Drinking coffee could protect men from skin cancer, study reports

We’re often told to limit our guilty food and drink vices, for fear that they could be detrimental to our health.

Now a new study is claiming that drinking coffee could, in fact, have one major health benefit for men.

A study published in the International Journal of Cancer has found that regularly drinking coffee could significantly lower a man’s risk of skin cancer.

Researchers studied 500,000 people to uncover if there was a link between the well-loved morning drink and different cancer types.

They found that men who drank caffeinated coffee were 70 per cent less likely to develop melanoma than those who did not.

The researchers, from Imperial College London, concluded that caffeine contains compounds that, when ingested, block some effects of UVB radiation.

The compounds, which act like a natural sunscreen, can also kill off damaged cells which could otherwise become cancerous, the report claims.

Women and decaff coffee drinkers did not have a reduced risk in the study findings - the reason why, the researchers say, is not clear.

This is not the first time that researchers have uncovered a link between indulging in a morning latte and reducing cancer risks.

National Cancer Institute conducted a study of almost 450,000 non-hispanic white men and women in 2012 - the demographic that runs the greatest risk of skin cancer disease.

They found that those who drank four or more cups of coffee per day slashed their melanoma risk by 20 per cent.

The results did not change, even after researchers controlled for other factors that could impact skin cancer risk, such as age, fitness, smoking, and the amount of UV exposure a person likely gets based on their location.

As well as lowering the risk of skin cancer, coffee has previously been found to help your burn fat, lessen the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, keep your brain healthier for longer and reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Of course, shotting several double espressos isn’t a substitute for wearing sunscreen - so next time you head to somewhere exotic, make sure you keep yourself protected with a suitable SPF.