Drink up and lotion up when you're out in the sun.
Good news for the highly caffeinated: Drinking coffee can reduce your risk of developing basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer, according to a new study published in Cancer Research.
The study analyzed the lifestyle habits of more than 100,000 people over 20 years. Male participants who drank three or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day had a 10 percent lower risk of developing basal cell carcinoma than those who drank less than one cup a month, found researchers. Skip the decaf, though—decaffeinated brew didn’t have the same benefit.
“The more caffeine, the lower your risk,” says study author Jiali Han, Ph.D., associate professor of dermatology and epidemiology at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard School of Public Health. Caffeine from other sources like tea, chocolate, and cola was also associated with a decreased risk of basal cell carcinoma, reports the study.
So why is caffeine a potential cancer crusher? Ultraviolet light from the sun can damage skin cells that may grow into tumors. But researchers believe caffeine may eliminate these sun-damaged cells, explains Han. (Get more life-saving health tips sent straight to your inbox by signing up for our free Daily Dose newsletter.)
If you’re already a java fan, this is just another reason to enjoy your cup of morning Joe. Recent research has found coffee may also reduce your risk of heart failure and Alzheimer’s disease. However, Han doesn’t recommend a cup of coffee taking the place of daily sunscreen. That’s because caffeine doesn’t reduce the risk of developing two other types of skin cancer—squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Sometimes it’s extremely difficult to tell if your bump, blemish, or mole is the big C. Be proactive, and check out What Skin Cancer Looks Like.
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