A study which followed almost 50,000 women over a 32-year period found that those who drank caffeinated coffee in midlife were more likely to stay sharp, strong and mentally well as they aged.

For many, a cup of coffee or two is necessary to get through the morning, but research suggests the caffeinated beverage could also help women age more healthily.

A study which followed almost 50,000 women over a 32-year period found that those who drank caffeinated coffee in midlife were more likely to stay sharp, strong and mentally well as they aged.

However, the researchers did not find any links with tea or decaf coffee.

They also found that drinking caffeinated soft drinks, such as cola, was tied to a significantly lower chance of healthy ageing.

Past studies

“While past studies have linked coffee to individual health outcomes, our study is the first to assess coffee’s impact across multiple domains of ageing over three decades,” said Dr Sara Mahdavi, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University.

“The findings suggest that caffeinated coffee – not tea or decaf – may uniquely support ageing trajectories that preserve both mental and physical function.”

The study collected dietary and health data from 47,513 women who were part of the Nurses’ Health Study every four years from 1984, with the researchers assessing caffeine intake using food frequency questionnaires that included the consumption of major contributors of caffeine such as coffee, tea, cola and decaffeinated coffee.

Healthy ageing was defined as living to the age of 70 or older, being free from 11 major chronic diseases, having good mental health and physical function, exhibiting no cognitive impairment and showing no memory complaints.

By 2016, 3,706 women met those requirements, and among them they typically consumed an average of 315mg of caffeine a day – roughly the equivalent of three small cups of coffee or one and a half large cups.

The study found each extra cup of coffee a day was linked to a 2-5% higher chance of doing well later in life, up to five cups, or around 2.5 cups according to today’s measures.

The study also found that each additional small glass of fizzy drink was associated with a 20-26% lower likelihood of healthy ageing.