Coffee Has Hidden Benefits For Heart, Says New Study

Coffee has been long associated with causing a disruption to heart rhythm which is why people with high heart risk are suggested to avoid it. When the heart is already in a risky state, a caffeine boost from the coffee may disrupt the heartbeat and make it difficult to function well. But a new study reveals that coffee is not as risky as it was initially seen. People can still start their morning with a hot cup of coffee or consume a diet coke, without worrying about caffeine intake leading them to arrhythmias.

Despite being a part of the board-based recommendation for limiting caffeine intake, there was no evidence of a relation between coffee and heart health was found. Dr. Gregory Marcus from the University of California is the co-author of this study. According to him, coffee could act as a trigger in some cases but it does not mean it has no heart benefits.

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The results from this study indicate that taking one additional cup of coffee actually benefits the heart, by lowering the risk for arrhythmia. This lowering rate is around 3% on average. The complete study findings are now published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

If these results are true, millions of people, including those who are living with arrhythmias can enjoy coffee or caffeine in form, without risking heart health. As coffee is the most famous beverage in the world, many people rely on its stimulatory health benefits to start their day. Some of them who develop heart conditions are advised not to consume caffeine and are suggested alternatives.

The study targeted to find the effects of caffeine on heart health, especially on the heart racing and beating. The data was collected from nearly 386,000 people who were a part of a study from the UK. Among these people, nearly 17,000 experienced a heart rhythm issue during the follow-up session that was done after 4.5 years.

These participants were asked about their caffeine intake especially coffee consumption and their habits if there was any change during the last few years. Their responses were then compared to the risks of developing the heart rhythmic issues in an average human.

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Based on the responses gathered, the research team saw no link between the heart rhythm disturbance and the coffee intake. After analyzing their progress, they found that coffee intake actually benefits the heart and the genetic factors confirm that people have a different tendency to metabolize caffeine.

At the population level, there was no evidence or link between coffee and an increased chance of developing arrhythmias. Based on these results, it appears that the earlier warning is probably an unsubstantiated fact saying coffee consumption can make a person develop arrhythmias.

Given the coffee benefits the heart is there, its potential is relatively smaller. Now that it is clear that coffee has no risks for arrhythmias, it is also clear that it does not protect against it and cannot be used as a treatment plan. For now, only knowing that it has some benefits is enough and it may require more detailed studies to find how these benefits may affect every person.