Women who drink up to three cups of coffee a day in their 50s may be healthier in old age, scientists say

The same healthy aging trends were not found in people who drank tea, soda, or decaffeinated coffee

A new study has found that women in middle age who maintain a healthy coffee habit may have better physical, mental, and cognitive health as they grow older.

“Women who drank one to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day in their 50s were more likely to reach older age free from major chronic diseases and with good cognitive, physical, and mental health,” the study's lead author, Dr Sara Mahdavi, adjunct professor in the the faculty of medicine and department of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto said.

The research was initially presented as an abstract at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition on Monday, but will be submitted for peer review in the coming months, according to Mahdavi.

The study draws on dietary data from more than 47,000 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study. All of the women surveyed were in middle age and had been followed for 30 years to understand their rates of death and disease.

“In this study, we found that moderate caffeinated coffee consumption during midlife was associated with a higher likelihood of healthy aging 30 years later,” Mahdavi said.

New research suggests that women in middle age who maintain a healthy coffee habit may age with better physical, mental, and cognitive health (iStock)

But it's not just the caffeine or just the coffee that's giving the health benefits. Tea and cola, both of which have caffeine, did not yield the same signs as drinking coffee, nor did drinking decaffeinated coffee.

The study is primarily observational and cannot state definitive cause and effect relationships. It is simply pointing out that women who maintained a healthy use of coffee in middle age also tended to experience a healthier aging.

Researchers note that coffee drinking may just be a habit of individuals who tend to lead otherwise healthy and active lifestyles, which also contribute to healthier aging.

In the past, moderate coffee drinking has been linked to lower risks of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Despite the findings, Mahdavi wasn't ready to call for non-coffee drinkers to pick up a press and a mug.

“Coffee may support longevity, but it’s not a universal prescription — especially for women. Hormonal shifts influence how caffeine is metabolized, so the benefits depend on timing, biology, and individual health," Mahdavis told CNN.

Caffeine can last longer in the bodies of some people due to hormonal differences — for example, estrogen inhibits a liver enzyme that is needed to break caffeine down — and midlife tends to be a time when women's hormones are shifting.

“Moderate caffeinated coffee consumption — typically one to three cups per day — can be part of a healthy diet for many adults,” Mahdavi said. “However, this should not be taken as a blanket recommendation for everyone to begin or increase coffee intake with the goal of longevity.”

And coffee — or other caffeinated drinks — are best avoided by individuals with other health problems, like anxiety or sleep disorders, according to the National Institute of Health.