THE ESSENTIAL
- In patients with atrial fibrillation, drinking more than five cups of caffeinated coffee per day was associated with better performance in a series of cognitive tests.
- The study showed that these heavy coffee drinkers had a cognitive age 6.7 years younger than those who did not drink coffee.
- Researchers conclude that people with atrial fibrillation can continue to consume coffee.
Atrial fibrillation, also called atrial fibrillation, is characterized by accelerated contractions of the atria of the heart. This is the most common heart rhythm disorder in France. Due to their illness, many patients do not dare to drink coffee. A study published on December 14, 2024 in the journal Journal of the American Heart Association is intended to be reassuring.
Researchers have discovered that black drinking does not pose a problem, quite the contrary. It would, in fact, reduce the risks of cognitive decline in patients.
Coffee and atrial fibrillation: drinking 5 cups a day protects against cognitive decline
To verify the effect of coffee on the hearts of patients with atrial fibrillation, researchers followed more than 2,400 people suffering from the pathology. The patients, recruited between 2014 and 2017, took several cognitive tests. They were also asked to specify the number of cups of coffee they drank over the past 12 months.
Analyzing the results, the team noticed that volunteers who drank more than five cups of coffee per day had better cognitive performance compared to those who avoided this drink. “Specifically, processing speed, visual-motor coordination and attention scores improved significantly by 11% among coffee consumers compared to non-consumers”explain the authors in their press release. In addition, fans of “little cow” had a cognitive age 6.7 years younger than those who did not drink it. Their inflammatory markers were more than 20% lower compared to the others.
“There was a very clear and consistent dose-response relationship between coffee consumption and scores on several sophisticated cognitive tests.”explains Dr. Jürg H. Beer, lead author of the study and professor of medicine and hematology at the University of Zurich. “Inflammatory markers decreased with higher coffee consumption, an association that held after accounting for variables such as age, gender, body mass index, smoking, activity physical and history of stroke.”
Cognitive decline: the protective effect of caffeine?
How would coffee protect the cognitive functions of patients with atrial fibrillation? The researchers note that previous studies suggest that the protective effects of the drink may be attributed to caffeine and other active ingredients found in coffee, including magnesium and vitamin B3. This could also be linked to the anti-inflammatory abilities of roasted seeds.
This study is reassuring for coffee lovers suffering from atrial fibrillation, but the authors remain cautious. “Other studies have shown that coffee has beneficial effects on cognitive functions. However, this does not only apply to the atrial fibrillation population. We cannot conclude that coffee prevents long-term cognitive decline.”warns Dr. José A. Joglar of UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. “Coffee does not appear to make atrial fibrillation worse, so there is no need to stop drinking it. However, we cannot say that starting to drink coffee would prevent atrial fibrillation or prevent long-term cognitive decline. term.”
