A new study has suggested that habitual coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of frailty. The study is the first to analyse the relationship between coffee consumption and the underlying components of frailty.
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam scientists Mette van de Linden, Margreet Olthof, Laura Schaap, and Hanneke Wijnhoven and Amsterdam UMC scientist Emiel Hoogendijk were part of the research group and worked together with Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA).
“Drinking coffee is a key part of many people’s daily routine, and as people age they are constantly looking for ways to maintain their health. Our findings highlight the possible beneficial association between daily coffee consumption and reduced risk of frailty in later life in the older population. Coffee consumption may thus enhance healthy aging, but it is important we also explore further dietary interventions, to ensure older adults can continue to live fulfilling lives’’, as Margreet Olthof, Associate Professor at the Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, explains.
Benefits
Coffee consumption has previously been linked to reducing the risk of some of the natural symptoms of ageing, such as improving cognitive function and mitigating against inflammatory related diseases. This latest research, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, adds to the growing knowledge base within this area, exploring the benefits of regular coffee consumption over an extended period of time. The researchers found habitual coffee consumption was associated with a reduced risk of frailty - defined by presence of weight loss, weakness, exhaustion, slow walking speed, or low physical activity.
Lower overall odds of frailty
The results of this study indicate that higher habitual coffee consumption is associated with lower overall odds of frailty. These findings can be considered alongside the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) scientific opinion that up to 400mg of caffeine (3-5 cups of coffee) per day is a moderate and safe amount.
The researchers explain that coffee’s effect on reducing frailty can partly be attributed to the role of antioxidants in coffee, which may help to reduce inflammation, sarcopenia (muscle loss), and prevention of muscle damage. Coffee may also help to improve regulating insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake in older people.
Research methods
For this study, researchers conducted a detailed analysis over a long seven years follow-up period, surveying 1,161 adults aged 55+ years through the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA). The relationship between coffee consumption and the presence and incidence of frailty was investigated. Frailty status was evaluated using Fried’s five-component frailty phenotype, which is defined by the presence of three or more of the following symptoms: weight loss, weakness, exhaustion, slow gait (walking) speed, and low physical activity.
The study was funded by The Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC).
*Moderate coffee consumption can be defined as 3–5 cups per day, based on the European Food Safety Authority’s review of caffeine safety.