Source: healthcare.tmcnet.com
Author: Mini Swam

Studies about the drinking habits of coffee and tea drinkers have always managed to excite attention, and with more and more studies being conducted, newer information has surfaced. Nine existing studies were looked at and analyzed. Researchers determined how much of coffee was consumed by more than 5,000 cancer patients and 9,000 healthy people.

In the latest study conducted, researchers have found that the incidence of head and neck cancers appeared to decrease when four or more cups of coffee were drunk every day. The risk in such cases decreased by 39 percent in respect of oral cavity and pharynx cancers. However, it did not appear to have any effect on laryngeal cancer.

By and large, the results seemed really positive, but Mia Hashibe, lead researcher and an assistant professor in the department of family and preventive medicine at the University of Utah, cautioned against drinking lots of coffee.

Looking at the results from a logical point of view, Hashibe pointed out that the main risk factors for oral cancers were smoking and drinking alcohol, and the best way to prevent such cancers would be to stay away from smoking and drinking alcohol.

Further Hashibe indicated that it would be highly misleading to suggest that drinking lots of coffee without taking into account the real risk factors could prevent people from getting those cancers. Different people metabolize caffeine or coffee in different ways, and it was important to realize this fact before indulging in lots of coffee.

According to Dr. Donald Hensrud, chair of preventive medicine at the Mayo Clinic, there existed a perception that coffee was injurious to health. Recent studies said Dr. Hensrud have changed all that, and researchers appear to have come to the conclusion that drinking coffee was not all that bad..

However, when it came to establishing a link between drinking coffee and head and neck cancer, the benefits far outweighed the risks, and this fact appeared to be buttressed by the recent findings.

Going one step further, Hensrud said that it was difficult to ascertain how coffee really helped in such cancers, but with more than a 1,000 chemical compounds present, including cancer-fighting antioxidants, a plausible explanation could be arrived at.

Coffee does seem to have great potential in treating other diseases like dementia, diabetes, liver and Parkinson’ s disease. Although the new study is strongly suggestive of such an inclination, Dr. Dong Shin, a head and neck specialist at Emory Winship Cancer Institute, suggested that coffee alone may not be responsible for progress in such diseases.

Dr. Shin was concerned that the studies did not see it appropriate to address the side effects of coffee, and in addition, when it came to prevention of diseases, a combination approach was more sensible, rather than relying on coffee alone. Consumption of tea, vegetable, fruits and natural products could have better results rather than the narrow focus.

Hensrud concluded by cautioning against drinking too much of coffee, as it could contribute to liver damage and increased blood pressure. The caffeine present could also cause insomnia, gastric reflux, heartburn, palpitations and other undesirable effects.

In fact, coffee drinking could be so addictive that withdrawal symptoms could cause headaches. In addition, it was found that in some cases drinking too much coffee could make it harder to conceive and could increase the risk of miscarriage.

The lesson learned here is that everything should be done in moderation and going overboard could cause trouble all around. A pinch of common sense, a pinch of logic with lots of information thrown in for good measure is essential before embarking on anything.