Nearly three-quarters of Americans drink coffee every day, and this habit is closely related to heart health and longevity. However, a new study has found that the benefits of drinking coffee also depend on when you drink it.
A study led by researchers at Tulane University in New Orleans found that compared to drinking coffee later in the day, consuming it in the morning is associated with lower mortality rates.
The study, published on January 8th in the European Heart Journal, analyzed data on the diets of over 42,000 adults over a period of 9 years.
When comparing coffee consumption among adults and causes of death, researchers found that those who drank two to three cups of coffee in the morning had a “significant” decrease in the risks of dying from any cause and from cardiovascular diseases compared to non-coffee drinkers.
Interestingly, individuals who drank coffee throughout the day did not show the same risk reduction.
“This is the first study to test the timing of coffee consumption patterns and health outcomes,” said Dr. Lu Qi, the lead author of the study and endowed chair professor at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, in a press release. “We usually don’t provide recommendations on timing in dietary guidelines, but perhaps we should consider this issue in the future.”
“Our study suggests for the first time that the timing of coffee consumption is also important, not just the amount consumed. Drinking coffee in the morning shows a closer relationship with health benefits compared to drinking coffee throughout the day,” Dr. Qi added.
Previous studies examining long-term coffee intake have found that moderate coffee consumption may be associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and premature death.
The coffee used in this new study included both caffeinated and decaffeinated, with time divided into three periods: morning (4:00 AM to 11:59 AM), afternoon (12:00 PM to 4:59 PM), and evening (5:00 PM to 3:59 AM).
Researchers identified two consumption patterns: morning and throughout the day. At the end of the nearly 10-year follow-up period, a total of 4,295 individuals died from various causes, with 1,268 deaths attributed to cardiovascular diseases and 934 deaths due to cancer.
Compared to non-coffee drinkers, individuals who only drank coffee in the morning had a 16% lower risk of premature death from any cause and a 31% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases. The risk for those who tended to drink coffee throughout the day did not decrease. Even after accounting for confounding factors such as sleep duration, age, race, ethnicity, gender, family income, education, physical activity levels, diet quality, and health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol, these research findings remained unchanged.
For individuals who drink coffee in the morning, the quantity of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee consumed was not important. Whether they drank less than one cup or more than three cups per day, the risk of death was still lower for those who drank coffee in the morning compared to other patterns.
Michelle Routhenstein, a registered dietitian and heart disease expert in New York, explained that the benefits of morning coffee consumption are partly related to circadian rhythms, which regulate the sleep/wake cycle, allowing people to be more focused during the day and more relaxed at night. She did not participate in this new study.
“Drinking coffee in the morning aligns with our circadian rhythm, making people more alert during the day and more relaxed at night,” she told Fox News Digital Channel. Routhenstein pointed out that “drinking coffee later in the day may sometimes mean relying on stimulants to stay focused and continue working, often at the expense of hunger cues.”
Vanessa King, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told CNN via email that “this study is observational, which means it’s not an experimental environment, and (an experimental environment) is the gold standard.” She was not involved in the study.
The nature of this study means that only an association was established, not a causal relationship between morning coffee consumption and the risk of premature death. However, King added that these findings are “meaningful because the primary cause of death among Americans is cardiovascular diseases.”
Dr. Qi, the lead author of the study, suggested that one possible explanation for this finding is that “drinking coffee in the afternoon or evening may disrupt circadian rhythms and hormone levels, such as melatonin.” Low levels of melatonin are associated with higher blood pressure, oxidative stress levels, and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
(Reference: CNN and Fox News)