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Nearly drink coffee鈥攐ften multiple cups of it鈥攅very day.
While research about potential health effects are ongoing and complex, a recent study has good news for coffee drinkers.
, Huntsman Cancer Institute investigator and adjunct associate professor for the Division of Public Health in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the 香蕉视频 of Utah, explains the relationship between head and neck cancer and coffee and tea consumption鈥攁nd clears up some common misconceptions.
Does Coffee Cause Cancer?
Recent research suggests that drinking coffee does not cause certain cancers and may actually lower the risk of some cancers.
Lee is the senior author of a published in the journal Cancer that found that coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of head and neck cancers.
The analysis found that people who drank four or more cups of coffee per day had lower risks of head and neck cancers overall. They also saw a lower risk of specific cancers, like cancer of the oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer, the most common type of throat cancer. Additionally, drinking three to four cups of coffee was associated with a lower risk for hypopharyngeal cancer, or cancer in the lower throat.
鈥淲e feel there might still be a protective effect with an even lower amount of coffee,鈥 Lee says, noting the need for more research.
Does Tea Cause Cancer?
Like coffee, drinking tea can lower the risk of certain cancers.
Lee found that one or more cups of tea per day was associated with a lower risk of head and neck cancers overall as well as hypopharyngeal cancer.
However, one surprising result of the study was that drinking one or more cups per day was also associated with a higher risk of laryngeal cancer, or cancer in the larynx, also known as the voice box.
One explanation for this unexpected finding, Lee explains, is a chemical in tea called theophylline, which previous studies have found could lead to acid reflux, potentially raising the risk of laryngeal cancer.
鈥淲e are suspecting this association might explain the increased risk of laryngeal cancer observed, but we feel like further study should be done to confirm the evidence of this association,鈥 Lee says.
Caffeine and Cancer Risk
Caffeine is not considered a carcinogen by the , which is a branch of the World Health Organization. A carcinogen is a substance capable of causing cancer.
While caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea may reduce the risk of some cancers, Lee says that doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean that other caffeinated drinks, like energy drinks, or caffeine itself have anticancer properties.
鈥淭he preventive benefits of coffee were also observed in those who drank decaffeinated coffee,鈥 Lee says. Drinking decaffeinated coffee daily was associated with a lower risk of oral cavity cancer.
Should I Stop Drinking Coffee or Tea?
Coffee and tea consumption is a complex habit and may metabolize differently in different individuals.
鈥淚t is important to consult your health care provider before making any changes to your personal coffee and tea consumption habits, such as drinking more coffee to potentially lower cancer risk,鈥 Lee advises.
Coffee drinkers could benefit from limiting the amount of sugar added to their drinks. While sugar does not cause cancer, excessive intake can contribute to risk factors, like obesity.