Drinking several cups of coffee a day could significantly reduce the risk of developing deadly prostate cancer, according to a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Researchers at Harvard University reviewed data from 50,000 men over a 20-year span, from 1986 to 2006. Every four years, the men filled out a survey on their diet, and survey results were compared with their medical records.
The researchers discovered that those who drank one to three cups of coffee a day were 30 percent less likely to develop a lethal form of prostate cancer than those who abstained from the beverage. The men who drank at least six cups a day were 60 percent less likely to die from the disease.
Even decaf had the same protective effects, leading researchers to hypothesize the benefits could come from plant chemicals and antioxidants found in coffee.
Until further studies can confirm these findings, men should not rush to change their dietary habits just yet.
"Although this study is a welcome addition to our knowledge, it is far from definitive and we would not recommend men who are not already habitual coffee drinkers to become so in the hope of preventing prostate cancer," Dr. Helen Rippon of the Prostate Cancer Charity told the Daily Mail.