What Happens To Your Body When You Drink Coffee Every Day?

Medically reviewed by Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN

Sipping strong coffee first thing in the morning really gets your blood flowing and awakens the senses to start the day. For many, it's a prerequisite. Whether you drink one or more cups per day, coffee offers an abundance of health benefits beyond the morning jolt. For example, regular coffee drinking has been associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and certain cancer types.

What's In a Cup of Coffee?

Many of coffee's health benefits boil down to the phytonutrients found within. Coffee is a plant-based beverage, and like other plant foods, contains phytochemicals and polyphenols. In fact, coffee provides more polyphenols and phytochemicals than tea.

One cup of coffee also contains around 80 to 100 milligrams of caffeine. To put this into perspective, a 12-ounce can of soda contains only 35 grams of caffeine, and a typical 16-ounce energy drink has anywhere from 160 to 300 grams of caffeine. That means four or five 8-ounce cups of coffee is well within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommendation of no more than 400 milligrams of coffee per day.

Related: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?

Benefits of Drinking Coffee Every Day

If you’re already having a daily “cup of joe," studies show that drinking a cup a day can be associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease, says Sara Riehm, RD, LD/N, CSOWM, a specialty dietitian at Orlando Health.

"Coffee is a source of vitamin B2 (riboflavin), magnesium, and polyphenols," says Reihm. "Polyphenols are bioactive compounds in plants that have known health benefits. Particularly, coffee contains chlorogenic acid, quinic acid, and diterpenes like cafestol and kahweol. These compounds have antioxidant and anticancer effects."

Reihm adds that some studies have also linked regular coffee consumption to reduced mortality from cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and diabetes. "More research is needed to support some of these other health benefit claims for coffee, but the research is promising in the realm of disease prevention." Here are some additional benefits of drinking coffee.

Reduces Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Studies suggest drinking three to four cups of coffee per day will reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 25%. Note that this result occurred from a study comparing those drinking three to four cups per day to those who do not drink coffee or consume less than 2 cups daily. Turns out that both caffeinated and decaf coffee offer this benefit.

While there is no amount of coffee that can change a poorly balanced diet, scientists have noted that regular consumption of coffee (caffeinated and decaf) has a positive effect on glucose and insulin response, most likely due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds found in coffee.

Coffee is the richest source of chlorogenic acid, a phenolic compound that has been shown to have glucose-lowering effects in animal studies and laboratory studies. More research is needed to determine its effect on humans.

Boosts Energy Levels

It's common practice to drink coffee in an effort to feel more energized—and for good reason. The caffeine in coffee provides anti-fatigue effects. Caffeine works in the brain by antagonizing all four adenosine receptors causing wakefulness.

A review of the literature on caffeine identified that 250 mg per day in females who are regular coffee drinkers improved alertness and reduced tiredness. However, because of the larger body size of males, they may need a higher dose. Either way, drinking caffeinated coffee every day can both anecdotally and evidently help improve energy levels and reduce tiredness.

Protects Against Cardiovascular Disease

Your cup-o-joe even has heart health benefits. It's possible that the phytochemicals including chlorogenic acids, phenolic compounds, and trace elements are partly responsible for these anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-thrombosis effects. They also could be responsible for improving blood pressure, and blood sugar, and reducing platelet aggregation (blood clots).

On the other hand, if you have uncontrolled blood pressure, you should avoid consuming large doses of caffeine and speak to a healthcare provider about the best way to manage your condition.

Improves Athletic Performance

The effects of caffeine on athletic performance have been studied extensively. The International Society of Sports Nutrition's position on caffeine and exercise performance states that supplementing with caffeine has been shown to enhance a number of aspects of exercise performance including muscular endurance, strength, sprinting, jumping, and throwing performance, as well as a number of aerobic-related sports actions.

This is likely due to caffeine's ability to stimulate the central nervous system (CNS), increase energy availability, and improve muscle contraction via calcium ion mobilization. Part of caffeine's effects on the CNS is that it reduces pain perception allowing you to work harder and longer.

One study wanted to find out whether drinking coffee as a means of supplementing with caffeine before exercise was effective as an ergogenic aid. Researchers concluded that caffeinated coffee does have the same ergogenic effects as caffeine. However, determining the dose is more difficult as the caffeine content of different coffees may vary.

That means for the average person, drinking coffee before a workout may improve your sweat session. But if you're an athlete you may need a more precise dose or supplement of caffeine.

Related: The 9 Best Coffees, According to a Dietitian

Risks and Considerations

Drinking three to five cups of coffee per day is generally considered safe for adults. However, people who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant should not consume more than 300 milligrams of caffeine per day as caffeine crosses the placenta and could pose a risk to the fetus.

If you have uncontrolled blood pressure, a history of heart disease, or another condition, you should speak to a healthcare professional before drinking caffeinated coffee. Increased caffeine intake can heighten anxious feelings and cause insomnia in certain people.

Is It OK to Drink Coffee Every Day?

Drinking coffee every day is considered safe and offers a number of cardioprotective properties. Other health benefits include enhanced physical exercise and performance, and improved cognition, alertness, and mood.

This is good news for coffee lovers. Drinking three to five cups of coffee every day is more than enough to reap the benefits and is generally considered safe for most healthy people.

Tips for Drinking Coffee Every Day

• Avoid drinking caffeinated coffee in the late afternoon or evening. Caffeine has a five-hour shelf life and will keep you up if you sip before bed.

• Add some cinnamon to your coffee. Cinnamon may assist in blood sugar control and have favorable effects on cholesterol. Plus, it's a delicious flavor enhancer!

• If you like to add sugar to your coffee, limit the amount you add to about a teaspoon or less per serving. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends no more than 50 grams of added sugar per day.

• Add cocoa powder to your coffee. Polyphenols in cocoa reduce cardiovascular risk factors by improving cholesterol levels and blood sugar.

• Grind your beans at home. Coffee beans break down over time especially if the inner contents have been exposed. Purchasing whole beans and grinding them when you're ready to use them provides a fresher brew.

Read the original article on Verywell Fitness.