If you cannot get to grips with the day without caffeine, good news — new data from the Nurses’ Health Study says it may help you to live longer. If you’re a woman, anyway: a decades-long study following almost 50,000 women found tea and coffee contain plant compounds that may keep you mentally sharper for longer. One review cited by Harvard Health finds higher caffeine intakes are associated with a 25 per cent lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Still, those with heart disease or high blood pressure should avoid it — and everyone should avoid too much of it. These are some guidelines for healthy caffeine intake.
• Read more expert advice on healthy living, fitness and wellbeing
1. Your age matters
“The older we get, the longer it takes our bodies to process caffeine,” says Kristy Thomas, a nutritionist at Prowise Healthcare, a vitamins and supplements company. “Older adults could suffer from its effects for a prolonged period, especially around bedtime.” One study found adults between the ages of 65 and 70 took up to 33 per cent longer to metabolise caffeine than younger people.
2. His v hers
Does the Nurses’ Health Study mean women are more affected by caffeine than men? “It’s complex,” says Uta Boellinger, a nutritionist and lecturer. “Oestrogen can slow caffeine metabolism, so women, particularly those on the pill or going through perimenopause, may feel the effects more strongly or for longer.”
• Women who drink coffee age better, says study that took 30 years
3. Don’t go cold turkey
“Caffeine isn’t addictive but is habit-forming,” Boellinger says. It blocks adenosine, a neurotransmitter that promotes sleep, making us feel more alert, and releases the feelgood hormone dopamine. Over time we need more to get the same “high”. But if you want to taper off, don’t go cold turkey: “Suddenly going from three to zero cups a day might lead to fatigue, headaches and low mood.”
4. Best and worst times to drink it
“The stress hormone cortisol helps us wake up, peaking between 8am and 9am, so drinking coffee at that time might interrupt this natural process,” Boellinger says. This is because you’d be piling caffeine on top of cortisol, which could lead to jitters. A better window might be 10am-12pm, when cortisol dips. According to the European Society of Cardiology, adults who drink coffee before noon see the greatest reduction in cardiovascular disease, and it’s less likely to interrupt your sleep. “Avoid caffeine six to eight hours before bedtime,” Boellinger says.
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5. Be careful with energy drinks
Caffeine levels far exceed those in a coffee and they contain a lot of sugar: a 250ml can of Red Bull has 27g. Too much caffeine can cause sleep problems, anxiety, headaches, upset stomach, abnormal heart rhythms and, in rare cases, fatal heart attacks. Consume no more than 400mg a day (energy drinks typically contain 80-150mg per 250ml can). Black coffee and green tea are better options, since they provide caffeine without sugar, plus beneficial antioxidants.
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