Scientists have found that having a cup or two of coffee every day may help women "preserve both mental and physical function" as they age, helping them to remain sharp, strong and well.
The findings were based on an analysis of the dietary and health data of 47,513 women collected over the course of 30 years since 1984.
The study found that women who drank caffeinated coffee in midlife—from the age of 45 to 60—were more likely to exhibit healthy aging.
No such links were made with drinking tea or decaffeinated coffee, while drinking more cola was tied to a significantly lower chance of healthy aging.
Healthy aging was defined as living to the age of 70 or older, being free from 11 major chronic diseases and maintaining physical function as well as having good mental health and showing no cognitive impairment and no memory complaints.
"While past studies have linked coffee to individual health outcomes, our study is the first to assess coffee's impact across multiple domains of aging over three decades," the study's lead author Sara Mahdavi of Harvard University said in a statement.
"The findings suggest that caffeinated coffee—not tea or decaf—may uniquely support aging trajectories that preserve both mental and physical function."
Mahdavi noted that "moderate coffee intake may offer some protective benefits when combined with other healthy behaviors such as regular exercise, a healthy diet and avoiding smoking."
The latest study assessed various aspects of longevity and healthy aging as well comprehensive information on nutritional and lifestyle habits that were gathered every four years after the study began.
The researchers estimated how the likelihood of healthy aging changed for every 80 mg of caffeine that the women consumed per day, observing their intake of coffee, tea, decaffeinated coffee (per 8-ounce cup) and cola (per 12-ounce glass).
The study accounted for other factors that could impact healthy aging such as body weight, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, education level and protein in the diet.
By 2016, 3,706 of the study's participants met all the requirements for being considered healthy agers.
Women in midlife consumed an average of about 315 mg of caffeine per day, which amounts to around three small cups of coffee or one and a half large cups by today's standards. Over 80 percent of this caffeine came from regular coffee consumption.
For the women in the healthy agers group, each extra cup of coffee consumed per day—having up to five small cups per day or around 2.5 cups by today's standards—was tied to a two to five percent higher chance of doing well later in life.
However, not all sources of caffeine offer health benefits. The study did not find any significant links between drinking tea and healthy aging, while drinking soda had the opposite effect.
The study found that each additional small glass of soda was associated with a 20 to 26 percent lower likelihood of healthy aging.
Mahdavi notes that while the study adds to previous research suggesting that coffee consumption may be linked with healthy aging, "the benefits from coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of overall healthy lifestyle habits and warrant further investigation."
Generally, up to two cups of coffee per day should be safe and may be beneficial for most people, the researchers said, warning that drinking any more than that may offer additional benefits for some but could be unhealthy for others.
A previous study by Mahdavi and researchers showed that genetic variation can influence the relationship between caffeine intake and health outcomes. So, more caffeine isn't always better, especially for those with a lower caffeine tolerance or a specific genetic susceptibility.
Coffee also contains bioactive compounds that can can influence the pathways for aging and the researchers plan to explore how these compounds in coffee interact with genetic and metabolic markers of aging, especially in women.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about coffee or healthy aging? Let us know via [email protected].
References
Mahdavi, S., Hu, F. B., Sun, Q., Willett, W. C., & Korat, A. V. A. (2025). Caffeine Intake and Healthy Aging in Women. NUTRITION 2025, Orlando, Florida.
Mahdavi, S., Palatini, P., & El-Sohemy, A. (2023). CYP1A2 Genetic Variation, Coffee Intake, and Kidney Dysfunction. JAMA Network Open, 6(1), e2247868. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.47868
Related Articles
- New Combination of Drugs Could Drastically Change How We Age: Scientists
- This Vitamin May Slow Aging Process—New Research
- Senior Dog Tries To Find Owner, Breaks Hearts: 'Hanging So Tightly On'
- Gen Xer Has Crucial Message for Young Women About What Aging Looks Like