People do about 1,000 extra steps per day if they drink coffee in the morning

New scientific research, which involved 100 adult volunteers wearing continuously recording ECG devices that monitored caffeine intake, movement, sleep and health over the course of two weeks, has found both beneficial and harmful short-term effects of coffee intake.

The team at the University of California found that people would walk around 1,000 steps more per day if they consumed the beverage but would also have their sleep reduced by 36 minutes for the first cup – followed by another 18 minutes for each additional cup.

The researchers said that the results "highlight the complex relationship between coffee and health".

Study author Gregory Marcus said: "Coffee is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world, yet its health effects remain uncertain.

"While the majority of long-term observational studies have suggested multiple potential benefits of drinking coffee, this is the first randomised trial to investigate the real-time, physiologic consequences of coffee consumption."

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