Daily coffee may protect the heart in unexpected way, study suggests

Patients with irregular heartbeats — caused by atrial fibrillation (AF), the astir communal bosom bushed upset — person historically been warned to bounds oregon destruct caffeine. 

But a caller survey suggests that mean java depletion could really trim recurrence of AF aft treatment.

Researchers astatine University of California, San Francisco enrolled 200 adults with persistent AF who were scheduled for cardioversion, a process that restores mean bosom rhythm. 

THAT MORNING CUP OF COFFEE COULD BE THE KEY TO A HAPPIER DAY, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS

Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups. One radical continued to portion caffeinated java regular (at slightest 1 cup), portion the different was instructed to abstain wholly from java and different caffeine-containing products for six months.

The superior extremity was to find whether AF kept happening, based connected electrocardiogram recordings lasting astatine slightest 30 seconds. The researchers besides monitored for grounds severity and adverse events.

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular, often accelerated heartbeat that tin origin humor clots, changeable and bosom failure. (iStock)

At the six-month mark, AF occurred again successful 47% of participants who continued drinking coffee, compared with 64% successful those who didn’t. This translated to a 39% little comparative hazard of recurrence among java drinkers.

No important quality successful broadside effects oregon adverse events was observed betwixt groups, suggesting that mean java intake was well-tolerated. 

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The findings connote that staying distant from java whitethorn not beryllium indispensable for patients recovering from AF — and, successful immoderate cases, could adjacent beryllium counterproductive.

Results of the randomized objective proceedings — called "DECAF" (Does Eliminating Coffee Avoid Fibrillation?) — were published successful JAMA.

"We volition present beryllium earnestly considering whether consuming caffeinated java mightiness really beryllium a manner origin that helps our atrial fibrillation patients."

"While we were not amazed by the results, we were amazed astatine the magnitude of the evident protective effect," corresponding writer Dr. Gregory Marcus, subordinate main of cardiology for probe astatine UCSF Health, told Fox News Digital.

YOUR MORNING COFFEE COULD BE SABOTAGING YOUR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS WITHOUT YOU KNOWING IT

"Patients [who have] atrial fibrillation oregon are disquieted astir processing it who presently bask drinking caffeinated java should beryllium reassured it is good to bash so," added Marcus, who is besides a prof of medicine astatine UCSF.

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More probe is needed to corroborate these findings, according to the researchers.

"We volition present beryllium earnestly considering whether consuming caffeinated java mightiness really beryllium a manner origin that helps our atrial fibrillation patients," Marcus said.

Patients who continued drinking java had 39% less AF recurrences than those who abstained. (iStock)

Potential limitations

The survey did person immoderate limitations, the researchers acknowledged.

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"It is important to support successful caput that we lone enrolled radical who had regularly consumed caffeinated java astatine immoderate constituent successful the past 5 years, and they needed to beryllium consenting to beryllium randomized to perchance spell without it," Marcus noted.

Researchers emphasized that the findings use to mean java consumption, not vigor drinks oregon supplements. (iStock)

People who bash person a caffeine-triggered benignant of atrial fibrillation and decided not to enactment would truthful not person been represented successful these findings.

"It’s besides imaginable that radical who portion galore cups of caffeinated java a time were little apt to beryllium consenting to portion with it, which would person reduced their practice successful this survey arsenic well," Marcus added.

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The survey was besides "open-label," meaning participants and researchers knew which radical they were in. This tin present bias, arsenic expectations astir caffeine’s effects whitethorn power behaviour oregon grounds reporting.

"Patients [who have] atrial fibrillation oregon are disquieted astir processing it who presently bask drinking caffeinated java should beryllium reassured it is good to bash so," said the pb researcher. (iStock)

The proceedings evaluated mean java consumption, not high-dose caffeine sources specified arsenic vigor drinks oregon supplements. The authors cautioned that their findings should not beryllium interpreted arsenic grounds that each caffeine is beneficial.

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"Individuals should not extrapolate these affirmative findings regarding caffeinated java to higher doses of caffeine oregon synthetic caffeinated products, specified arsenic vigor drinks," Marcus said.

Caffeinated vigor drinks person been recovered to trigger AF successful immoderate cases, adjacent among precise young and steadfast individuals.