Coffee Reduces Risk of Heart Problems and Premature Death, Study Finds, Especially Ground and Caffeinated | CNN

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Drinking two to three cups a day of most types of coffee can protect you from cardiovascular disease and premature death, according to a new study.

“The results suggest that light to moderate consumption of ground, instant and decaffeinated coffee should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle,” said study author Peter Kistler, lead researcher. clinic in electrophysiology at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and head of electrophysiology at Alfred. Melbourne Hospital.

The researchers found “significant reductions” in the risk of coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure and stroke for all three types of coffee. However, only ground and instant coffee containing caffeine reduced the risk of an irregular heartbeat called arrhythmia. Decaffeinated coffee did not reduce this risk, according to the study published Wednesday in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Previous studies have also shown that moderate amounts of black coffee – between 3 and 5 cups a day – reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, type 2 diabetes, liver disease and Prostate cancer.

“This manuscript adds to the body of evidence from observational trials linking moderate coffee consumption with cardioprotection, which appears promising,” said Charlotte Mills, senior lecturer in nutritional science at the University of Reading. in the UK, in a press release.

However, this study, like many in the past, was only observational in nature and therefore cannot prove direct cause and effect, added Mills, who was not involved in the study.

“Does coffee make you healthy, or do inherently healthier people drink coffee?” she asked. “Randomized controlled trials are needed to prove the relationship between coffee and cardiovascular health.”

The study used data from the UK Biobank, a research database containing the coffee drinking preferences of nearly 450,000 adults who had no arrhythmia or other cardiovascular disease at the start of the study. They were divided into four groups: those who liked caffeinated ground coffee, those who chose decaffeinated coffee, those who preferred caffeinated instant coffee, and those who drank no coffee at all.

After an average of 12.5 years, researchers reviewed medical and death records for reports of arrhythmia, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and death. After adjusting for age, diabetes, ethnicity, high blood pressure, obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, gender, smoking status, and tea consumption and of alcohol, researchers found that all types of coffee were linked to reduced deaths from all causes.

The fact that caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee are beneficial “could suggest that it is not just caffeine that could potentially explain any associated reduction in risk,” said Duane Mellor, registered dietitian and senior lecturer at Aston University Medical School. from Birmingham. the United Kingdom, in a press release. He did not participate in the study.

“Caffeine is the best-known constituent of coffee, but the drink contains more than 100 biologically active components,” said Kistler, who holds joint positions as a professor of medicine at the University of Melbourne and the University Monash.

“It is likely that non-caffeinated compounds are responsible for the observed positive relationships between coffee consumption, cardiovascular disease, and survival,” Kistler said.

According to the statement, drinking two to three cups of coffee a day was linked to the greatest reduction in premature deaths, compared to people who did not drink coffee. Consuming ground coffee reduced the risk of death by 27%, followed by 14% for decaffeinated coffee and 11% for instant caffeinated coffee.

The link between coffee and a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke was not as strong: drinking two to three cups a day of ground coffee reduced the risk by 20%, while the same amount of decaffeinated coffee reduced the risk by 6% and instant coffee by 9%. %.

The data has changed regarding the impact of coffee on irregular heartbeats: Four to five cups a day of caffeine ground coffee reduced the risk by 17% while two to three cups a day of instant coffee reduced the likelihood of arrhythmia by 12%, the statement said.

A limitation of the study was that coffee consumption was self-reported at any given time, said Annette Creedon, nutrition scientist and lead at the British Nutrition Foundation, which is partially funded by food producers, retailers and nutrition companies. restoration.

“This study had a median follow-up period of 12.5 years during which many aspects of participants’ diet and lifestyle may have changed,” Creedon said in a statement. She was not part of the research.

Additionally, coffee can produce negative side effects in some people, she added. People with sleep disorders or uncontrolled diabetes, for example, should consult a doctor before adding caffeine to their diet.

These negative side effects “may be particularly relevant for people sensitive to the effects of caffeine,” Creedon said. “Therefore, the results of this study do not indicate that people should start drinking coffee if they do not already drink it or that they should increase their consumption.”

Most studies focus on the health benefits of black coffee and don’t account for the extra sugars, creamers, milks, and processed additives that many people use in coffee.

“A simple cup of coffee with maybe a little milk is very different from a big flavored latte with a syrup and added cream,” Mellor said.

Additionally, the way coffee is brewed can also affect its health benefits. Filtered coffee catches a compound called cafestol which exists in the oily part of the coffee. Cafestol can raise bad cholesterol or LDL (low density lipoprotein).

However, using a French press, Turkish coffee maker, or boiling hot coffee (as is often done in Scandinavian countries), does not remove the cafestol.

And, finally, the benefits of coffee don’t apply to children — even teenagers shouldn’t drink colas, coffees, energy drinks, or other caffeinated beverages, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.