Coffee Can Increase Life Expectancy: Here's Why
Ground, instant and even decaffeinated coffee may be linked to increased longevity, according to a study.
To live longer, drink coffee . Drinking two to three cups of coffee a day is associated with a longer lifespan and lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to coffee avoidance, according to a recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology , a journal of the European Society of Cardiology.. "The results were applied to varieties ground, instant and decaffeinated . All three types were associated with equivalent reductions in the incidence of cardiovascular disease and death from cardiovascular disease or any other cause. The results suggest that a light to moderate consumption of ground, instant and decaffeinated coffee should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle" , comments Caroline Reigada , specialist in Intensive Medicine by the Brazilian Association of Intensive Medicine.
There is little information on the impact of different coffee preparations on heart health and longevity. This study examined associations between coffee types and incident arrhythmias, cardiovascular disease and death using data from the UK Biobank, which recruited adults aged 40-69. The study included 449,563 participants who were free of arrhythmias or other cardiovascular disease at baseline. The median age was 58 years old and 55.3% were female. Participants completed a questionnaire asking how many cups of coffee they drank per day and whether they typically drank instant coffee, ground coffee (such as cappuccino or filtered coffee), or decaf.
Coffee drinkers were compared to non-drinkers regarding the incidence of arrhythmias, cardiovascular disease and death. The results were "A total of 6.2% of participants died during follow-up. All types of coffee were associated with reduced all-cause mortality. The greatest risk reduction observed with two to three cups per day, was associated with a 14% lower probability of death for decaffeinated preparations, 27% for ground preparations and 11% for instants."
Cardiovascular disease was diagnosed in 9.6% of participants during follow-up. All coffee subtypes were associated with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease. Again, the lowest risk was observed with two to three cups per day, which, compared to no coffee consumption, was associated with a reduced likelihood of cardiovascular disease by 6% for decaffeinated coffee, 20% for ground and 9% for instant coffee.
Arrhythmia was diagnosed in 6.7% of participants during follow-up. "Ground coffee and soluble coffee, but not decaffeinated, have been associated with a reduction in arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation. Compared to nondrinkers, the lowest risks were seen with four to five cups per day for ground coffee and two to three cups per day for soluble coffee, with reduced risks of 17% and 12% respectively."
According to nutritionist Dr. Marcella Garcez, coffee is one of the most ingested beverages in the world and has over 1,000 active ingredients. "Coffee contains around 300 chemical elements in the bean and 850 after roasting are responsible for the aroma and flavor of the coffee" , explains the nutritionist.
As for caffeine: while some people just can't live without it, others can't even dream of ingesting it. "Some people are sensitive to caffeine, experience digestive and gastric problems, changes in heart rate and blood pressure, emotional restlessness and sleep disturbances, situations where traditional coffee should be abandoned. For these cases , the consumption of decaffeinated coffee is interesting" , explains nutritionist Dr. Marcella Garcez. "Decaffeinated coffee is not harmful for those who do not want or cannot ingest caffeine, as in the case of people suffering from gastritis, hypertension or insomnia, for example, because decaffeinated coffee contains a small amount of caffeine, only 0.1% of the caffeine present in regular coffee" , adds the nutritionist.
Caffeine is the most well-known constituent of coffee, but as the study demonstrates, it is likely that non-caffeinated compounds are responsible for the observed positive relationships between coffee consumption and cardiovascular disease. "The results indicate that the consumption of small amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged, but can be enjoyed as a heart-healthy behavior," concludes Dr. Caroline Reigada.
