Drinking coffee is linked to a longer lifespan and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease

Drinking coffee is linked to a longer lifespan and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease

According to a study published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, an ESC journal, drinking two to three cups of coffee per day is associated with a longer lifespan and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to avoiding coffee. The results applied to ground, instant and decaffeinated varieties.

In this large observational study, ground, instant, and decaffeinated coffee were associated with corresponding reductions in the incidence of cardiovascular disease and death from cardiovascular disease or other causes. The results suggest that light to moderate consumption of ground, instant and decaffeinated coffee should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle.”

Professor Peter Kistler, study author, Baker Heart and Diabetes Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia

There is little information about the effects of different coffee preparations on heart health and survival. This study examined the associations between coffee types and incident cardiac arrhythmias, cardiovascular disease and death using data from the British Biobank, which recruited adults between the ages of 40 and 69. Cardiovascular diseases included coronary artery disease, heart failure, and ischemic stroke.

The study included 449,563 participants who were free of cardiac arrhythmias or other cardiovascular diseases at the start of the study. The average age was 58 years and 55.3% were women. Participants completed a questionnaire asking how many cups of coffee they drank daily and whether they usually drank instant coffee, ground coffee (e.g. cappuccino or filter coffee), or decaffeinated coffee. They were then divided into six daily consumption categories consisting of none, less than one, one, two to three, four to five, and more than five cups per day. The usual type of coffee was instant coffee for 198,062 (44.1%) participants, ground for 82,575 (18.4%) and decaffeinated for 68,416 (15.2%). 100,510 (22.4%) non-coffee drinkers served as the comparison group.

Coffee drinkers were compared to non-drinkers in rates of cardiac arrhythmias, cardiovascular disease and death, after adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, smoking status, and tea and alcohol consumption. Outcome information was obtained from medical records and death certificates. The mean follow-up period was 12.5 years.

A total of 27,809 (6.2%) participants died during follow-up. All types of coffee were associated with a reduction in deaths from all causes. The greatest risk reduction was observed with two to three cups per day, which was associated with 14%, 27%, and 11% lower odds of death for decaffeinated, ground, and instant beverages, respectively, compared to not drinking coffee.

At follow-up, 43,173 (9.6%) participants were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. All coffee subtypes were associated with a reduction in the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Again, the lowest risk was observed with two to three cups per day, which was associated with a 6%, 20%, and 9% reduced likelihood of cardiovascular disease with decaffeinated ground instant coffee, respectively, compared to abstinence from coffee.

At follow-up, 30,100 (6.7%) participants were diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia. Ground and instant coffee, but not decaffeinated, was associated with a reduction in arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation. Compared to non-drinkers, the lowest risks were observed at four to five cups per day for ground coffee and two to three cups per day for instant coffee, with risks reduced by 17% and 12%, respectively.

Professor Kistler said: "Caffeine is the best-known component in coffee, but the drink contains more than 100 biologically active components. It is likely that the non-caffeinated compounds are responsible for the observed positive associations between coffee drinking, cardiovascular disease and other diseases." Survive. Our results suggest that drinking moderate amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged, but can be enjoyed as a heart-healthy behavior.”

Source:

European Society of Cardiology (ESC)

Reference:

Chieng, D., et al. (2022) The influence of coffee subtypes on the incidence of cardiovascular disease, cardiac arrhythmias and mortality: long-term results from the UK Biobank. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwac189.