Coffee Boosts Odds of Healthy Aging in Women, 30-Year Study Finds
A 30-year study from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) found that coffee boosts odds of healthy aging in women. Researchers tracked the health and diets of over 47,000 women starting in 1984. They discovered a modest but consistent link between regular coffee and better aging outcomes.
What Is Healthy Aging
The study defined healthy aging as living to age 70 or older without major health issues. These included chronic diseases, memory loss, cognitive decline, mental health problems, or physical limitations. By 2016, 3,706 women in the study met these criteria.
Coffee Boosts Odds Caffeine’s Role in Aging Well
Researchers measured caffeine intake through food questionnaires from 1984 and 1986. The average caffeine intake was 315 milligrams per day. Over 80 percent of that came from regular coffee.
Results showed that even small increases in caffeine made a difference. An extra 80 milligrams per day—about one small cup of coffee—slightly raised the chances of aging well. Regular coffee drinkers had better odds of maintaining good health later in life.
Coffee Compared to Tea and Cola
Of all caffeine sources, regular coffee showed the strongest link to healthy aging. Each extra cup of coffee per day increased the odds of healthy aging by five percent. This improvement applied to physical, mental, and cognitive health.
Tea and decaf coffee did not show the same benefits. Cola, however, had the opposite effect. Women who drank more cola had a 19 to 26 percent drop in their chances of aging well. The more cola they drank, the worse the outcomes.
The research was presented at the NUTRITION 2025 conference in Orlando. It highlights the possible role of moderate coffee intake in supporting long-term health. While the benefit was modest, the evidence remained steady over three decades.
The findings suggest that regular coffee may help women age better. In contrast, cola could harm long-term health. Tea and decaf coffee appeared neutral.
As with any health habit, balance is important. Still, this study supports growing evidence that coffee boosts odds of healthy aging for women in midlife
