The research was published in the European Heart Journal, which is the official journal of the European Society of Cardiology, and it represents a significant breakthrough in the field. "Previous studies had already shown that coffee when taken in non-excessive doses, has an overall protective effect on the cardiovascular system," explained Professor Giovanni Pedrazzini. "This is because it causes a "downregulation", i.e. a decrease in certain receptors of the sympathetic system." Moderate coffee consumption is defined as not exceeding four cups per day, as mentioned by the USI professor. Consuming more than this might lead to side effects that outweigh the benefits of the beverage. However, individual habits can influence tolerance levels.
The innovative finding from the study published in the European Heart Journal is the benefit derived from morning coffee intake: "What was not previously known is that drinking coffee in the morning provides better protection, including reduced mortality, compared to drinking coffee throughout the day," commented Professor Pedrazzini.
As this was an observational study, only associations can be observed; cause-and-effect relationships cannot be established with certainty: "The explanations provided are hypothetical. They likely relate to the fact that consuming coffee during the day or in the evening can lead to insomnia, which may increase the risk of cardiovascular mortality. Moving forward, it will be crucial to go beyond the trends identified in the study and to understand the mechanisms through which morning coffee consumption has a protective effect."
The expert’s advice is, therefore, to "drink one to three coffees in the morning when the sympathetic system is activated" while limiting consumption during the rest of the day.
The study was conducted in the United States and included over 40,000 adults. The data analyzed was gathered between 1999 and 2018. The findings revealed that individuals who regularly drank coffee in the morning had a 31% lower risk of cardiovascular death and a 16% lower risk of overall mortality compared to non-drinkers and those who consumed coffee at various times throughout the day.
