If you’re like most American adults, you run on coffee. The National Coffee Association estimates 54 percent of Americans over age 18 drink coffee daily, averaging about three cups per day. And research shows those cups of java can lead to better health.

Experts at the World Health Organization recently concluded that regular coffee drinking is associated with a lower risk of uterine and liver cancers. The reason why was not clear, experts say, but drinking coffee provided strong antioxidants in clinical trials, promoting a healthier body.

What else does coffee do? Aside from waking you up, coffee lowers the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. The Harvard School of Public Health linked coffee consumption to lower rates of suicide because coffee acts as a mild antidepressant, increasing serotonin in the brain.

Coffee can also boost athletic performance. When an athlete downs some coffee, fatty acids in the bloodstream increase. Muscles absorb those fats for fuel before turning to other carbohydrates in the body.

Before you chug an entire pot of coffee, remember that too much of anything can be bad. Excess coffee leads to dehydration. It can also cause dizziness and make you feel shaky and jittery, and contribute to irregular heart rhythms Doctors recommend consuming no more than four cups of coffee per day, according to the Mayo Clinic.

So enjoy your morning coffee and know you’re doing your body a healthy favor. But like everything else, enjoy your coffee in moderation.