Coffee Each Day May Keep Alzheimer's Away

Go for decaf: other chemicals in coffee give health a jolt

(NEWSER) - Scientists have long championed coffee's health benefits, but a series of recent studies is waking them up to the fact that caffeine has nothing to do with it. Regular consumption of coffee or tea can provide protection against cancer, diabetes and heart disease, but researchers say other chemicals are responsible. More»

Coffee, caffeine may have health benefits

(NEWSER) - Get this: Coffee's not bad for you, and it could have health benefits. New studies do a better job of separating the effects of coffee from those of its formerly frequent partner, cigarettes, the Los Angeles Times reports. And when you look beyond caffeine, "coffee is a complex beverage with hundreds, if not thousands, of bioactive ingredients," a Canadian researcher notes. Among the health benefits:

• Diabetes: Studies suggest the chlorogenic acid in coffee cuts the risk for Type 2 diabetes.

Caffeine can improve sports ability by 5%

(NEWSER) - If Alex Rodriguez had only known. Caffeine is a performance-enhancer that helps athletes go longer and faster, and isn’t a banned substance. Caffeine works by turning fat into extra fuel, releasing calcium stored in muscles, and numbing the brain’s sense of exhaustion. The triple whammy improves performance by an average 5%—up to 25% in the lab—the New York Times reports. More»

Drinking 3+ cups of strong joe triples chances of hearing or seeing things: study

(NEWSER) - People with high caffeine intake are three times more likely to experience hallucinations, including voices, visions, and ghosts, LiveScience reports. A study found that subjects who consumed three cups of brewed coffee, or seven of instant, were more prone to freaking out than their temperate brethren. Researchers think caffeine’s enhancing effect on the body’s stress response could be to blame. More»

Coffee, linked to decreased cancer risk, presents dilemma for busty-and-proud types

(NEWSER) - Three cups a day makes cleavage go away, a study has found. Though coffee protects against cancer, drinking caffeine for an extended time period makes breasts shrink. The reduction is most noticeable in larger busts, but it’s not enough to make Dolly Parton a Keira Knightley, the New York Post writes. But boys, beware: caffeine can create man-boobs. More»