(NewsNation) — A recent study has shown that drinking caffeinated coffee is safe for people living with atrial fibrillation and may help against the recurrence of the condition.
The clinical trial, called the Does Eliminating Coffee Avoid Fibrillation study, examined the effects of drinking coffee in people who have a history of irregular heartbeat. It involved 200 older adults living in the U.S., Canada and Australia who were regular coffee drinkers in the past five years. One-third of the group were women, and the average age was 70.
According to The American Heart Association, atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is a common heart disorder that causes heart palpitations and can lead to heart failure, blood clots and stroke. More than 10 million Americans are living with AFib.
Over six months, participants were put into two groups: those who cut out caffeine, and those who had at least one cup of coffee. Each participant self-reported their coffee intake and doctors used data from everyone using electrocardiograms, or ECGs.
During that period, 111 people, or 56% of participants, had a recurrent episode of irregular heartbeat. People in the coffee drinking group, 47%, had a low recurrence of irregular heartbeat when having one cup a day, compared to 64% of people in the no-coffee group.
Researchers said the study showed that people with A-fib would be ok if they limit how much coffee they have, saying moderation is key.