Snippets from a news article. Small study, but it bears some watching for further developments:
"A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown that drinking coffee can have both advantages and disadvantages on health. Cardiologist Gregory Marcus, lead author of the study, says that the overall picture is not simple and that most research on the subject has been observational and therefore limited. The randomised interventional study was conducted on 100 healthy adults in the San Francisco area. Participants used Fitbit devices to track steps and sleep, monitor blood glucose, and electrocardiograms to monitor heart rhythms.
The participants were instructed to drink as much coffee as they wanted for two days and then to abstain for two days, repeating this cycle over a period of two weeks. The result? On the days they drank coffee, the participants averaged 1058 more steps than on the abstention days. However, they also slept 36 minutes less than on the days without coffee. Moreover, coffee also seemed to affect the heart, as coffee consumption was associated with a 50 per cent increase in premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). These beats can cause heart palpitations and can lead to a weakened heart or heart failure.
Although no significant relationship has been found between coffee consumption and premature atrial contractions, which are common early heartbeats, they could be a risk signal for developing a clinically significant heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation. Therefore, coffee consumption could be problematic for those who suffer from annoying PVC-related palpitations or who are at risk of heart failure, for example, due to a family history.
Peter Kistler, head of electrophysiology at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, called the study 'strong', but stressed that it was a short-term study on healthy volunteers. Consuming moderate amounts of coffee does not provide information on the long-term effects of coffee or the impact in people with other health conditions.
Overall, the study shows that coffee consumption may be associated with increased physical activity but also with reduced sleep and an increased risk of premature ventricular contractions. Therefore, people should carefully consider the potential risks and benefits of coffee consumption and talk to a physician before making significant changes to their diet. In any case, "individuals can be reassured that there are certainly no imminent dangerous effects of coffee drinking," said Marcus..."
Not really earth-shaking. In fact, it's more of the same 'maybe, could, might...' speculation that is reported about most any subject dealing with diet the past six decades.
I'm an n of only one, and my recent history with AF hasn't been particularly pleasant. However, I am seven weeks post ablation, off metoprolol nearly two weeks now, and back to experimenting with full-bore coffee and tea. So far, so good.
