"Drink Coffee Before Noon": Study Says Morning Brew May Cut Risk of Stroke or Heart Attack

Americans drink over 400 million cups of coffee each day, with many people consuming up to five cups daily. While excessive intake can lead to side effects like jitters or sleep disturbances, new research reveals that your daily coffee habit if timed right might actually protect your heart.

A recent study published in the European Heart Journal suggests that drinking coffee, particularly in the morning, may significantly reduce your risk of dying from stroke or heart disease. Researchers examined data from nearly 40,000 U.S. adults, none of whom had heart or circulatory conditions at the beginning of the study.

According to the British Heart Foundation, the study found that people who primarily drank coffee in the morning were 31% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease and 16% less likely to die from any cause over an average follow-up period of 10 years, compared to non-coffee drinkers.

However, those who drank coffee throughout the entire day didn’t enjoy the same benefits. Researchers found no significant reduction in mortality risk among all-day coffee drinkers when compared to those who avoided coffee altogether.

The timing, researchers suggested, might be the key. Drinking coffee later in the day could interfere with circadian rhythms—the body’s natural clock which in turn may dull coffee’s health benefits. Disrupted sleep cycles and hormonal changes caused by late-day caffeine consumption could potentially counteract coffee’s positive effects.

Another possible explanation lies in coffee’s anti-inflammatory properties. “Some molecules in the blood that cause inflammation are more active earlier in the day,” researchers noted. That means the same cup of coffee may fight inflammation more effectively in the morning than in the afternoon or evening.

The findings build on existing research linking moderate coffee consumption with reduced risks of certain chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer. But the new study highlights that when you drink coffee may be just as important as how much you drink.

So if you’re looking to reap the potential heart health benefits of your favorite brew, experts now suggest making it a morning ritual and maybe skipping that late-afternoon cup.

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