Caffeinated Coffee Linked To Healthier Aging In Women, 30-Year Study Finds

Your morning cup of coffee might be doing more than waking you up — it could help you age better. A massive new study has found that women who drink caffeinated coffee in midlife are more likely to enjoy long, healthy lives, both mentally and physically.

Presented at the NUTRITION 2025 conference in Orlando, Florida, the research followed 47,513 women over three decades as part of the iconic Nurses’ Health Study, collecting detailed data on their diets and lifestyle habits every four years.

The findings? Women who consumed caffeinated coffee between ages 45–60 had a higher chance of reaching age 70+ in good health, defined as having no major chronic diseases, good mobility, mental sharpness, and strong emotional well-being.

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On average, these women consumed about 315 mg of caffeine daily — roughly three small cups or one and a half large mugs of coffee. Over 80% of that caffeine came from coffee.

Each extra cup of coffee per day was associated with a 2–5% increase in the odds of healthy aging. But surprisingly, decaf coffee, tea, and cola drinks didn’t show the same benefits. In fact, each extra glass of cola was linked to a 20–60% lower chance of healthy aging.

“Our study is the first to look at caffeine’s impact across multiple dimensions of aging over such a long period,” said Dr. Sarah Mandavi, lead researcher from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and University of Toronto. “The benefits were exclusive to caffeinated coffee — not other caffeine sources.”

Still, Mandavi emphasized moderation. Genetics may influence how each person responds to caffeine. “More isn’t always better,” she noted. Researchers now plan to explore how coffee’s bioactive compounds interact with aging-related genes and metabolism, especially in women.

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