Lots of headlines last week warned young people (those under 55) that drinking more than 28 cups of coffee a week – four cups a day – may lead to an increased risk of all cause mortality. In other words, too much coffee might be a potential killer.
The headlines are based on a study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, and have been reported in the Guardian, Daily Mail andTelegraph, to name but three.
But should we be worried?
Simple answer; “no”. For crying out loud, it just never stops, does it? The endless stream of puritanism and faux “studies” that are invariably full of junk science, correlation being confused with causation and statistically insignificant samples (and reading the details of this study, it is raw data that people have used to make a series of assumptions based upon nothing much, frankly. The bit about confounding variables says it all). But, even if they are right and coffee is terribly dangerous and people were dropping like flies from drinking the stuff (which they aren’t), it is no one else’s business but the person choosing to take the risk.
I used to like coffee. Freshly percolated, taken with cream – smooth and strong. Indeed, passing a coffee shop these days is a torment to me as the aroma is so tempting. I had to give it up because it does affect my health. It is a known migraine trigger and eventually I had to accept the inevitable – give up the coffee or suffer ongoing migraines. I gave up the coffee. My choice and one that even now, some three migraine-free years later, I regret from time to time. Usually when passing a coffee shop.
If it wasn’t for that, I would still be drinking the stuff and, likely as not, would still be alive. Still, I suppose, having reached the grand old age of 55, I’m now in the safe zone anyway.
When will these people go way and stop trying to interfere in our lives? Living is dangerous. It all ends up in tears anyway, so just leave us alone to eat, drink and smoke whatever we like. Abstinence won’t necessarily make you live longer – it will just feel that way…