Recent studies suggest that habitual caffeine consumption can decrease the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease and stroke
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NEED TO KNOW
- Recent studies suggest that habitual caffeine consumption can decrease the risk of developing various conditions — including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and Type 2 diabetes
- There is no risk or a moderately lower risk of heart failure associated with drinking five 8 oz. cups of coffee a day, according to the scientific report
- Drinking energy drinks, on the other hand, may result in significant increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressures in healthy adults
Scientists revealed that drinking up to five cups of coffee per day may lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease among other conditions.
In a scientific statement issued by the American Heart Association on Monday, July 20, researchers suggest that, while the relationships between caffeine and cardiovascular risk factors are complex, a controlled trial involving regular coffee drinkers demonstrated that the beverage may decrease the risk of atrial fibrillation occurrence and lower the risk of stroke.
Despite the contradictory findings shared in past observational studies, recent studies have observed that there is no risk or a moderately lower risk of heart failure associated with drinking five 8 oz. cups of coffee a day, per the official report published in the journal Circulation.
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Regular caffeine consumption is also associated with a lower likelihood of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.
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“Large prospective cohort studies with long-term follow-up consistently demonstrate modest inverse associations between habitual coffee consumption and all-cause mortality across diverse populations,” the research states. “Similar inverse associations have been reported for both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, supporting the contribution of noncaffeine bioactive components.”
When it comes to how one brews their coffee, research found that paper-filtered and instant coffee are the healthiest choices. Unfiltered coffee contains cafestol, a natural oily compound that can increase serum cholesterol.
Although a few daily cups of coffee can contribute to a healthy lifestyle, the studies also acknowledge that genetic differences can modify the effects of habitual coffee consumption on chronic diseases or mortality.
Caffeine can also have negative effects — including “transient increases in blood pressure, blood sugar, and alertness, as well as palpitations or sleep disruption in some individuals.”
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For those who prefer energy drinks over coffee, consumption of such high concentrations of caffeine has been shown to result in significant increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressures in healthy adults.
According to the scientific statement, “these contrasting outcomes may be attributed to differences in caffeine concentration and the presence of other bioactive compounds such as taurine in energy drinks and chlorogenic acid in coffee with opposing effects on blood pressure.”
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