6 cups of coffee will protect against bowel cancer
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
The morning of most people begins with an invigorating and fragrant drink - coffee. It is the most popular tool in the fight against drowsiness and maintains working capacity throughout the day.
And now coffee makers have another reason to be happy, because scientists have discovered another healing property of the drink.
If you want to protect yourself from colon cancer, drink six cups of coffee a day. This conclusion was reached by experts from the National Cancer Institute of the United States. The results of their studies were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
They argue that with daily coffee consumption, the risk of developing bowel cancer is reduced by 40%.
Bowel cancer annually kills 16,000 people. Many victims of this disease ignore the early symptoms of the disease and seek medical help only when the consequences of cancer are irreversible.
The main risk factors are the use of red meat, foods high in fat, and a sedentary lifestyle.
About the medicinal properties of coffee first became known several years ago, but the data of those studies were mixed, so the experts from Rockville, Maryland, decided to study the coffee properties in more detail.
In the studies that began in the mid-90s, 490,000 volunteers took part, for which the scientists observed the health for ten years.
Before the beginning of the experiment participants filled out questionnaires, where they answered questions about their lifestyle, diet and gastronomic preferences.
Approximately one-sixth of the volunteers consumed four to six cups of coffee a day.
As experts have found out, in the next ten years the risk of developing bowel cancer in coffee makers has decreased by 15% compared to those who did not drink coffee at all. Those who increased the consumption of coffee to six cups a day, reduced the risk of cancer by 24%. "Subjects" who drank decaffeinated coffee also had some protection against bowel cancer, but to a lesser extent. But tea lovers can not be pleased - everyone who consumed tea had no protective effect.
In any case, take shock doses of coffee is not worth it, because the effect can be reversed. If this fragrant drink can protect against intestinal cancer, at the same time it can cause cardiovascular diseases. In addition, doctors advise to limit the consumption of coffee drinks pregnant to 200 milligrams per day. A large amount of coffee during pregnancy can increase the threat of miscarriage.