Some people drink coffee to wake up, while others wake up to drink coffee. I, for one, sit firmly in the latter camp. And, according to a new study in the European Heart Journal, my habit of starting the morning with a cup or two of java may keep both cardiovascular and overall mortality risk at bay. There’s just one catch: You have to cut yourself off by noon.
The authors behind this observational study looked at dietary data of over 40 thousand American adults from 1999 to 2018 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, as well as comprehensive, weeklong dietary logs of 1,463 adults from the Women’s and Men’s Lifestyle Validation Study (supported by the supported by the National Institutes of Health). They then investigated coffee (and decaf!) intakes across morning, afternoon, and evening times before ultimately grouping these patterns into morning-only and all-day consumption. After adjusting for confounders, or variables—including sex, age, ethnicity, physical fitness, health conditions, and socioeconomic status—people who drank coffee solely in the morning had significantly lower risks of mortality from cardiovascular disease (31 percent less) and all causes (16 percent less) compared to non-coffee drinkers.
While coffee-drinking has previously been linked to significant wins for heart and metabolic health, healthspan and longevity, and beyond, this study’s findings were unique in that the benefits were linked to morning coffee consumption only and largely independent of the amount consumed. (Note: One cup or less yielded a smaller risk reduction, while two or more cups situated drinkers in the proverbial sweet spot.)
Kaustubh Dabhadkar, MD, MPH, MBA, FACC, a preventive cardiologist based in Charlotte, North Carolina, notes this study is incredibly important for not only its findings, but because coffee is one of the more globally consumed beverages. “Over the years, we have learned about the association between coffee and reduced risk of heart disease-related death,” says Dr. Dabhadkar. “We also know the impact of coffee on sleep habits and the possible reduced quality of sleep with coffee consumption late in the day.”
The authors postulate that morning-only coffee consumption may be uniquely beneficial as it’s more likely to mitigate circadian rhythm disturbances, thus offsetting the dangers of poor sleep that can severely impact health and well-being. “Another potential mechanism is the effect of coffee on insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism,” adds Dr. Dabhadkar. Coffee improves insulin sensitivity—therefore supporting cardiovascular function—courtesy of compounds like magnesium, trigonelline, and quinides. “This positive effect of insulin is likely more pronounced in people who drink their coffee before noon compared to non-coffee drinkers or all-day coffee drinkers,” he continues.
While this news is probably exciting for morning-only brewers and buyers, you shouldn’t read too much into things or stress over switching up your consumption patterns. For starters, the study was observational (i.e., more prone to bias and error compared to the gold standard of randomized controlled trials). “It is also important to point out that association does not necessarily prove causation,” says Dr. Dabhadkar. And while a growing body of research shows positive links between coffee intake, cardiovascular health, and healthspan—independent of timing intake, at that—it’s far from being a magic bullet.
“Reducing sugar intake, exercising regularly, and avoiding smoking have a much more prominent effect on overall great disease risk reduction,” says Dabhadkar. “So, if you are looking for a new morning routine, including exercise [and excluding excess sugar are] going to be much more beneficial than increasing coffee consumption,” he emphasizes. With these points in mind, it won’t exactly hurt to halt your coffee intake by lunchtime… if only to promote a good night’s rest and wake up refreshed and ready for your regularly scheduled morning brew.
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