No Increases in Premature Atrial Contractions with Caffeinated Coffee Consumption, Study Suggests
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 400 mg or four to five cups of coffee consumption is considered safe for an average adult. However, these recommendations have come under scrutiny.
For some, drinking coffee is part of a healthy diet regimen. But others claim specific individuals may be more prone to its effects than others.
Despite the public controversy, coffee lovers now have good news about its effect on heart rhythm!
According to a study published in the March 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, drinking caffeinated coffee did not show any significant link to more daily premature atrial contractions (or irregular heartbeat) among healthy adults.
The study was conducted by Gregory M. Marcus, M.D., from the University of California in San Francisco, and his colleagues to examine the effects of caffeinated coffee on cardiac ectopy and arrhythmias, daily step counts, sleep minutes, and serum glucose levels among 100 adults.
The study was conducted using remote rhythm monitoring sensors. Researchers sent text messages daily over 14 days, instructing participants to consume caffeinated coffee or avoid caffeine randomly.
The researchers observed 58 daily premature atrial contractions with the consumption of caffeinated coffee compared with 53 daily events when caffeine was avoided. The consumption of caffeinated coffee and no caffeine intake were associated with 154 and 102 daily steps.
This study's findings point out that caffeinated coffee consumption does not significantly result in more daily premature atrial contractions or arrhythmia among healthy adults.
This relieves all of us who love to enjoy a cup of coffee without fearing any adverse effects on our hearts.
So the next time you head to the coffee shop, you can rest assured that you're at no greater risk of experiencing atrial contractions than if you had skipped the coffee.