Coffee is linked to a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer among men, according to a U.S. study released in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on Thursday.
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health said men who drink coffee on a daily basis are around 20 to 60 percent less likely to develop any form of the disease -- with a higher intake linked to a lower risk.
The men least likely to develop lethal prostate cancer were those drinking six or more cups of coffee a day, but even those drinking no more than three cups a day lowered the risk by 30 percent, the study found.
The study looked at about 48,000 men in the United States who work as health professionals.
Every four years between 1986 and 2006, they were asked to report their average daily intake of coffee.
The researchers said it was the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds contained in coffee that affect the body's insulin levels and sex hormone levels, both of which have been linked to prostate cancer.
They said that more research would be needed to isolate which components of coffee might be responsible.