Not according to researchers
at the University of Valencia and Castellón
General Hospital who reviewed over 300 studies that investigated the health effects
of coffee and caffeine. What they found was that, more often than not, coffee
imparted measurable benefits to regular drinkers.
Regular coffee consumption
has traditionally been regarded as harmful, but the evidence is stacking up for
the other side. Science no longer supports the role of coffee in a variety of
conditions, such as a contributor to hypertension, osteoporosis, or
cardiovascular disease. The confusion has likely arisen due to the complex
effects of caffeine and the myriad of other compounds found in the typical cup
of joe.
Caffeine works by binding to
chemical receptors in the brain and preventing them from interacting with
adenosine, which normally induces drowsiness. However, adenosine receptors are
also found in most other tissues in the body, including the heart, liver, and
body fat, so it is easy to see how things could get complicated.
