Drinking four cups of coffee daily leads to a longer life - Health

Sep 23, 2025

That morning coffee (as well as that mid-morning one, and the one after lunch) may be doing more good than you realise.

Drink more than two cups of coffee a day? While some people might look at you in horror, the real coffee-lovers of the world know how much of a boost those daily cups can bring to the daily grind. And next time someone gives you a hard time for going back for that fourth flat white, you can tell them that the science is backing you on your decision.

UK hepatologist Professor Patrick Kennedy, a leading specialist in liver disease, recently made headlines for saying that he drinks 3-4 cups of coffee every day to “maximise” the anti-fibrotic benefits of coffee (which basically means it helps reduce or prevent scar tissue).

To back up his claims, he cited a recent study of patients with cirrhosis, who were given a daily supplement of 400mg caffeine (equal to about 4 cups of coffee). The results showed that this had a significant impact on improving liver function in these patients.

He also cited another review from 2016, by British Liver Trust. This found that coffee can lower the risk of liver fibrosis (scarring) and cirrhosis, and may slow the progression of liver disease in some people. It also found that regular consumption of moderate amounts of coffee may help to reduce liver cancer; something that has been backed up by the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer and the World Cancer Research Fund.

The best bit? It doesn’t seem to matter how you take your coffee – whether it’s from a barista, a coffee machine or out of a jar.

Pattern of coffee cups on blue background

Credit: Getty Images

Coffee for a longer life

It’s not just about coffee’s anti-fibrotic effects. Coffee is also rich in a range of antioxidants and other compounds that can reduce inflammation and may help to protect against cell damage. With all this combined, it can help contribute towards a healthier, long-living you.

A 2017 Spanish study found that drinking lots of coffee every day can extend your lifespan by a significant amount. The researchers found that participants who consumed at least four cups of coffee per day had a 64 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who never or almost never consumed coffee. This effect was particularly noted in participants aged 45 years or older.

Head researcher Dr Adela Navarro, a cardiologist at Hospital de Navarra, Spain, noted, “Our findings suggest that drinking four cups of coffee each day can be part of a healthy diet in healthy people.”

Amazingly, study participants who consumed another two cups on top of the four (achieving a grand total of 6 cups daily) reduced their risk of death by a further 22 percent.

Many different types of gourmet coffee, selection

Credit: Getty Images / Dimitri Otis

More good news for coffee lovers

This isn’t the only study that has proven the health benefits of a perfect cup of coffee (or six, apparently).

Two separate studies, both published in 2022, found that coffee boosted health and longevity. The first, which took 10 years and followed almost a half a million people, found that regular coffee drinkers were 12 percent less likely to die than non-coffee drinkers, and up to 20 percent less likely to suffer from a stroke or cardiovascular disease.

The second, based out of China, found that “moderate consumption” of coffee – whether it was sweetened with sugar or not – was associated with a lower risk of death.

More recently, research published in the European Heart Journal revealed that when you drink your coffee also matters. It found that people who drink coffee in the morning have a lower risk of dying from heart disease and a lower overall risk of dying than people who drink it all day long.

So prepare to meet tomorrow with an added spring in your step, as you enjoy your morning brew with the added knowledge that it’s doing you a whole world of good.