Coffee Could Help Prevent Alzheimer's, Parkinson's – But It Depends On Your Metabolism
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- If you're like most people you can't imagine starting the day until you've had a cup of coffee or two.
But, you may have heard that coffee isn't good for you, or maybe you've heard that it is -- it depends on which study you believe.
As CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez explained, if you don't like the latest coffee study you can always wait a few weeks until it changes again.
It's coffee whiplash, and some people do get headaches and heart palpitations from from the brew -- it could all depend on metabolism.
"If you have a normal cup of coffee that's filtered, eight ounces, and you have it in an hour or so, you drink it within an hour, and you don't get a headache, you don't get abnormal heartbeats, you don't get anxiety, you don't get gastric upset, you're most likely a fast metabolizer and will get a benefit," Dr. Michael Roizen explained.
Dr. Roizen said the vast majority of Americans -- 88 percent -- are fast metabolizers.
For those who are slow metabolizers drinking coffee can sometimes result in abnormal heartbeats, headaches, gastric problems, and anxiety.
Some of the known benefits of coffee include a decrease in the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and type II diabetes.
Studies have also shown that drinking coffee can decrease the likelihood of developing certain cancers by between twenty and forty percent.
But how you make your coffee matters.
Dr. Roizen said that coffee can be bad for cholesterol if it's not made through a paper filter.
"Filter it through paper that takes away the substance that raises your blood cholesterol levels. So, your cholesterol levels will go up if you have a lot of coffee, if you don't have filtered coffee," Dr. Roizen said.
Whether you are a slow or fast metabolizer, it's a good idea to avoid drinking coffee within three hours of bedtime as it can interfere with your sleep.
