You may wonder if your daily cup of coffee, or three, affects your heart. The American Heart Association considers caffeine, including that found in coffee, a low-risk substance with no proven link to coronary heart disease. However, if you have a preexisting heart condition, you should limit your caffeine consumption since the AHA found conflicting study results regarding its risks for this group.
Facts
Coffees, teas, soft drinks, chocolates and some nuts contain caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system. Excess caffeine consumption causes restlessness and irritability. It also has a diuretic effect, increasing urination frequency, which taxes the kidneys and can lead to dehydration. Adipose, or fatty tissue, releases free fatty acids when affected by caffeine.
Recommendations
The AHA recommends limiting caffeine to reduce stress on your heart. Moderate consumption of 1 to 2 cups of coffee, or the equivalent, per day appears to offer little to no increase to heart-related risks, if you are healthy. Regular caffeine consumers experience a withdrawal period 12 to 24 hours after their last dose of the stimulant. Symptoms, including anxiety, depression, drowsiness and headache, dissipate within 24 to 48 hours.
Research
At the 2010 AHA 50th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, Dr. Arthur Klatsky of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Oakland, Calif. reported study results that found men and women that consumed 4 or more cups of coffee each day were 18 percent less likely to be hospitalized for heart rhythm disturbances. Jared Reis, Ph.D. of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Md. also presented research findings that indicate young adults showed no increased risk of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, later in life from regular coffee consumption.
Alternatives
The AHA recommends choosing decaffeinated coffees, sodas and teas to cut caffeine from your diet. Water, low-sugar juice and milk also offer healthier alternatives. The AHA recommends limiting total fluid consumption to 8 cups, or 64 oz. per day, if you have experienced fluid retention due to heart failure.
Warning
While the AHA considers moderate caffeine consumption acceptable, excessive caffeine intake raises the risk of atrial fibrillation or heart arrhythmia, particularly if you have congenital heart defects, heart disease, hypertension or diabetes. The AHA also warns patients with high blood pressure to limit caffeine consumption because it increases heart rate and temporarily increases blood pressure. Follow your health care provider's consumption recommendations if you have any conditions that caffeine may exacerbate.
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