How Extra Cups of Coffee Can Protect You Against Skin Cancer

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute revealed through a recent study that drinking more than one cup of coffee a day can lower people's risk of contracting skin cancer, according to Time.

The study claimed that the ingredients found in coffee can prevent the development of melanoma.

Melanoma is a type of mutation that appears due to the damage caused by ultraviolet rays on the DNA of skin cells. This can be caused by too much exposure from the sun or frequent use of tanning beds, Telegraph reported.

For the study, lead researcher Erikka Loftfield of the National Cancer Institute and her team of researchers sourced data on over 447,000 people. The participants answered a series of surveys conducted by the National Institutes of Health-AARP 10 years ago regarding their dietary habits and medical conditions.

After a decade, the researchers conducted a follow-up study on the participants.

Based on the findings, the participants who drank coffee regularly had lower chances of developing melanoma than the other test subjects.

In fact, the researchers noted that the chances of having melanoma skin cancer for those who drank at least four cups of coffee every day was lower by 20 percent compared to those who didn't.

The researchers explained that coffee contains compounds that help stop the effect of UV rays on skin cells.

"Coffee contains numerous bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, diterpenes, trigonelline and caffeine," the researchers wrote in the study.

"The predominant chlorogenic acid in coffee, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, and to a greater extent its metabolite caffeic acid, have been shown to suppress UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis in mouse epidermal cells," they continued.

Despite the presenting the theoretical health benefits of drinking more than one cup of coffee a day, the researchers emphasized that further analysis and tests need to be conducted to confirm the findings of the study.

They also noted that as pointed out by previous health reports, consuming too much caffeine can lead to the development of other diseases.