Coffee (Revised 3/29/06)

Below are some bullet points on coffee. Much of it is conflicting. I suggest you go to Mercola.com and westonaprice.org and do the research. Many of the "pros" listed below are suspect.

PROS

-A lower risk of type 2 diabetes
-A reduced risk of gallstones
-A lower risk of colon cancer
-Improved cognitive function
-A reduced risk of liver damage in people at high risk of liver disease
-A reduced risk of Parkinson's disease
-Improved endurance performance in long-duration physical activities
-Have an 80 percent lower risk of Parkinson's disease
-A 25 percent reduced risk of colon cancer
-An 80 percent lower risk of liver cirrhosis
-A 50 percent lower risk of gallstones
-A lower risk of alcohol-induced pancreatitis
-Finally, coffee has also been found to benefit asthma, headaches and mood and prevent cavities.

CONS

-caffeine always raises blood pressure.
-Worsening of PMS symptoms in some women
-Reducing fertility in women while trying to conceive
-Insomnia, anxiety and irritability
-Heartburn and indigestion
-An increased risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women
-A possible increase in the risk of heart disease (studies are conflicting)
-Another recent study of more than 3,000 coffee drinkers in Greece found that coffee drinkers had higher levels of inflammatory substances in their blood than non-coffee drinkers. Inflammatory substances have been linked to higher rates of heart attack and stroke.
-While fast caffeine metabolizers who drank coffee showed a reduced risk for heart disease, "slow caffeine metabolizers" who drank two or more cups of coffee a day:
Were at least 36 percent more likely to have a non-fatal heart attack than those who drank little or no coffee and were more at risk if under the age of 50. This group was up to four times more likely to have a heart attack. There currently is no way to tell whether or not you're a slow metabolizer of caffeine, so what's the answer?