Studies find drinking two to three cups of coffee per day can reduce risk of heart disease

Drinking two or three cups of coffee a day has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, a new study has found.

Researchers studied data provided by the UK Biobank study, which has the health information of more than one million people.

The analysis is believed to be the largest to look at coffee’s potential role in heart disease and death. It indicates the drink is not tied to new or worsening heart disease and may actually be good for the heart. Researchers suggest their findings allow people with heart conditions to drink coffee as part of a healthy diet.

Peter Kistler, who is head of arrhythmia research at the Alfred Hospital and Baker Heart Institute in Melbourne, Australia – and the study’s senior author, said: “Because coffee can quicken heart rate, some people worry that drinking it could trigger or worsen certain heart issues. This is where general medical advice to stop drinking coffee may come from.”

“But our data suggest that daily coffee intake shouldn’t be discouraged, but rather included as a part of a healthy diet for people with and without heart disease. We found coffee drinking had either a neutral effect, meaning that it did no harm or was associated with benefits to heart health.”

There is an association between drinking coffee, particularly two to three cups each day and a lower risk of new or worsening heart disease, a new series of studies shows.

Researchers used data from the U.K. Biobank, a database with medical information from more than 500,000 people who were tracked over a period of at least 10 years. They evaluated coffee consumption, ranging from one to six or more cups per day, and its relationship with a variety of heart diseases.

“We found coffee drinking had either a neutral effect-meaning that it did no harm-or was associated with benefits to heart health,” Peter M. Kistler, head of arrhythmia research at the Alfred Hospital and Baker Heart Institute in Melbourne, Australia, said in a news release.

In one of the studies, the team assessed 34,279 individuals with known heart disease. They noted two to three cups daily showed a greater association with lower odds of dying than in patients who drank less coffee. Researchers added that coffee consumption was not linked to an elevated risk of heart rhythm issues.

“Clinicians generally have some apprehension about people with known cardiovascular disease or arrhythmias continuing to drink coffee, so they often err on the side of caution and advise them to stop drinking it altogether due to fears that it may trigger dangerous heart rhythms,” Kistler said. “But our study shows that regular coffee intake is safe and could be part of a healthy diet for people with heart disease.”

The team also found that having two to three cups a day was associated with the greatest benefit, with a 10 to 15 percent lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, heart failure, a heart rhythm problem, or dying for any reason.

ARTICLE: PAUL MURDOCH 

MANAGING EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE

PHOTO CREDITS: MEDICAL NEWS TODAY

The following two tabs change content below.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Paul Murdoch

Paul, 37, is from Scotland in the UK, but currently lives and works in Bangkok. Paul has worked in different industries such as telemarketing, retail, hospitality, farming, insurance, and teaching, where he works now. He teaches at an all-girls High School in Bangkok. “It’s a lot of work, but I love my job.” Paul has an active interest in politics. His reason for writing for FBA is to offer people the facts and allow them to make up their own minds. Whilst he believes opinion columns have their place, it is also important that people can have accurate news with no bias.

Latest posts by Paul Murdoch (see all)

• Homeless cabins built along prime riverside real estate in Portland - April 12, 2023
• Russia starts fuel supplies to Iran by rail, sources say - April 12, 2023
• Eyeing re-election, Ted Cruz seeks to build bipartisan image - April 11, 2023