One of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, coffee is known for its stimulating effects and potential health benefits. But for some individuals, coffee’s protective effects don’t always outweigh its risks.
How Coffee and Caffeine Affect the Heart
“Coffee contains caffeine, a natural stimulant that affects the heart and blood vessels,” says Robert Ostfeld, MD, the Director of Preventive Cardiology at Montefiore Health System in New York.
When you drink coffee, its caffeine content temporarily blocks adenosine receptors, reducing the calming effects of the neurotransmitter adenosine and increasing the body’s production of the hormones norepinephrine and adrenaline. This response stimulates your sympathetic nervous system, leading to a rise in heart rate and the constriction of blood vessels.
“In the short term, caffeine may cause a temporary rise in blood pressure and heart rate, especially in people who aren’t habitual coffee drinkers. For regular drinkers, the body tends to adapt, and these effects are often milder.”
Caffeine consumption also has the potential to affect heart rhythms, because of the stimulant’s relationship with the sympathetic nervous system.
In some populations, caffeine may influence heart rhythm for the better, but evidence of its potential benefit is complex and mixed.
Coffee’s impact on conditions like coronary artery disease is also unclear. In some cases, moderate coffee consumption can help decrease one’s risk for heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and high blood pressure.
Potential Benefits of Coffee for Heart Health
“Some trials demonstrate that drinking one to three cups of coffee a day can have long-lasting effects on reducing cardiovascular risks and even all-cause mortality, meaning people actually live longer,” says Aditya Mangla, DO, the chief of cardiology at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in New York. This moderate coffee consumption may help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as decrease a person’s risk for atrial fibrillation and heart failure.
A coffee habit may lower your stroke risk as well, namely ischaemic stroke, which is caused by a blood clot blocking necessary blood flow to the brain.
Potential Risks of Coffee for People With Heart Disease
On the other hand, coffee consumption may pose certain risks for heart health as well. “Caffeine in general can increase heart rate and, in some people, raise blood pressure,” says Dr. Mangla. Others may develop more severe high blood pressure and have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death if they drink two or more cups of coffee a day.
It’s possible that coffee consumption may impact heart rhythms too.
For example, coffee consumption may increase a person’s chances of experiencing premature ventricular contractions, a type of abnormal heartbeat that can be considered a predictor of heart failure.
“With regard to arrhythmia, caffeine generally can precipitate a sense of heart racing and can even precipitate certain fast heart rhythms,” says Mangla.
Finally, consuming caffeine too close to bedtime can lower your sleep quality.
Factors That Can Influence Coffee’s Impact on the Heart
Not all coffee is created equal, and not everyone is affected by coffee in the same way. In fact, several factors may affect a person’s response to coffee, as well as its implications for their heart health.
“Each individual may respond differently to caffeine in coffee, especially in terms of blood pressure or heart rhythm, so monitoring your response with your physician may be helpful,” says Dr. Ostfeld.
The amount of coffee a person consumes can change its overall impact on heart health as well, with higher amounts possibly being more detrimental than moderate consumption.
“Most cardiology and public health groups agree that up to three to four cups of coffee per day is generally safe for healthy adults, and often for those with well-managed heart disease,” says Ostfeld. Note however, the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee can vary significantly depending on the style, roast, and brewing method.
The type of coffee may matter too. For example, drinking unfiltered coffee may increase a person’s risk for elevated cholesterol, a risk factor for heart disease.
Alternatively, decaffeinated, instant, and ground coffee consumption are all associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and decaf coffee-drinking in particular is associated with a decreased risk for arrhythmia.
How coffee is prepared is also worth considering. For example, adding cream or sugar to coffee can add extra calories and fat to the beverage, altering its overall health profile. “Added sugar, syrups, or creamers may turn coffee from heart-helpful to heart-harming,” says Ostfeld.
Ostfeld adds that genetics can also play a role in how coffee drinking affects heart health, as some people metabolise caffeine slowly, increasing their overall sensitivity to the stimulant.
Coffee and Heart Disease: What Experts Recommend
Expert advice regarding coffee and caffeine consumption for people with heart disease varies. “Patients who are sensitive to caffeine and those with certain heart rhythm issues should avoid caffeine,” says Mangla.
“People with certain arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation or supraventricular tachycardia may need to be cautious with caffeine, as caffeine can occasionally trigger palpitations or rapid heartbeats,” says Ostfeld.
People with more severe high blood pressure may also want to exercise caution. “Those with uncontrolled high blood pressure should limit caffeine until their blood pressure is more optimised,” says Ostfeld.
If you have heart failure, Ostfeld advises speaking with your cardiologist, noting most guidelines don’t suggest restricting coffee consumption unless your symptoms worsen.
The potential health benefits of coffee may still apply to someone who has heart disease, especially when the beverage is consumed without added sugars or high-fat cream. Ostfeld notes that its anti-inflammatory properties, blood vessel protection, and associated lower risk for certain heart conditions are worth considering.
That doesn’t mean that coffee is a treatment for heart disease. “Coffee is overall neutral,” says Sean Heffron, MD, a Preventive Cardiologist at the Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease at NYU Langone Heart in New York, notes that. “I certainly don’t counsel patients to consume coffee for the heart benefits, nor do I discourage them necessarily from consuming it for the heart benefits.”
Overall, moderation is key for people with heart disease who want to drink coffee. “There are very limited guidelines,” says Mangla. ”However, the general recommendation is to limit caffeine [consumption] to less than 400 milligrams (mg) per day, which would equate to less than four cups of usual brewed coffee.”
When to Talk to Your Doctor
Talk to your doctor about your coffee consumption if you have heart disease and you start to experience troubling symptoms.
“If you have a symptom that’s concerning to you or that’s unusual, speak to your doctor about that symptom,” says Dr. Heffron. “I would suspect, in the vast majority of cases, any symptoms are unrelated to coffee intake.”
If you have questions about how drinking coffee could impact your heart health, ask and get the guidance you need. Your doctor can help you come up with a plan that fits your particular situation, taking into account specific heart conditions you have, medications you take, and your overall lifestyle.
“Caffeine may interact with or amplify the effects of certain medications such as blood pressure medications, stimulants, antibiotics, and thyroid medications,” says Ostfeld. “Speak with your physician if there are any such concerns.”
SOURCE: Everyday Health
