Morning coffee has been shown to be a better heart protector and a guardian of cardiovascular disease compared to all other cups of the black drink drunk throughout the day.

According to research published in the European Heart Journal, people who drink coffee in the morning have a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a lower overall risk of mortality compared to those who drink coffee throughout the day.

Coffee reduces the risk of some chronic diseases

The research was led by Dr. Lu Qi, president of the HCA Regents and professor at Tulane University, who recalls that previous research has shown that drinking coffee does not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, and appears to reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. such as type 2 diabetes.

“Given the effects that caffeine has on our bodies, I wanted to see if the time of day we drink coffee affects heart health,” says Dr. Qi.

The study included 40,725 adults who participated in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2018.

As part of the study, participants reported on the types of foods and beverages they consumed daily, including whether they drank coffee, how much, and when.

The study also included a subgroup of 1,463 people who were asked to complete a detailed food and beverage diary for an entire week.

The researchers were able to compare this information with data on deaths and causes of death over a period of 9 to 10 years.

Morning coffee reduces mortality risk by 16 percent

About 36 percent of people in the study drank morning coffee, meaning they primarily drank coffee in the morning, 16 percent of them drank coffee throughout the day (morning, afternoon, and evening), and 48 percent of those surveyed did not drink coffee.

Compared with non-coffee drinkers, those who drank morning coffee were 16 percent less likely to die from any cause and 31 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. However, there was no reduction in risk for those who drank coffee throughout the day compared to those who did not drink coffee.

“This is the first study to test the temporal patterns of coffee drinking and health outcomes. Our findings suggest that it is not just whether or how much you drink, but also the time of day you drink coffee.

We don’t usually give advice about the time of day in our dietary guidelines, but we may need to consider this in the future.

The study doesn’t tell us why drinking coffee in the morning reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

A possible explanation is that drinking coffee in the afternoon or evening may disrupt circadian rhythms and levels of hormones such as melatonin. This, in turn, leads to changes in cardiovascular risk factors such as inflammation and blood pressure,” Dr. Chi said.

Why is morning coffee “healthier” or why does the time of day you drink coffee matter?

Why would the time of day you drink coffee matter? In the morning, there is usually a significant increase in sympathetic activity as we wake up and get out of bed.

This effect disappears during the day and reaches its lowest level during sleep. It is possible that drinking coffee in the afternoon or evening disrupts the circadian rhythm of sympathetic activity, the authors point out.

Scientists confirm that many people who drink coffee throughout the day suffer from sleep disorders. In this context, it is interesting that coffee suppresses melatonin, an important mediator in the brain that promotes sleep.

Overall, we now have to accept the significant evidence that drinking coffee, especially in the morning, is probably healthier.

So drink coffee, but do it in the morning – scientists advise