Coffee Reduces Risk of Prostate Cancer

Drinking coffee could be good for the prostate. Researchers have been following nearly 48,000 men who volunteered to participate in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study for 20 years. The average coffee consumption in the group was almost 2 cups a day, but men who drank six cups or more a day had an 18 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer. These java junkies were 60 percent less likely to die of prostate cancer. Even men who only drank up to three cups of coffee daily had a nearly 30 percent lower chance of lethal prostate cancer compared to men who don’t drink coffee.
Even decaf drinkers got the benefit, so the researchers believe that caffeine is not the protective ingredient. Coffee has many interesting compounds and is a great way to get antioxidants. Besides protecting against prostate cancer, prior studies have shown that coffee also protects against type 2 diabetes.
[Journal of National Cancer Institute, online, May 17, 2011]