THE COFFEE CONUNDRUM

We are constantly fed research and advertising that states or implies that drinking coffee is not only good for us, but will prevent disease, brighten our lives and help us live longer.

My perception is that all this publicity has just enough truth to avoid outright deceit, while hiding some dangerous truths that may prompt you to avoid coffee.

PERCEIVED BENEFITS

Claims about the benefits of coffee include:

·         Coffee drinkers live longer;

·         Coffee drinkers die less often from common diseases;

·         Coffee drinkers have a lower risk of Parkinson, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and other nasty disorders;

·         Coffee drinkers live better, brighter, happier lives.

Coffee Conundrum in action

SCIENCE

There is always a claim that “science” proves that coffee is great and that any claims to the contrary are non-science.

But what is science?

According to the Oxford Dictionary, science is “the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation, experimentation, and the testing of theories against the evidence obtained.”

So, are all the claims of coffee’s benefits based on science while the negative claim non-science? Of course not.

Many of the positive findings for coffee are based on studies that deliberately ignored any possibility of negative results while others are cleverly constructed to only find what the researchers were looking for.

For instance, “Coffee drinkers live longer”. These studies give no details of lifestyle, genetic inheritance, occupation, living environment, concomitant illness, etc of either coffee drinkers or non-drinkers.

In a very large study called an “Association of Coffee Consumption with Total and Cause-Specific Mortality in Three Large Prospective Cohorts” which examined over 4.6 million person-years of health results, there was a mild positive association between coffee consumption and lower mortality.

That sounds good.

However, when we look more closely, we find that all participants were employed in the medical industry (as nurses, doctors or health system support staff), so life expectancy was already compromised, and there was no distinction made between caffeinated and decaff, or between brewed and instant coffee. We know nothing about the causes of death, pre-existing illnesses, lifestyle choices (other than coffee), dietary choices or family history, cultural background or genetic predisposition.

I have read many similar studies, meta-analyses and epidemiological surveys, and there is one common factor that stands out – all focus on coffee and only coffee.

There is an old adage that western scientific health research can only find what it is looking for or not find it. It can’t actually teach us how to live better or longer.

WHY DO WE DRINK COFFEE?

There are several reasons for drinking coffee:

·         The aroma;

·         The flavour;

·         The social interaction of coffee buddies;

·         Because we believe the dogma that coffee drinkers are healthier;

·         We don’t care, we just like coffee;

·         We love the “hit” we gain from drinking coffee;

·         We “can’t start the day without a cup of coffee”.

Looks good, causes harm

IS THERE A PRECEDENT FOR THIS TYPE OF PROMOTION?

Yes, there is.

During the 1970s, there was serious research “showing” that those who smoked cigarettes were less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.

There was wide promotion of the “great discovery”, encouraging smokers to keep smoking while other started smoking to prevent chronic disease.

I still receive enquiries from newly diagnosed People with Parkinson’s (PwP) asking if they should start smoking.

The “research” behind the smoking farce was very cleverly constructed to show only what the researchers wanted to find.

We do know that nicotine can occupy receptors intended for dopamine and anandamide, so creating a “smoke screen” that hides the onset of symptoms until the disease is much more advanced.

So smoking does not prevent or delay PD, it simply hides the onset until it is much more difficult to recover.

Conversely, many smokers did not develop Parkinson’s symptoms because they died from emphysema, cancer or cardiovascular disease.

I was lucky. A heavy smoker from age nine until I was 51, I lived long enough to experience Parkinson’s, cancer and heart disease, and am still experiencing life at 82.

WHAT IS THE “GOOD” STUFF IN COFFEE?

Coffee is high in antioxidants, and that is good.

However, caffeine stimulates our stress response, releasing more cortisol into our system and generating more free radicals.

So all those antioxidants are busy mopping up free radicals created by the donor of the antioxidants.

Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus is generally considered beneficial bacteria in the gut, although there is still a lack of understanding about its full role.

There seems to be some relationship between coffee consumption and the population of L. asaccharolyticus, although that does not hold true for all cultures.

While this seems to be a beneficial relationship, much of the benefit of L. asaccharolyticus may be offset by the exacerbation of the stress response in coffee drinkers.

CAFFEINE “BENEFITS”

I read a study last week purportedly showing that caffeine can slow cellular aging.

This sounded very enticing.

However, on reading the study closely, I saw that they used pure caffeine with cultured cells in a laboratory setting.

Nobody drinks pure caffeine and nobody lives in a pristine laboratory setting so, frankly, this study tells us nothing.

While caffeine in its pure form, in pristine laboratory conditions, MAY have some benefit on cell longevity, we KNOW that it exacerbates the fight/flight/freeze response which is detrimental – especially for those with chronic disorders.

WHAT DOES COFFEE DO TO US?

When we drink a cup of coffee (“to relax or wind down”), we stimulate our adrenal output, bypassing our normal control system that tells us what is safe and what is unsafe.

The caffeine “kick” makes our body feel unsafe, so we produce excessive cortisol, adrenaline, testosterone and others, thus increasing energy but also inflammation, higher blood pressure and heart rate.

In other words, our body is ready to fight, but there is nothing to fight.

If we drink coffee regularly, daily or several times each week, our body remains fight-ready, and reduces energy to our digestion and immune systems, and our nervous system except for our brain stem where our safe/unsafe instincts lie.

Over time, we become more prone to digestive dysfunction, poor resistance to infection, and dehydrated at cellular level.

Therefore, we increase our risk of chronic disorders, including neuro dysfunction and cancer.

The acrylamide formed when beans are roasted and/or ground is carcinogenic, further increasing our risk of cancer.

WHAT CAUSES NEURODEGENERATION?

We now know that neurodegenerative disorders originate in trauma/stress, toxic load and stealth infections.

Given the function of coffee in our system, it becomes an exacerbating risk factor in the stress and toxin categories of causes.

DECAFF?

All decaff coffee still contains some caffeine. In Australia, up to 15 mg per cup (reduced from about 95 mg).

If it is not organically/water decaffeinated, it will also contain residues of the chemicals used in the decaff process – most very toxic.

Acrylamide is also present.

90% DRINK COFFEE

As a note – not formal research, but notes from patient files – 90% of my over 3000 Parkinson’s patients drank coffee regularly before seeing me.

CAUSE?

Does coffee cause Parkinson’s or other neuro disorders.

No. But it is one of many toxic influences we are exposed to on a regular basis.

Some toxins we cannot easily avoid - councils spraying weeds, cleaning compounds used in shopping centres, chemicals in our doctor’s clinic – but we can avoid coffee. Just don’t drink it.

ALTERNATIVES

Rooibos tea has more antioxidant activity than coffee, green tea or white tea, and is naturally free from caffeine and harmful tannins. Most Rooibos tea is organically grown.

Other herbal teas have therapeutic benefits – peppermint, chamomile, lemon balm, cinnamon and a host of other lovely, naturally non-caffeinated teas.

CONCLUSION

Coffee, like cigarettes, will not delay or prevent Parkinson’s or any other chronic disease.

You may choose to consume coffee because you are addicted, or love it, or think it is socially acceptable, but do not think, for a moment, that it is doing you good.

END NOTE (😊)

Coffee enemas are recommended by many practitioners for detoxification.

However, the fastest way to absorb liquids and chemicals (after intravenous) is via the bowel.

Every time we use a coffee enema, we absorb more caffeine and acrylamide than if we drink a cup of coffee.

Vitamin C and organic wheatgrass enemas are much healthier and achieve the same or better results than coffee enemas.

John Coleman ND

July 2025