A new study has linked coffee consumption with a reduced risk of developing oral cancer.
Coffee is a popular source of caffeine. However, it also contains many other components that are believed to have health benefits, such as lowering blood sugar levels. These components include chlorogenic acid, quinides, lignans and trigonelline.
Studies suggest that caffeinated coffee consumption may increase blood pressure and potentially increase the risk of heart disease. However, these results were not found to be true of decaffeinated coffee, and some trials found that chlorogenic acid may actually lower blood pressure. Researchers believe that the differing effects of roasted and raw coffee are due to a compound called hydroxyhydroquinone (HHQ), which is created from the roasting process and may block the beneficial effects of chlorogenic acid on blood pressure.
In a recent study, researchers analyzed data on 968,432 individuals from the Cancer Prevention Study II to evaluate the potential association between coffee consumption and the risk of oral or pharyngeal cancer.
Throughout the 26-year follow-up period, 868 deaths caused by oral or pharyngeal cancer were identified. Through data analyses, the researchers found that individuals who consumed more than four cups of caffeinated coffee daily had a 49 percent reduced risk of oral or pharyngeal cancer when compared to those who drank no coffee. Additionally, the researchers found that with each cup of coffee consumed, risk of oral or pharyngeal cancer risk reduced further. The researchers noted that a link between tea consumption and oral or pharyngeal cancer risk was lacking.
The authors concluded that drinking caffeinated coffee may reduce the risk of oral or pharyngeal cancer; however, this study only suggests a potential association and does not prove a cause-and -effect relationship. Further research is necessary.
For more information about coffee, please visit Natural Standard's Foods, Herbs & Supplements Database.
Seems like there are benefits and drawbacks with the effects of coffee. On one side, coffee increases blood pressure and on the flip side it may reduce the risk of oral cancer. I did not know that there is a differentiation between roasted and raw coffee, also with caffeinated and decaffeinated. The study does have a long follow-up and has a large study size. But, there is only a potential association and not a cause and effect relationship. Further research and information is needed for a clear recommendation.
Posted by: ML | January 19, 2013 at 04:35 PM
It's interesting to see studies like this, since oral cancers are becoming a bigger deal in younger populations. As smoking rates drop, we're starting to see more and more cases of oral cancer attributed to HPV. With coffee being one of the most popular beverages in the world, I'd wonder how much difference this data makes, since many people already drink it! Maybe it will give me an excuse to drink more!
Posted by: AM | January 11, 2013 at 05:14 PM
After reading about coffee’s possible protective effects against oral cancer, I brought this up to my family last weekend while we all grabbed our daily morning coffee. My parents talked about how they had heard that hot coffee has been linked to esophageal cancer. I looked into this with a simple Google search, and I found out that this is true. So, coffee drinkers, don’t go celebrating just yet! Just make sure your coffee is cooled down a bit in order to reap the benefits of possible protection against oral cancer rather than be at risk for esophageal cancer.
Posted by: af | January 11, 2013 at 10:34 AM
This blog reminded me of an article I recently read on green coffee beans and weight-loss. Green coffee refers to the raw (unroasted) seed of Coffea fruits. A study was published January 2012 in Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity journal entitled: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, linear dose, crossover study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a green coffee bean extract in overweight subjects, by Vinson et al. The results of this 22 week study found a significant reduction in body weight, BMI, and percent body fat during the time the participants were taking GCA®, a commercial green coffee extract. Currently, green coffee has a Natural Standard rating of C for unclear scientific evidence for obesity. For more information please refer to http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/green-coffee-bean-project or the Natural Standard monograph for Green Coffee.
Posted by: kl | January 09, 2013 at 03:36 PM
I am a heavy coffee drinker so this information is quite interesting for me to read. Although many of us drink coffee without much thought, it is very informational to learn about the different components that are believed to have health benefits such as lowering blood sugar levels. Also, to read that the study was conducted in such a huge group of participants provides a sense of justification to the study that was conducted. I am happy after reading this article partially because I love drinking coffee!
Posted by: BC | January 08, 2013 at 12:45 PM
I find this to be particularly interesting because I drink between two and three cups of coffee every day. I heard a rumor about black coffee being heart-protective and about how adding cream and sugar negated those protective effects. After that, I kicked the cream and sugar and almost always drink only black coffee due to those health benefits. Now, after reading this, I am learning that my coffee may be protective in more ways than one, and now I don’t mind that I can’t go a day without it.
Posted by: af | January 04, 2013 at 09:42 AM
Another great possible health benefit of drinking coffee! This can be added to coffee’s purported effects of also reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and colon cancer. The article said that subjects who consumed more than 4 cups of caffeinated coffee per day had a reduced risk. I wonder if they studied the risk of oral cancer with decaffeinated coffee (maybe they didn’t have enough decafe coffee drinkers to analyze)? Are there differences between caffeinated and de-caffeinated coffee besides the caffeine content? I believe they are both roasted so would both contain HHQ.
Posted by: JS | January 03, 2013 at 03:45 PM
The extremely large scale and extended follow up period of this study definitely makes you consider its findings to be strong. It is always hard when looking back at data from an original study. In this case it was data from a a prospective cohort study which adds a question when considering true cause and effect.
Posted by: NL | January 03, 2013 at 09:57 AM
I am happy to see that my favorite drink can be beneficial in preventing oral cancer. I wonder if the benefits in oral cancer risk reduction negate the pitfalls of increased blood pressure and diuresis, especially with drinking multiple cups per day. I also wonder what other data can be pulled from this long term large scale study; with all of the benefits and risks associated with coffee drinking, there must be more information that can be extrapolated from this data.
Posted by: tx | December 28, 2012 at 02:34 PM
It is amazing to see these results from such a large scale study. Coffee is a very popular way to intake caffeine, and it is interesting to see that it can have effects in decreasing the risk of oral cancer. I am surprised to see that drinking tea did not have an effect on oral cancer risk; I suppose one can assume that it is not the caffeine that is responsible for the cancer risk reduction. This is great news for coffee drinkers; I will continue my morning routine starting with a hot cup of joe!
Posted by: dp | December 20, 2012 at 04:02 PM