Is coffee good for you?
Yes for most adults, up to 400 mg of caffeine a day. Big studies link 3 to 4 cups to lower risk of dying early. But a link isn’t proof, and pregnancy changes the answer.
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Is coffee good for your health?
Probably, for most adults. The biggest review so far pulled together over 200 reviews of coffee and health. It found coffee was more likely to benefit health than harm.
The biggest links were at 3 to 4 cups a day. Compared with no coffee, that went with a 17% lower risk of dying early from any cause.
| Health problem | Link with coffee | Compared |
|---|---|---|
| Dying early, any cause | 17% lower risk | 3 to 4 cups a day vs none |
| Heart and circulation disease | 15% lower risk | 3 to 4 cups a day vs none |
| Type 2 diabetes | 30% lower risk | Most vs least coffee |
| Liver disease | Lower risk, the strongest link found | Most vs least coffee |
| Pregnancy loss, low birth weight | Higher risk | Most vs least or no coffee, in pregnancy |
| Broken bones in women | 14% higher risk | Most vs least coffee |
Source: BMJ umbrella review
That’s a link, not proof. Think of dog owners. They tend to walk more, but that may be because people who like walking get dogs.
Coffee studies have the same problem. Once they allowed for smoking, coffee’s harmful links largely went away, except in pregnancy. The authors say trials are needed to show if coffee is the cause.
So there’s no need to start drinking coffee for your health. If you enjoy it, the review found it seems generally safe at usual amounts. The exceptions are pregnancy and women at higher risk of broken bones.
Next, check how much caffeine your cups really hold.
How much coffee is too much?
The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) says up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is unlikely to cause problems for adults.
Pregnant? The NHS says to have no more than 200 mg a day. More could raise the risk of miscarriage or low birth weight.
- 200 mg or belowWithin the 200 mg pregnancy limit.
- Above 200 up to 400 mgFine for most adults. Over the pregnancy limit.
- Above 400 mgOver the FSA’s 400 mg for adults.
A mug of coffee has about 100 to 140 mg, though it varies a lot. Coffee shop coffee can contain more.
A mug of tea has about 75 mg and a can of soft drink about 40 mg.
Some painkillers and supplements contain caffeine as well. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.
Some people feel effects at lower doses. The FSA says this includes people sensitive to caffeine and people with heart disease or high blood pressure.
Add up yesterday’s drinks, decaf included, and see where you land.
What are the side effects of coffee?
Caffeine is the part that wakes you up. Too much can cause anxiety, poor sleep, restlessness, palpitations or diarrhoea, the FSA says. Sensitive people can get jitters at lower doses.
| Side effect | What helps |
|---|---|
| Poor sleep | No tea or coffee for at least 6 hours before bed. |
| A racing, pounding or fluttering heartbeat (palpitations) | Cutting caffeine can help, if a health condition isn’t the cause. |
| Heartburn | Coffee can cause it or make it worse, so try less. |
| Jitters, anxiety, trouble concentrating | Have less. Sensitive people can get these at low doses. |
| Slightly higher cholesterol | Choose filter or instant. Cafetière and boiled coffee hold more of the natural compounds (diterpenes) that raise it. |
Sources: NHS insomnia; NHS palpitations; NHS heartburn; FSA; BMJ umbrella review
The cholesterol rise in trials was small. In filter coffee it was tiny or too small to count. If your cholesterol is high, see how to lower cholesterol.
Want to cut back? Go slowly. The FDA, the US food regulator, says caffeine withdrawal isn’t considered dangerous but can be unpleasant.
Sleeping badly? Read when to stop caffeine before bed.
Heart racing? See heart palpitations and blood tests.
Six habits for a healthier coffee
- Keep all your caffeine to 400 mg a day, or 200 mg if you’re pregnant.
- Count a mug of coffee as 100 to 140 mg. Coffee shop coffee can contain more.
- Have your last tea or coffee at least 6 hours before bed.
- If your cholesterol is high, pick filter or instant over cafetière or boiled coffee.
- Use semi-skimmed, 1% or skimmed milk, and skip the sugar and syrups.
- Cut back slowly if you want less caffeine.
Sources: FSA; NHS; NHS insomnia; BMJ umbrella review; FDA
Is coffee bad for your kidneys?
Not in the big studies. Drinking more coffee was linked to a lower risk of kidney stones.
Coffee drinking was also linked to a lower risk of long-term kidney disease. But that result could have been chance, and some of the studies were weaker one-off snapshots.
Almost none of the studies looked at people who already had a disease, so they say little about kidney disease you already have.
Already have kidney disease? Ask your kidney team or GP how much caffeine suits you. To understand your results, see kidney function tests.
Does coffee help you lose weight?
Maybe, but don’t count on it. A review of 13 trials with 606 people found caffeine (not coffee itself) might help with weight and body fat loss. The results varied a lot from trial to trial.
What you add counts too. Sugar, syrups and cream add calories. The NHS suggests lower-fat milk, such as semi-skimmed, 1% or skimmed.
For a food-based plan, see a high-protein diet for weight loss.
When to speak to a GP
See a GP if:
- Your palpitations keep coming back, happen more often or last longer than a few minutes. Or you have them and have a heart condition, or heart problems run in your family.
- You have heartburn most days, or lifestyle changes and pharmacy medicines aren’t helping.
- You have heartburn with food getting stuck in your throat, being sick often or losing weight for no reason.
- You’ve had trouble sleeping for months, changing your sleep habits hasn’t helped, or poor sleep makes daily life hard to cope with.
Call 999 or go to A&E if palpitations don’t go away, or come with chest pain, shortness of breath, feeling faint or fainting. If those symptoms have stopped, ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111.