If you find yourself constantly being criticised by loved ones for how much tea or coffee you drink, we have the perfect clap-back for you.
It turns out that, over the course of 20 years(!), your hot drink habit could be setting you up for greater long-term strength. Who knew?
Tend to have a few cups a day? It could be good news, actually
A team at the National University of Singapore conducted research involving over 12,000 participants between the ages of 45 and 74.
They found drinking caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee led to adults having significantly better physical function later in life.
Coffee and tea were found to be the main sources of caffeine intake in this cohort, accounting for 84% and 12% of total caffeine, respectively.
Coffee was the clear favourite, given that 68.5% of the participants drank coffee daily. In this group, 52.9% of them drank one cup a day, 42.2% consumed two to three cups per day while the remaining 4.9% drank four or more cups per day.
Following all of this research, the scientists found that drinking coffee, black tea, or green tea at midlife were “independently associated with significantly reduced frailty at late life”.
Additionally, it seems that the more you have, the better. Participants that drank four or more cups of coffee per day had significantly reduced odds of physical frailty, compared to those that didn’t drink it daily.
Those who drank green tea or black tea daily were also found to have significantly reduced odds of physical frailty, compared to non-tea drinkers.
Don’t rush out for a brew quite yet, though
While it may be tempting to take this as gospel and consume as much caffeine as possible, the researchers are keen to emphasise that more research is still necessary.
Study leader Professor Koh Woon Puay said in a media release: “Coffee and tea are mainstay beverages in many societies around the world, including Singapore. Our studies show that consumption of these caffeinated drinks at midlife may be associated with a reduced likelihood of physical frailty in late life.”
They added: “However, further studies are still needed to confirm these longitudinal associations, and to investigate if these effects on physical frailty are mediated by caffeine or other chemical compounds.”
Additionally, you still need to know your own limits. The NHS recommends drinking caffeine in moderation and for drinks on-the-go, check the label to see the caffeine content if you’re concerned.
I might treat myself to just one more cuppa, though. Best to be on the safe side.