A new study offers encouraging news for coffee and tea lovers, suggesting that daily consumption of these popular beverages may have protective effects on heart health. Researchers from China and Sweden, analyzing data from over 300,000 participants in the UK Biobank, have found that regular caffeine intake could reduce the risk of developing multiple cardiometabolic disorders.
These disorders, which include hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and coronary heart disease, pose significant health risks. Notably, having two or more of these conditions simultaneously can more than double the risk of death, according to some estimates.
The study revealed that participants who consumed moderate amounts of caffeine—equivalent to around three cups of coffee or five cups of tea daily—experienced a more than 40% reduction in the relative risk of developing two or more cardiometabolic diseases over time.
“The findings highlight that promoting moderate coffee or caffeine intake as a dietary habit among healthy individuals might have far-reaching benefits for preventing cardiometabolic multimorbidity,” said Xujia Lu, an epidemiologist from Soochow University in China and lead author of the study.
The research builds on previous studies that have linked coffee consumption to improved cardiovascular and neurological health outcomes, with the optimal benefit found in individuals who drink around three and a half cups per day. These new results align with that dosage.
The study examined two groups: one with 172,315 participants who were free of cardiometabolic diseases at the study’s outset, and another with 188,091 participants to investigate the association between coffee or tea consumption and heart health. Participant health was monitored for an average of 11 years.
Across both groups, coffee and tea drinkers exhibited better cardiovascular outcomes compared to non-drinkers, regardless of how many cups they consumed. Those who drank moderate amounts of caffeine, however, had the lowest risk of developing multiple diseases.
In a subset of participants, researchers also examined blood biomarkers. The findings showed a connection between caffeine consumption and signs of lower cholesterol and improved insulin resistance—two key factors in cardiometabolic health.
The study’s sensitivity analysis revealed that consuming three cups of coffee a day was linked to a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes and subsequently coronary heart disease. Additionally, a similar association was found for tea drinkers: five cups of tea a day were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes progressing to coronary heart disease or stroke.
While these findings are promising, the researchers stress that further studies are necessary to confirm the results. Nonetheless, the study suggests that moderate caffeine intake may offer protective cardiovascular benefits, regardless of factors like age, sex, smoking status, physical activity, or diet.
The researchers hope that the metabolites identified in the study will help uncover the biological mechanisms through which caffeine exerts its potential health benefits.
