A monolithic UK Biobank study shows that 7 to 8 regular drinks, particularly a balanced operation of java and tea, are tied to little risks of death, though overindulgence whitethorn raise cardiovascular risks.

Study: Relative associations of coffee, tea, and plain h2o pinch all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a prospective cohort study. Image Credit: Kateryna Unuvar / Shutterstock
In a caller study published successful the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers conducted an extended prospective cohort study leveraging information from much than 182,000 UK adults to elucidate nan comparative associations betwixt nan world's 3 astir celebrated beverages, tea, coffee, and water, and consequent mortality risk.
Study findings propose that a full liquid (beverage) intake of 7-8 drinks regular is associated pinch nan lowest mortality risk. Notably, consuming either java aliases beverage successful isolation is not arsenic powerfully associated pinch reduced mortality arsenic their mixed intake. Specifically, a balanced operation of java and tea, successful a astir 2:3 ratio, was linked to nan lowest consequence of decease from each causes and respective circumstantial diseases.
Background
Besides water, an basal constituent of life, java and beverage are 2 of nan world's astir celebrated beverages, consumed for their flavour and bioactive-derived benefits. A increasing assemblage of technological grounds links mean depletion of these beverages to a reduced consequence of decease from each causes, cardiovascular illness (CVDs), and definite cancers.
Unfortunately, fixed nan immense scope and increasing extent of this research, its mentation remains challenging, peculiarly for nationalist wellness officials and health-conscious consumers. Methodological inconsistencies further confound outcomes and interpretations, since astir studies comparison different java aliases beverage intake levels without adequately accounting for what these drinks are replacing (alternate fluid intake).
For instance, does an other cup of java supply benefits because it replaces a sugary soda, aliases is it beneficial moreover if it replaces a solid of plain water? This precocious grade of ambiguity, mixed pinch important amounts of publically disseminated misinformation, often leaves consumers pinch confusing choices. Given nan known wellness benefits of each 3 beverages, coffee, tea, and water, a much blase knowing is needed to optimize their intake safely.
About nan study
The coming study intends to reside this request and pass early beverage depletion (practice and policy) by leveraging nan comparatively caller “compositional information study framework” to exemplary nan wellness effects of substituting 1 beverage (coffee, tea, aliases water) for another, thereby providing much circumstantial and actionable guidance connected nan optimal full intake and nan perfect equilibrium betwixt them.
The study utilized information from nan UK Biobank, an extensive, population-based cohort study that represents nan nation's health. Participants were eligible if they had completed astatine slightest 1 24-hour dietary recall, pinch exclusions for implausible power intake, missing beverage data, aliases withdrawal from nan Biobank. In total, 182,770 adults were included.
Data postulation was carried retired utilizing aggregate 24-hour recalls betwixt 2009 and 2012, pinch information of liking including sociodemographic factors (e.g., age, sex, ethnicity), aesculapian history (e.g., metabolic syndrome), and elaborate dietary information. Study outcomes, measured complete ~13.3 years of follow-up, included incidents of mortality arsenic good arsenic circumstantial causes of mortality.
Multivariate Cox modeling wrong a compositional information study model was utilized to analyse nan comparative depletion of coffee, tea, and plain water. This allowed for nan simultaneous appraisal of some nan effect of nan full measurement of these 3 drinks consumed per time and nan effect of nan proportional operation betwixt them. Models were adjusted for imaginable confounders, including demographics, manner factors, and pre-existing wellness conditions.
Study findings
The study study revealed a clear optimal fluid intake of 7 to 8 drinks per day, comprising coffee, tea, and plain water, combined. Compared to those pinch a debased intake (fewer than 4 drinks per day), this optimal measurement was associated pinch a 28% little consequence of decease from each causes (HR 0.72; 95% CI, 0.66-0.79).
Notably, nan ratio betwixt nan beverages was arsenic important as, aliases much truthful than, nan measurement itself. When full intake was capable (more than 4 drinks per day), substituting plain h2o pinch either java aliases beverage was associated pinch a further simplification successful mortality.
The astir protective operation was a balanced intake of java and beverage successful a astir 2:3 ratio. This operation was associated pinch nan lowest risks of:
- All-cause mortality (HR 0.55; 95% CI, 0.47-0.64)
- Cancer mortality (HR 0.59; 95% CI, 0.48–0.72)
- CVD mortality (HR 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49–0.99)
- Respiratory illness mortality (HR 0.28; 95% CI, 0.15-0.52)
- Digestive illness mortality (HR 0.35; 95% CI, 0.15–0.82)
However, nan study besides cautioned that erstwhile full intake exceeded 9 drinks per day, replacing plain h2o pinch java aliases beverage was associated pinch a imaginable summation successful cardiovascular mortality risk.
Conclusions
The coming study provides a nuanced position connected nan patient depletion conundrum posed by 3 of nan world's astir celebrated beverages. Study findings propose that to maximize wellness benefits, consumers should chiefly attraction connected achieving an capable full fluid intake (7-8 drinks per day).
Once this hydration request is met, nan grounds indicates that replacing plain h2o pinch a balanced operation of java and beverage (2:3 ratio) was associated pinch nan top simplification successful mortality risk. At little intake levels (fewer than 4 drinks daily), however, substituting h2o pinch java aliases beverage did not confer clear benefits.
The authors statement that these findings are observational and cannot found causation. Limitations see reliance connected self-reported dietary information and deficiency of item connected beverage mentation (e.g., pinch aliases without sweetener aliases milk).
Journal reference:
- Shi, C., Wang, Y.-K., Yan, M.-Q., Peng, Z., Zhang, J.-L., Tao, Y.-M., … Ou, C.-Q. (2025). Relative associations of coffee, tea, and plain h2o pinch all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a prospective cohort study. British Journal of Nutrition, 1–29. DOI: 10.1017/S0007114525104248. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/relative-associations-of-coffee-tea-and-plain-water-with-allcause-and-causespecific-mortality-a-prospective-cohort-study/E5B69DA35DF3BB050B2A088B1A393EE2
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