One cup of coffee a day may cut AFib recurrence by 39%
A new study on atrial fibrillation (AFib) has delivered surprising and encouraging findings: drinking one cup of caffeinated coffee a day may reduce the risk of AFib recurrence by up to 39%. AFib, one of the most common heart rhythm disorders globally, affects more than 37 million people and is strongly influenced by lifestyle and cardiovascular health.
Caffeinated coffee linked to lower AFib recurrence
The study, published in JAMA, followed 200 adults with persistent AFib over six months. Participants were randomly assigned either to consume at least one cup of caffeinated coffee daily or to fully abstain from caffeine.
Researchers found that those who drank one daily cup experienced:
- 39% lower risk of recurrent AFib episodes
- Clear benefits despite long-standing advice to avoid caffeine
- A measurable protective effect supported by randomized trial data
Lead author Dr. Gregory M. Marcus, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, highlighted that this is the first long-term randomized trial examining caffeinated coffee’s effects, offering strong evidence of causation.
Why caffeinated coffee may help protect against AFib
Researchers propose several mechanisms behind this observed protective effect:
- Reduced vagal tone: AFib commonly arises during periods of high vagal activity; caffeine may counterbalance this physiologic state.
- Lower blood pressure: Long-term coffee consumption can have a mild diuretic effect, helping reduce blood pressure, a key AFib trigger.
- Improved electrophysiologic stability: Animal studies show caffeine prolongs atrial electrical recovery time.
- Increased physical activity: Past trials showed coffee drinkers took an average of 1,000 more steps per day, a known factor in lowering AFib recurrence.
- Anti-inflammatory compounds in coffee: Chronic inflammation is strongly linked with AFib development.
Experts call the findings reassuring and clinically relevant
Cardiac electrophysiologists view the results as an important shift from traditional guidance.
Dr. Nikhil Warrier of MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute noted that the findings support current advice that moderate caffeine intake does not increase AFib risk.
He emphasized that AFib management is “heavily impacted by lifestyle,” including:
- Weight management
- Sleep quality
- Exercise
- Alcohol intake
Understanding how habits like coffee intake affect AFib empowers patients to make informed daily decisions.
More research needed on broader caffeine intake
Dr. Renato Apolito of Hackensack Meridian Health highlighted that although this trial offers groundbreaking insight, future studies should explore:
- Higher caffeine doses
- Different caffeinated beverages
- Patients who did not previously drink coffee
- Long-term effects across diverse populations
Despite these limitations, experts agree that the findings are a meaningful step toward refining lifestyle guidance for AFib patients.
