Good news for coffee lovers—drinking up to three cups of coffee a day may help reduce the risk of stroke and fatal heart disease, according to a new study from Semmelweis University.
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks around the world, but people have long debated whether it is good or bad for heart health. This new research brings some clarity by showing that moderate coffee drinking may actually be good for the heart.
The study looked at data from the UK Biobank, which includes health records from nearly half a million people in the United Kingdom.
The researchers studied 468,629 adults who had no signs of heart disease when the study began. These participants were followed for about 10 to 15 years to track their heart health and overall survival.
The average age of the participants was just over 56 years, and more than half were women.
The researchers divided them into three groups based on how much coffee they drank: those who rarely drank coffee (about 22%), those who drank between half a cup and three cups a day (about 58%), and those who drank more than three cups a day (around 20%).
The results showed that people who drank coffee in light to moderate amounts had better health outcomes than those who didn’t drink coffee at all. In fact, moderate coffee drinkers had a 12% lower risk of death from any cause, a 17% lower risk of dying from heart disease, and a 21% lower chance of having a stroke.
To understand more about how coffee might affect the heart, the researchers also looked at heart scans from a smaller group of over 30,000 participants.
These scans used a special kind of MRI to look at the heart’s structure and function. The results showed that regular coffee drinkers had healthier heart shapes and better heart performance.
This could mean that coffee helps slow down some of the changes in the heart that happen with aging, although more research is needed to know for sure. Scientists believe that ingredients in coffee may have beneficial effects on the heart, but the exact reasons are still being studied.
The study was led by Dr. Judit Simon and was shared at the ESC Congress 2021, a major event for heart health experts. It adds to growing evidence that drinking coffee in moderation can be part of a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Of course, it’s important to remember that everyone’s health is different. People with certain medical conditions or sensitivities to caffeine should talk to their doctor before increasing their coffee intake. And while coffee may help, it should not replace other healthy habits like eating well, staying active, and not smoking.
In summary, this study suggests that having a few cups of coffee each day could help protect your heart and lower your risk of stroke and heart disease. It’s another reminder that small choices in our daily routines can make a big difference in our long-term health.
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