Drinking coffee may be good for you: study

28 January 2016 - 02:41 By ©The Daily Telegraph

A new study has found that drinking coffee regularly does not lead to extra heartbeats, contrary to earlier studies that warned caffeine consumption could interrupt regular cardiac rhythms. The study, by researchers at the University of California in San Francisco, is the largest yet to assess the relationship between dietary patterns and extra heartbeats.Research leader Gregory Marcus said: "Clinical recommendations advising against regular consumption of caffeinated products should be reconsidered. consumption of chocolate, coffee and tea might actually have cardiovascular benefits. Given our recent work demonstrating that extra heartbeats can be dangerous, this finding is especially relevant."The research team studied 1388 people, with an average age of 72. About 60% of them drank some sort of caffeinated product every day.Measuring for instances of premature ventricular contractions, which start in the lower chambers of the heart, and premature atrial contractions, starting in the upper chambers, no evidence was found that caffeine consumption caused them to occur more often.Premature atrial contractions have been shown to result in atrial fibrillation, stroke and death, and premature ventricular contractions are associated with increased heart failure, coronary artery disease and death."Coffee is among the most commonly consumed beverages in the US and is the main source of caffeine intake among adults," said the report, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association."Regular coffee consumption has been associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and other cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity and depression."Observational studies have found that habitual coffee drinkers have lower rates of coronary artery disease and of cardiovascular mortality." ..

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