New research released this week has shown people who drink two to four cups a day have a lower risk of death.
The Spanish study, which followed nearly 20,000 people over a decade, found people who drank two cups of coffee a day were 22 per cent less likely to die than people who never drink coffee.
This dropped to 64 per cent for people who had at least four cups.
The benefits were even greater for those aged over 45, with their risk falling 30 per cent after just two cups a day.
It was enough to grab global headlines, with dozens of stories urging people to up their caffeine intake.
The elixir of life?
Think ‘The more coffee you drink, the longer you will live’, ‘Good news for coffee lovers! Four cups a day will boost your lifespan’ and our favourite: ‘New study: four cups of coffee may make you practically immortal’.
Scientists have previously shown that the caffeine and antioxidants contained in coffee can help reduce inflammation and provide protection for other parts of the body including the brain.
But will it save you from an early grave? We don’t think so.
Coffee aficionados may want to watch out too – another study released this week showed coffee might be making you fat.
That could be a definite drawback to living longer.