A lower risk of death associated with drinking more coffee

Coffee is popular around the globe and studies have generally reported inverse associations (moving in opposite directions) between its consumption and the risk of chronic diseases and death. But what about heavy coffee drinking and people with genetic variations that can affect how they metabolize caffeine?

A new study of nearly half a million people in the United Kingdom suggests a lower risk of death was associated with drinking more coffee, including among coffee drinkers who have eight or more cups per day, in both slow and fast metabolizers of caffeine, and in drinkers of ground, instant and decaffeinated coffee.

The results come with a warning to interpret them with caution because they are based on observational data and cannot prove causation.