seen for decaffeinated coffee or tea intake with odds of HA or any domains.
“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,” Mahdavi said in a statement.
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