How Drinking Coffee Can Reduce Frailty As You Age, According To New Research

What motivates you to drink coffee? Maybe it's the energy boost, the ritual, or the taste—though it's probably not the way it pays off for your grip strength. However, new research suggests that coffee may actually help improve measures of strength and reduce frailty as we age thanks to its all-important polyphenols.

The new study published in the Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (JAMDA) found that those who drank four or more cups of coffee daily had reduced odds of physical frailty compared with nondaily drinkers. 

Researchers used data from 12,583 Chinese adults living in Singapore, evaluating their caffeine consumption at midlife (at an average age of 53) and assessing frailty 20 years later through standardized mobility and strength tests. On a similar note, those who drank caffeinated tea also had reduced frailty compared to those who didn't. 

Overall, caffeine shows a dose-response relationship in this study—meaning the more caffeine that was consumed, the lower the frailty risk. 

Now, this study didn't zero in on an explanation as to why coffee and tea drinkers tend to have a lower frailty risk, but they speculate that it may have something to do with the polyphenol content in both beverages.

Enter, mindbodygreen's clean coffee+—our newest product that is full of antioxidant polyphenols (but doesn't contain mold, mycotoxins, pesticides, or heavy metals).†

We achieve this by using beans that have been grown on regenerative farms with rich, nutrient-dense soil. This imparts them with an impressive array of native polyphenols, which are preserved through the cultivation, roasting, and packaging processes. We pay special attention to preventing over-roasting—a common occurrence that leaves beans with a bitter taste and depletes the antioxidant content. The final product has a smooth flavor with notes of cacao nibs, hazelnut, and red wine. Pick up the product here if you're ready for an upgrade.