Drinking Coffee May Help You Live Longer, Healthier

Good news for java junkies: A new study has found a connection between coffee consumption and healthy aging in women.

Scientists analyzed data from more than 47,000 women in the Nurses’ Health Study, a long-running research project that has tracked participants for more than 30 years. Participants noted their coffee intake in midlife using a validated food-frequency questionnaire, and then aging outcomes were evaluated years later.

“Regular caffeinated coffee intake during midlife was modestly and consistently associated with healthy aging, defined by survival to age 70 or older with intact cognitive, physical, and mental function and absence of major chronic diseases,” study author Sara Mahdavi, RD, MSc, PhD, a research fellow at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and adjunct professor in the nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto, told Health. 

The research, which has not been peer-reviewed, was presented Monday at the 2025 annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition.

Researchers analyzed the health and habits of 47,513 women to assess the connection between various caffeinated beverages and aging.

They found that participants, on average, reported drinking about 315 milligrams of caffeine daily. (This aligns with the Food and Drug Administration’s recommendation that a maximum of up to 400 milligrams of caffeine daily is safe for most healthy adults.)

Every 80 milligrams of caffeine from coffee (roughly the amount in one small cup) daily was associated with a 2% to 5% higher chance of healthy aging. This benefit began to wane after about five small cups per day.

Even after the researchers accounted for other health-related behaviors, including a healthier diet, higher physical activity levels, and lower body mass index (BMI), Mahdavi said the coffee–healthy aging association remained statistically significant. 

Notably, the same connection wasn’t found for caffeinated tea, soda, or decaf coffee—only for regular coffee. “The combination of caffeine and coffee-specific compounds may have a more potent impact on healthy aging,” Amy Davis, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian and a nutrition consultant for Live Conscious, told Health.

In fact, researchers found soda had “inverse associations” with healthy aging, Mahdavi said, even after the researchers adjusted for smoking, higher BMI, and overall unhealthy dietary patterns.

While the findings are promising and the data sample was large, the study has not been peer-reviewed or published yet.

Additionally, it relied on self-reported dietary information, which can be inaccurate.

Finally, Davis said, like all observational studies, it shows a correlation but cannot prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

Coffee contains more than 100 unique bioactive compounds, many of which are antioxidants such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and carotenoids. These plant compounds, known as phytochemicals, may play a role in promoting healthy aging.

Previous research has found the phytochemicals in coffee can find and eliminate free radicals, which can cause cell damage. Some of these compounds also have antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties, which may offer protection against some cancers, type 2 diabetes, and cognitive decline.

When it comes to coffee, there certainly can be too much of a good thing. 

While a small to moderate amount of coffee has anti-inflammatory benefits, more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day can actually cause inflammation, Lindsay Malone, MS, RDN, LD, instructor and clinical dietitian at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, told Health. 

Davis recommended keeping coffee intake to two to four cups per day and drinking it early. Caffeine can disrupt sleep, even hours after you’ve downed your last cup.

Getting plenty of quality sleep is a key factor in healthy aging and cognitive function, Malone said. “The best time to drink coffee is in the morning, ideally before noon, to avoid interfering with melatonin production and sleep,” she said. 

Some people may want to forgo a cup of joe altogether. People with uncontrolled high blood pressure, anxiety disorders, sleep issues, or digestive issues like acid reflux may find their symptoms get worse when they drink coffee, Davis said. Pregnant people should limit caffeine to 200 milligrams or less per day to reduce the risk of low birth weight.

Any benefits can quickly come undone if your coffee gets turned into a dessert. A splash of cream and a teaspoon of sugar won’t make a huge difference in one cup of coffee, but more can add up quickly.

“If you have four cups of coffee with two tablespoons of half-and-half and one tablespoon of sugar in each, that adds up to 350 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 50 grams of sugar, which is double the daily limit for women,” Davis said.

Drinking coffee black is ideal, but if you can’t stomach it straight up, stick to just one cup per day with cream and sugar, Davis said. Or try trendy “proffee,” a combo of coffee and protein powder. You can also get your fix by using coffee as a liquid base instead of water or milk in a smoothie or overnight oats.