Adults who regularly consumed coffee or tea in their 50s were less likely to become physically frail by their 70s, although researchers cautioned that the observational findings do not prove the beverages directly prevented age-related decline.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A daily coffee or tea habit during middle age may be associated with stronger muscles, better mobility and a lower likelihood of physical frailty decades later, according to a 20-year study involving more than 12,000 adults in Singapore.
Researchers found that participants who reported drinking at least four cups of coffee per day at an average age of 53 had approximately 46% lower odds of becoming frail by the time they reached an average age of 73. Daily tea drinkers recorded an 18% lower frailty risk than people who did not drink tea regularly.
Greater total caffeine consumption from all reported sources was also associated with stronger handgrip measurements and faster walking speeds at the final assessment, two indicators commonly used to evaluate physical function in older adults.
The prospective cohort study followed 12,583 participants for about two decades. At enrollment, the adults reported how frequently they consumed coffee, black tea and green tea. Investigators later evaluated their physical condition using the Fried frailty phenotype, a widely used framework based on five markers of age-related vulnerability.
Those markers were unintentional weight loss, persistent exhaustion, weak grip strength, slow walking speed and low levels of physical activity. Participants meeting enough of the criteria were classified as frail.
The long interval between the initial dietary assessment and the final physical evaluation allowed researchers to compare beverage habits in midlife with strength and mobility during later adulthood.
Investigators adjusted their analysis for factors that could independently affect frailty, including age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise habits and broader dietary patterns. The results continued to show associations between habitual coffee or tea intake and a lower likelihood of physical decline.
Coffee produced the strongest association at the highest reported intake level. Participants consuming four or more cups per day had substantially lower odds of frailty than non-coffee drinkers.
The findings also suggested a dose-response relationship, with greater coffee consumption generally corresponding to lower frailty risk. Drinking one to three cups per day, however, was not independently associated with a statistically significant reduction in frailty odds.
That distinction suggested the observed association may have emerged primarily among the heaviest coffee drinkers rather than across all levels of consumption.
Tea showed a different pattern. People who drank tea daily had an estimated 18% lower risk of frailty compared with non-drinkers, regardless of whether they consumed black or green tea. Green tea demonstrated a similar relationship when examined separately.
Researchers did not identify the same progressive dose-response pattern for tea that they observed for coffee. The data instead suggested that regular daily tea consumption may have been more important than the specific quantity consumed.
The study did not determine precisely why coffee and tea drinkers experienced better physical outcomes, but investigators identified caffeine and polyphenols as possible contributors.
Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors in the body. Researchers suggested that this action could affect muscle contraction and force production, potentially helping preserve physical performance over time.
Available research has also indicated that caffeine may stimulate the production of uncoupling protein 1 within mitochondria. That process could influence metabolism, energy use and other functions involved in maintaining healthy tissue.
Coffee and tea also contain polyphenols, a diverse group of plant compounds associated with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Those properties may be relevant because persistent low-grade inflammation is linked to muscle loss, reduced mobility and other forms of physical deterioration associated with aging.
A separate large-scale study published in 2026 found that adults consuming greater amounts of flavonoid-rich foods had lower risks of frailty. Flavonoids are a major category of polyphenols found in tea, coffee, fruits, vegetables and other plant foods.
The Singapore study’s finding that higher overall caffeine intake was associated with stronger grip strength and faster walking speed provided additional support for a possible relationship between caffeinated beverages and preserved physical function.
Grip strength is frequently used as a broad measure of muscle health and overall resilience. Walking speed can reflect muscle power, balance, coordination and the ability to perform daily activities independently.
Declines in either measure can signal a greater risk of falls, disability, hospitalization and loss of independence. Preserving both functions is therefore an important component of healthy aging.
The results add to previous research associating regular tea consumption with favorable health outcomes. Coffee and tea provide multiple biologically active compounds beyond caffeine, including polyphenols and other substances that may affect inflammation, metabolism and cellular protection.
Researchers emphasized, however, that the study cannot establish that coffee or tea directly prevented frailty. Participants were not randomly assigned to drink specific beverages, and the investigation relied on dietary information they reported themselves.
Self-reported consumption can be affected by memory errors, inaccurate portion estimates and changes in habits that occur after the initial assessment. The study measured beverage intake at enrollment but may not have fully captured how participants’ coffee and tea habits changed during the following 20 years.
Observational research also cannot eliminate every possible confounding factor. People who regularly drink coffee or tea may differ from non-drinkers in income, social activity, access to healthcare, sleep patterns, diet or other behaviors that could influence their long-term physical condition.
The investigators accounted for several major lifestyle and demographic variables, but unmeasured differences may still have contributed to the results.
The relatively high coffee intake associated with the strongest benefit may also be unsuitable for some adults. Individual responses to caffeine vary according to genetics, age, medication use and underlying health conditions.
Large amounts can contribute to insomnia, anxiety, heart palpitations, digestive discomfort or temporary increases in blood pressure in susceptible individuals. People who are pregnant, sensitive to stimulants or managing certain heart conditions may be advised to limit caffeine.
The way coffee and tea are prepared can also affect their nutritional value. Adding substantial amounts of sugar, flavored syrups or high-calorie creamers may introduce health risks that offset some of the potential benefits associated with the beverages themselves.
The findings do not establish that adults should begin drinking four or more cups of coffee per day solely to prevent frailty. They instead indicate that people who already maintained a substantial coffee habit in midlife experienced better physical outcomes on average two decades later.
Daily tea consumption may provide another option for people who prefer a beverage with less caffeine or who do not tolerate coffee well. Both caffeinated and less-caffeinated varieties can contain polyphenols, although their composition differs according to the plant, processing method and brewing technique.
Maintaining strength in older age depends on many factors beyond beverage choice. Resistance exercise, adequate protein intake, regular physical activity, sufficient calories, good sleep and treatment of chronic medical conditions remain central to protecting muscle mass and mobility.
Coffee or tea may complement those broader habits, but neither beverage should be viewed as a substitute for exercise, nutritious food or appropriate medical care.
The researchers said additional studies are needed to determine whether caffeine, polyphenols or other compounds are responsible for the associations and whether changing beverage habits can directly reduce frailty risk.
Controlled trials could also help establish the most effective amounts, determine whether benefits differ between coffee and tea and identify which populations are most likely to experience positive or negative effects.
For adults who already drink coffee or tea regularly and tolerate it well, the findings offer reassurance that the habit may fit within a healthy aging strategy. The strongest evidence in the study involved at least four cups of coffee per day, while daily tea intake was associated with a more modest but still measurable reduction in frailty risk.
The broader conclusion is that beverage habits established during midlife may be linked to physical capabilities many years later. Coffee and tea consumption cannot guarantee preserved strength, but the study suggests they may be among the everyday dietary factors associated with remaining more active and resilient into the 70s.
Explainer Infographic
Comments