A new study has revealed that morning coffee consumption may reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, highlighting the potential benefits of morning coffee for cardiovascular health.
Dr. Lu Qi, lead researcher from Tulane University Obesity Research Center, explained that the study doesn’t reveal why morning coffee lowers risks. One hypothesis is that drinking coffee later disrupts the body’s internal clock. This disruption could influence factors like inflammation and blood pressure, both linked to heart health. The study, published in the European Heart Journal, suggests further research is needed to confirm these findings across different populations.
Study Insights and Methodology
Researchers analyzed data from 40,725 adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2018). Participants reported their daily coffee habits, including how much and when they drank it. About 36% were morning coffee drinkers, while 14% consumed coffee throughout the day.
Over nearly a decade, the researchers tracked participants’ health outcomes, recording 4,295 deaths, including 1,268 from cardiovascular disease. Morning coffee drinkers were 16% less likely to die during the study and 31% less likely to die from heart disease. In contrast, all-day coffee drinkers showed no reduction in these risks.
Dr. Qi noted that this study is the first to explore how coffee timing impacts health outcomes. Past research already linked moderate coffee consumption to health benefits, but this study underscores the importance of timing.
Why Timing Matters
The study’s findings point to the potential effects of coffee on the body’s circadian rhythms. Dr. Qi suggested that consuming coffee later may interfere with melatonin production and sleep patterns, increasing cardiovascular risks. An accompanying editorial by Prof. Thomas F. Luscher from Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals supported this idea. He noted that sympathetic activity peaks in the morning and diminishes later, making morning coffee less disruptive to the body’s natural processes.
All-day coffee drinkers were more likely to experience sleep disturbances, Prof. Luscher added. He emphasized the role of melatonin, a sleep-regulating hormone suppressed by coffee, as a possible explanation for these findings.
The research also revealed differences in consumption patterns. Morning coffee drinkers consumed less coffee overall, including caffeinated and decaffeinated varieties, compared to all-day drinkers. They also tended to drink more tea and caffeinated soda.
While this study highlights intriguing links between coffee timing and heart health, researchers call for clinical trials to confirm these observations and uncover underlying mechanisms.
