The Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC) has developed a Spotlight on Coffee and Arrhythmia, reviewing the latest scientific evidence on the topic.
The review highlights the following research:
- Three large studies show no association between caffeine intakes and an increased risk of atrial fibrillation1,2,3.
- Furthermore, a 2011 study failed to detect any increased risk of arrhythmia in relation to caffeine intake. In fact, a small yet significant risk reduction was found in this study for arrhythmias among coffee drinkers4.
- Four reviews have also concluded that there is no association between caffeine intakes and arrhythmia in most patients5,6,7,8.
Atrial Fibrillation (AF), where the heart contracts at a very high rate and in an irregular way, is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, occurring in 1-2% of the general population9. Overall, more than 6 million Europeans suffer from AF and its prevalence is expected to increase more than two-fold over the next 50 years. This is significant when at least 1% of the annual healthcare budget of Western European countries is spent on the management of AF9.
The body of evidence to date suggests that moderate caffeine consumption does not increase the incidence of arrhythmia. A moderate consumption of coffee (3-5 cups a day) can be enjoyed as part of a healthy balanced diet and active lifestyle.
To read the full Spotlight on Coffee and Arrhythmia, click here.
Further research on other aspects of coffee consumption and heart health and can be found on our website www.coffeeandhealth.org.
