Those under 55 who drink a lot of coffee—more than four cups per day—may be at greater risk of an early death, a new report in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found.
The results: People under 55 who drank more than 28 cups per week were more like to die of almost any cause than people who drank less. Women were twice as likely to die from any cause and men were 56 percent more likely, compared to people who drank less. Even controlling for cigarette smoking, which is generally the big confounder in coffee studies, did not totally eliminate the link.
Researchers tracked almost 44,000 participants for 17 years, noting how many people died, and of what cause. Lifestyle factors like coffee consumption, diet, exercise, smoking, and weight were taken noted. It turned out that 2,500 people died during the study period, with men making up over 87 percent of those deaths.
It should be noted that many earlier studies have found that heavy coffee consumption actually decreases mortality rates, so it’s probably safe to keep drinking that java.
