Why Caffeine Is Actually Great For You
Caffeine has often been under speculation for causing insomnia, restlessness, and increased heart rate, among other dangers. Yet even so, for the 90% of U.S. adults that consume caffeine every day, some just can’t resist their morning pick me up.
Well, lucky for coffee lovers, a 2021 study actually shows that caffeine can improve one’s heart health. More specifically, caffeinated coffee can reduce the risk of heart failure.
Researchers of the study were analyzing the association of certain lifestyle and behavioral factors with coronary heart disease, and more specifically, coffee intake and incident heart failure risk. Through machine learning feature selection based on random forest analysis, the study considered marital status, red meat consumption, whole milk consumption, and of course, coffee consumption.
The results showed that a higher intake of coffee consumption correlated with a decrease in the long-term risk of heart failure in the Framingham Heart Study, Cardiovascular Heart Study, and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities. In some cases, those who regularly drink coffee can be less likely to develop other chronic illnesses like diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and some cancers.
“The bad reputation that caffeine has is not deserved,” said Dr. José Joglar, a professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “Caffeine has been shown to be safe for the heart.”
Dr. Joglar explained that patients with atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm) often assume coffee is off the table for them. They figure it will only worsen their symptoms, but Joglar assures “it’s not in the science.” Caffeine is not the problem.
The FDA echoes the safety of caffeine consumption, stating 400 milligrams of caffeine a day (around four or five cups of coffee) is ok for healthy adults. Though coffee consumption is generally not a danger to most, whether someone should or should not continue drinking the FDA recommended daily intake is of course a case by case situation. “There are always some patients who are more sensitive to caffeine,” explains Joglar. “Those patients should be careful. It can make you feel worse. Of course, you’ll get jittery if you’re drinking too much.”
You can read more about the impacts of caffeine on the heart according to the American Heart Association here.
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