Consumption of coffee during the early hours of the day might be more significantly correlated with a reduced risk of mortality when compared to drinking coffee later in the day, according to recent research spearheaded by scientists at Tulane University.
Wang et al. highlight the importance of considering drinking timing in the association between the amounts of coffee intake and health outcomes. Image credit: Sci.News.
“Previous investigations have indicated that coffee consumption does not elevate the risk of cardiovascular ailments, and it appears to mitigate the likelihood of certain chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes,” stated Professor Lu Qi of Tulane University, the principal investigator for this study.
“Considering the physiological effects of caffeine, our objective was to ascertain whether the specific timing of coffee intake influences cardiac health.”
The cohort for this investigation comprised 40,725 adults who participated in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) over the period spanning 1999 to 2018.
As part of the study’s methodology, individuals were queried about all food and beverage items they consumed on at least one occasion, including details on coffee consumption, quantity, and the time of ingestion.
A supplementary group of 1,463 participants was additionally tasked with maintaining a detailed food and beverage log for an entire week.
Approximately 36% of the study participants identified as morning coffee consumers (predominantly drinking coffee before noon), while 16% consumed coffee throughout the day (spanning morning, afternoon, and evening), and 48% reported abstaining from coffee altogether.
In comparison to individuals who did not consume coffee, those who drank coffee in the morning exhibited a 16% lower probability of mortality from all causes and a 31% reduced likelihood of succumbing to cardiovascular disease.
Conversely, no discernible reduction in risk was observed for individuals who consumed coffee throughout the day when contrasted with non-coffee drinkers.
Morning coffee consumers experienced the benefits of diminished risks, irrespective of whether they were moderate consumers (averaging two to three cups) or heavy consumers (exceeding three cups).
Individuals who were light morning coffee drinkers (consuming one cup or less) still benefited from a less pronounced decrease in risk.
“This represents the inaugural study to examine patterns in coffee drinking timing alongside health outcomes,” remarked Professor Qi.
“Our findings suggest that the crucial factor is not solely whether or how much coffee one consumes, but also the temporal aspect of its intake.”
“Dietary recommendations typically do not address timing considerations; however, it may be prudent to incorporate this aspect into future guidelines.”
“Further investigations are requisite to corroborate these findings across diverse populations, and clinical trials are necessary to evaluate the potential effects of modifying the timing of coffee consumption.”
The study was unveiled today in the European Heart Journal.
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Xuan Wang et al. Coffee drinking timing and mortality in US adults. European Heart Journal, published online January 8, 2024; doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehae871
