Moderate Coffee Drinking Linked to Lower Risk of Several Diseases, Norwegian Study Finds

Drinking up to five cups of coffee per day may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease, according to a study released Friday by Norwegian researchers.

The findings drew on health data from 27,000 American women. Women who consumed one to three cups daily showed a 20 to 25 percent reduction in risk for cardiovascular disease and a range of inflammatory conditions, a category the researchers extended to include diabetes and disorders of the lungs, liver, and kidneys.

Lead researcher Lene Frost Andersen attributed the benefits partly to antioxidants, naturally occurring substances that neutralize harmful molecules the body produces on its own. The study found that coffee supplies roughly 60 percent of the antioxidants in a typical Norwegian diet.

The protective effects disappear when consumption exceeds five cups a day. Co-author Rune Blomhoff noted that heavy intake appears to introduce some harmful element, though he did not identify it specifically.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in May 2006, in its own words.