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More Research on Coffee (& Caffeine)! Could it Actually Help Prevent A-Fib?
Yes—another study about coffee and Atrial Fibrillation.
A retrospective study from Australia included 228,465 subjects. Researchers found that drinking coffee lowered atrial fibrillation occurrence. Regular coffee drinkers had a 6% average reduction in A-Fib. While heavy coffee drinkers had a 16% reduction. How do they explain this? Caffeine blocks the effects of adenosine, a compound that can facilitate A-Fib.
Conclusion: In this one study, researchers found that coffee doesn’t increase abnormal heart rhythms—but helps prevent them.
Added 10/14/22:
In an analysis of six observational studies, caffeine was “unlikely to cause or contribute to atrial fibrillation. In fact, habitual caffeine consumption might modestly reduce the risk of arial fibrillation…for every cup of coffee per day there was a 3% decrease of atrial fibrillation or other arrhythmias.” (Cheng, 2014) (Thanks to David Holzman for calling our attention to this research.)
Coffee and the Bottom Line for A-Fib Patients
Needless to say, the caffeine in coffee is a stimulant. And we don’t all react to stimulants the same way.
Remember, A-Fib is not a “one-size fits all” disease. Contrary to this research, coffee or caffeine may trigger or worsen your A-Fib. So, you may want to start (or continue) avoiding caffeinated beverages until your A-Fib is cured.
For some, drinking coffee regularly (including me) may have no ill effects. This research suggests coffee and caffeine may actually help prevent A-Fib.
Coffee May Protect Against Cognitive Decline
Coffee increases the neurotransmitters serotonin and acetylcholine and stimulates the brain. The polyphenols in coffee may prevent tissue damage by free radicals. Trigonelline, a substance found in high concentration in cofee beans, may activate antioxidants that protect blood vessels in the brain.
How Much Caffeine is There in the Food and Beverages you Consume?
Caffeine is not a nutrient but a drug that is a mild stimulant of the central nervous system. Like any drug, the effects of caffeine on the body are not wholly good or bad. For an extensive list of how much caffeine there is in the food and beverages you consume, go to Caffeine Effects, Half-Life, Overdose, Withdrawal
• Naidoo, Uma. Eat for your brain. Bottom Line Health, May 2021, p. 10
