A cuppa prevention? Not so fast…
Sometimes, a study will come along that sounds great and we’d all like for it to be true. But it may not present the whole picture, or even be the best solution. Here’s one: Elderly folks who drank caffeinated ground coffee or caffeinated instant coffee had a healthy rise in blood pressure.
A group of 6,594 adults was studied over a period of nine years, and the impact was largely seen in participants over the age of 65. Greater daily consumption of caffeine correlated with a lowered risk of dying from heart disease.
Folks who consumed four or more caffeinated beverages per day had a 53 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease when compared to folks who had less than half a serving per day. And for those who only had two to four servings, they received only a 32 percent lowered risk. By now you’re probably wondering—what’s wrong with that Doc? These sound like very positive results, so let’s brew another pot of coffee!
Well, there are other factors to consider. People with high blood pressure did not fare as well in the study. Remember, too, that lack of sleep—due to overdoing it on the caffeine—can damage cardiovascular health. Excess caffeine can also lead to anxiety and overall feelings of stress—another unhealthful condition.
These studies that look at caffeine and heart disease often offer conflicting results. As far as I’m concerned, better to practice moderation in your caffeine consumption, if you feel you even need caffeine at all. (And I think you’ve heard my opinion on that before!) We know now that some people are able to process, or metabolize, caffeine in their bodies better than others. That’s right—we’re not all the same. Too much caffeine in people who don’t metabolize caffeine quickly can increase risk for toxic build up in the liver, which may not be such a good idea over the long-term (months and years).
Let’s stick with tried-and-true ways to promote heart health!
