Caffeine Found To Prevent and Fight Multiple Heart Conditions

The Morning Cup That Could Save Your Life

Debunking Old Myths

For millions of us, mornings just wouldn’t be the same without a steaming hot cup of coffee. While caffeine had previously gained a bad rap for purportedly causing dehydration and affecting our performance, more recent work has debunked these myths. In fact, studies have concluded that caffeine plays a role in both our physical and cognitive prowess.

New Discoveries in Heart Health

Now, caffeine is being heralded once again. Scientists have discovered it may have a protective effect against multiple diseases.

The Cardiometabolic Connection

Researchers working on a new study, published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, concluded that moderate caffeine intake results in a lesser probability of contracting Cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs). CMDs include:

• Cardiovascular conditions:
  • Heart attacks
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
• Metabolic conditions:
  • Insulin resistance
  • Diabetes
  • Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

How Much Caffeine is Beneficial?

The UK Biobank Study

Comparing caffeine consumers to those who abstain, researchers studied more than 500,000 individuals in the UK Biobank aged between 37 and 73. They found that caffeine intake at all levels reduced the risk of Cardiometabolic diseases.

The Magic Number

Those that reported moderate coffee or caffeine consumption presented the lowest risk. According to the study’s lead author Chaofu Ke, M.D., Ph.D., “Consuming three cups of coffee, or 200-300 mg caffeine, per day might help to reduce the risk of developing cardiometabolic multimorbidity in individuals without any cardiometabolic disease.”

The Bigger Picture

The findings suggest that promoting moderate amounts of coffee or caffeine intake as a dietary habit for healthy people might have far-reaching benefits for the prevention of Cardiometabolic disease.

A Word of Caution

It’s important to remember that fully-loaded coffees from popular chains, laden with syrup and cream, are another beast entirely and may not provide the same benefits.