Benefits of Coffee

Coffee is a beloved beverage known for its ability to fine-tune your focus and boost your energy levels.

In fact, many people depend on their daily cup of joe right when they wake up to get their day started on the right foot.

In addition to its energizing effects, coffee has been linked to a long list of potential health benefits, giving you all the more reason to get brewing.

1. Boosts energy levels

Coffee contains caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant that is known for its ability to fight fatigue and increase energy levels (1Trusted Source).

This is because caffeine blocks the receptors of a neurotransmitter called adenosine, and this increases levels of other neurotransmitters in your brain that regulate your energy levels, including dopamine (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

One small study found that consuming caffeine increased time to exhaustion during a cycling exercise by 12% and significantly reduced subjective levels of fatigue in participants (4Trusted Source).

Another study had similar findings, reporting that consuming caffeine before and during a round of golf improved performance, increased subjective energy levels, and reduced feelings of fatigue (5Trusted SourceTrusted Source).

3. Could support brain health

Although studies have turned up mixed results, some research suggests that coffee may help protect against certain neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

According to one review of 13 studies, people who regularly consumed caffeine had a significantly lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. What’s more, caffeine consumption also slowed the progression of Parkinson’s disease over time (9Trusted Source).

Another review of 11 observational studies in more than 29,000 people also found that the more coffee people consumed, the lower their risk of Alzheimer’s disease (10Trusted Source).

Additionally, several studies have demonstrated that moderate coffee consumption could be associated with a lower risk of dementia and cognitive decline (11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source).

4. May promote weight management

According to some research, coffee could alter fat storage and support gut health, both of which may be beneficial for weight management (13Trusted Source).

For example, one review of 12 studies concluded that higher coffee consumption could be associated with decreased body fat, especially in men (14Trusted Source).

In another study, increased coffee intake was linked to decreased body fat in women (15Trusted Source).

Furthermore, one study found that people who drank one to two cups of coffee per day were 17% more likely to meet recommended physical activity levels, compared with those who drank less than one cup per day (16Trusted Source).

Higher levels of physical activity could help promote weight management (16Trusted Source).