New research suggests that regular coffee and moderate amounts of caffeine may be protective against developing multiple cardiometabolic diseases
The study, led by Dr. Chaofu Ke and colleagues from Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, analysed data from the UK Biobank, involving over 500,000 participants aged 37-73 years.
Some of the key findings include:
- Protective effect: Individuals who consumed moderate amounts of coffee (approximately three cups per day) or caffeine (200-300 mg per day) had a substantially lower risk of developing cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CM) compared to non-consumers or those with lower caffeine intake.
- Risk reduction: Moderate coffee consumers showed a 48.1% reduced risk, while moderate caffeine consumers had a 40.7% reduced risk of new-onset CM.
- Study design: Researchers used wide health data, including self-reported medical conditions and hospital records, to track the development of cardiometabolic diseases over time.
The benefits of drinking caffeine
Dr. Ke emphasised the potential public health benefits of promoting moderate coffee and caffeine intake among healthy individuals. The study suggests that these dietary habits could play a crucial role in preventing the onset and progression of CM, which includes conditions like type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke.
“Consuming three cups of coffee, or 200-300 mg caffeine, per day might help to reduce the risk of developing cardiometabolic multimorbidity in individuals without any cardiometabolic disease,” said the study’s lead author Chaofu Ke.
While previous studies have highlighted the individual benefits of coffee and caffeine on single cardiometabolic diseases, this research fills a significant gap by examining their impact on the broader spectrum of cardiometabolic multimorbidity.
Implications for health promotion
The findings show the importance of moderate coffee and caffeine consumption as part of a healthy diet regimen. They suggest that encouraging these habits could potentially reduce the burden of cardiometabolic diseases as populations age worldwide.
“The findings highlight that promoting moderate amounts of coffee or caffeine intake as a dietary habit to healthy people might have far-reaching benefits for the prevention of CM,” Ke said.
Promoting these dietary habits could have profound implications for public health initiatives aimed at reducing cardiometabolic risks globally.
