New research published in the European Heart Journal indicates that people who drink coffee in the morning have a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases and a reduced overall mortality risk when compared to those who consume coffee throughout the day.
Conducted by Dr. Lu Qi, an esteemed professor at the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University in New Orleans, the study explores how the timing of coffee consumption may affect heart health. Dr. Qi remarked, “Previous studies have shown that coffee drinking does not increase cardiovascular disease risk and may actually decrease the likelihood of chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes. Given what we know about caffeine’s effects, we aimed to determine if the time of day coffee is consumed has any relation to heart health.”
The research involved 40,725 adults who participated in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2018. Participants were surveyed about their dietary intake on at least one occasion, which included questions about coffee consumption—how much they drank and when. A subgroup of 1,463 individuals also completed a detailed food and drink diary for an entire week.
The researchers matched this consumption data with death records and the causes of death over a span of nine to ten years.
In the findings, approximately 36% of the subjects were identified as morning coffee drinkers (primarily consuming coffee before noon), while 16% drank coffee continuously throughout the day (morning, afternoon, and evening), and the remaining 48% did not consume coffee at all.
Compared to non-coffee drinkers, those who drank coffee in the morning had a 16% lower likelihood of dying from any cause and a 31% lower likelihood of dying from heart disease. In contrast, no risk reduction was found among those who drank coffee all day when compared to those who abstained.
Morning coffee drinkers enjoyed these health benefits regardless of whether they had moderate consumption (two to three cups) or were heavy drinkers (more than three cups). Those who drank one cup or less in the morning experienced a smaller reduction in risk.
Dr. Qi commented, “This study is the first to examine the timing patterns of coffee consumption and their health outcomes. Our results indicate that it matters not just if one drinks coffee or how much, but also the time of day it is consumed. While dietary advice typically does not cover timing, it may be something we should consider going forward.”
“Although we can’t definitively say why morning coffee reduces the risk of cardiovascular mortality, it is possible that consuming coffee later in the day might disrupt natural circadian rhythms and hormone levels, such as melatonin. This disruption could lead to changes in cardiovascular risk factors, including inflammation and blood pressure.”
“Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings in different populations, along with clinical trials aimed at exploring how varying coffee consumption times might influence health,” he added.
In a related editorial, Professor Thomas F. Lüscher from Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals in London stated: “The study by Wang et al in this issue of the European Heart Journal analyzed coffee consumption timing among 40,725 adults from the NHANES as well as 1,463 adults from additional lifestyle studies.”
“Over a median follow-up period of nearly a decade, after accounting for various factors, the findings indicated that morning coffee drinkers had a significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio of 0.84) and cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio of 0.69) compared to non-coffee drinkers.”
“Why does the timing matter? There is usually a noticeable increase in sympathetic activity in the morning as we wake and get out of bed, which diminishes during the day and reaches its lowest point at night. As the researchers suggest, coffee consumption in the afternoon or evening may disrupt this natural rhythm of sympathetic activity. In fact, many individuals who drink coffee throughout the day report sleep disturbances. Notably, coffee also seems to inhibit melatonin, a crucial hormone for sleep regulation.”
“In summary, we must acknowledge the growing evidence suggesting that drinking coffee, particularly in the morning, is likely beneficial to health. So, enjoy your coffee, but try to have it in the morning!”
