November 14, 2025

Coffee May Curb the Risk of Irregular Heartbeats

Nice News - Perk up, coffee lovers! Contrary to conventional wisdom, a recent study found that drinking a cup of joe a day may protect the heart against atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, a common irregular heart rhythm condition that can lead to stroke, blood clots, and heart failure.

The results were astounding,” first author Christopher X. Wong said in a statement. For the study — ironically dubbed DECAF (Does Eliminating Coffee Avoid Fibrillation?) — researchers followed 200 adults with A-fib over six months. Half of the participants consumed at least one cup of caffeinated coffee or espresso each day, while the other half abstained from caffeine.

After monitoring the group via electrocardiograms, researchers found that the java drinkers had a 39% lower risk of recurrent A-fib episodes than those who avoided coffee. While the why is still unclear, senior author Gregory Marcus told NBC News that caffeine might help by stimulating the body’s adrenaline response, since A-fib episodes are often reported during relaxed states when adrenaline levels are low.

No comments: