ISIC is dedicated to consolidating balanced scientific information on coffee consumption as a reference for professionals and authorities who address health and wellbeing. This selection covers studies published between July and September 2025.
Welcome to the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee’s (ISIC) Research Digest, a quarterly update featuring a selection of the latest evidence-based, peer reviewed studies on the influence of coffee consumption on health and wellbeing.
ISIC is dedicated to consolidating balanced scientific information on coffee consumption as a reference for professionals and authorities who address health and wellbeing. This selection covers studies published between July and September 2025.
This digest includes a selection of sound, scientific research studies on the potential effects of coffee intake on human health. A wide range of further studies related to coffee consumption can be found on the ISIC website.
For more information regarding these or other studies please contact the ISIC team here.
Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease | Y Xue et al.
Background and aims:
Global population aging has increased multimorbidity of non-communicable diseases (MNCDs). Coffee bioactive compounds may influence chronic disease pathways, yet their role in MNCDs progression is unclear. This study examines how habitual coffee intake affects transitions from first NCD to MNCDs and subsequent mortality.
Methods and results:
Based on the application of the Cox proportional hazards and multi-state models to the UK Biobank cohort data, this study found that among the 60,616 participants who developed at least one non-communicable disease (NCD), 9938 progressed to MNCDs. Compared with non-coffee drinkers, individuals consuming fewer than 3 cups of coffee daily had a reduced risk of transitioning from an NCD-free state to a first NCD [HR = 0.91, 95 %CI:0.89-0.93(0-1 cups/day); HR = 0.89, 95 %CI:0.87-0.91(1-3 cups/day)] and from a first NCD to MNCDs [HR = 0.85, 95 %CI:0.80-0.90(0-1cups/day); HR = 0.85,95 %CI:0.81-0.90(1-3cups/day)]. Conversely consuming exceeding 5 cups/day was associated with an increased risk of progression from a first NCD to MNCDs (HR = 1.26, 95 %CI:1.17-1.36) and from MNCDs to death (HR:1.19, 95 %CI:1.04-1.36). The association between high coffee intake (>5 cups/day) and increased risk of progression to MNCDs was more pronounced in participants with the slowest caffeine metabolism (HR = 1.54, 95 %CI: 1.32-1.80), but attuned in those with the fastest caffeine metabolism (HR = 1.17, 95 %CI: 1.03-1.32).
Conclusions:
Habitual coffee consumption of fewer 3 cups/day is associated with a lower risk of developing NCDs and MNCDs, whereas intake exceeding 5 cups/day increases the risk of MNCDs and mortality in those with MNCDs, particularly among individuals with slower caffeine metabolism.
Cancer Causes and Control | M Romelli et al.
Purpose:
Coffee and tea intake has been suggested to favourably affect survival of cancer patients, but studies published so far produced conflicting results. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the existing evidence on the association between coffee and tea consumption and cancer survival across different types of cancers.
Methods:
We included 26 prospective studies (1993-2023) involving over 40,000 cancer patients from North America, Europe, and Asia. Summary hazard ratios (SHR) comparing high versus low consumption levels were calculated using random effects meta-analysis models for recurrence/progression/death.
Results:
Overall, a protective effect of coffee and tea consumption on cancer survival was suggested. High coffee and/or tea intake was associated with a 24% reduction in the cancer progression risk (SHR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.67-0.87, I2 = 57%). Subgroup analysis indicated a stronger protective effect for tea consumption (SHR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.44-0.92, I2 = 45%) compared to coffee. The strongest evidence emerged for colorectal cancer (SHR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.68-0.83, I2 = 12%); for breast cancer, only tea consumption showed a significant reduction in risk. Dose-response meta-analysis revealed that each additional cup of coffee/tea significantly reduced the risk of colorectal and breast cancer progression (SHR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.91-0.95, I2 = 0% and SHR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81-0.99, I2 = 57%, respectively). No significant effects were observed for prostate cancer, while data on other sites were too limited.
Conclusion:
This meta-analysis suggests a protective role for coffee and tea in cancer survival, particularly for colorectal cancer. However, further research is needed to better understand their effects on other cancer types.
Nutrients | K M Struniewicz
Background:
Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed psychoactive substances globally and is a common component of daily diets, particularly among women of reproductive age. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated potential adverse effects of prenatal caffeine exposure, including disturbances in fetal growth, metabolic dysregulation, organ malformations, and neurodevelopmental alterations.
Findings:
These findings suggest that caffeine may influence multiple physiological pathways during gestation, including epigenetic modifications and metabolic programming. However, evidence from human studies remains heterogeneous and often inconclusive. Recent cohort studies and meta-analyses have reported that moderate maternal caffeine intake is not significantly associated with increased risks of gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational hypertension, or preeclampsia, although higher intake levels have been linked to anemia, preterm birth, and low birth weight in some populations. Furthermore, emerging data suggest potential associations between prenatal caffeine exposure and early neurodevelopmental outcomes, including behavioral changes, subtle structural brain differences, and alterations in offspring metabolic health and obesity risk.
Conclusion:
Despite these findings, the magnitude and clinical relevance of these effects remain uncertain, partly due to variability in caffeine sources, dosages, study designs, and reliance on self-reported intake. This review aims to synthesize current evidence on maternal caffeine consumption, its impact on pregnancy complications, fetal development, and long-term child health outcomes. By integrating experimental and clinical data, the study provides a comprehensive overview that may assist clinicians and healthcare professionals in counseling pregnant women regarding caffeine intake and potential risks.
Public Health Nutrition | G Yan et al.
Objective:
To assess the association between coffee consumption and life expectancy among the US adults.
Design:
Prospective cohort.
Setting:
National representative survey in the United States, 2001-2018.
Participants:
~A total of 43,114 participants aged 20 years or older with complete coffee consumption data were included from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2018.
Results:
Over a median follow-up of 8.7 years, 6,234 total deaths occurred, encompassing 1,929 deaths from cardiovascular disease and 1,411 deaths from cancer. Based on the nationally representative survey, we found that coffee consumption is associated with longer life expectancy. The estimated life expectancy at age 50 was 30.06 years (95% confidence interval, 29.68 to 30.44), 30.82 years (30.12 to 31.57), 32.08 years (31.52 to 32.70), 31.24 years (30.29 to 32.19), and 31.45 years (30.39 to 32.60) in participants consuming 0, ≤1, 1 to ≤2, 2 to ≤3, and >3 cups of coffee per day, respectively. Consequently, compared with non-coffee drinkers, participants who consumed 1 to ≤2 cups/day had a gain of 2.02 years (1.17 to 2.85) in life expectancy on average, attributable to a 0.61-year (29.72%) reduction in CVD deaths. Similar benefits were found in both males and females.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest that moderate coffee consumption (approximately 2 cups per day) could be recommended as a valuable component of a healthy diet and may be an adjustable effective intervention measure to increase life expectancy.
