The Lastest Buzz on Coffee

If you're sensitive to caffeine, a cup of joe may make your heart jump and jive, but for many people, it's a wake-up essential. In my practice as a cardiologist, I find that people are often a little embarrassed to tell me about their coffee habits, worried that I will try to snatch away this little bit of morning comfort. Now coffee drinkers can take heart. There is some really good news on the horizon about the effects of coffee on our health and well-being.

First off, recent research from both the United States and Finland suggests that coffee drinkers might live a little longer. The therory is that the antioxidants in coffee might help protect the heart arteries against cholesterol build-up. Coffee also may help protect the brain, with several studies suggesting a lower risk for strokes and Parkinson's disease in coffee lovers. There is even evidence that coffee may help protect against diabetes.

Even more surprising is a recent report that coffee quaffers might be less prone to irregular heart rhythms. This sure seems counterintuitive to me, but a report from the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research found that people who drank at least 4 cups of coffee every day were significantly less likely to be hospitalized for heart rhythm problems. Even more surprising was the finding that those who chose decaf did not appear to have this protection.

Now a word from Dr. Sarah: If coffee makes your heart race- don't drink it! Some people are very sensitive to caffeine, and just need to avoid it. Another important caveat is that coffee prepared without a filter (eg boiled coffee or French press coffee) can raise levels of cholesterol, so it's best to limit your coffee to the filtered stuff. And as always, check with your doctor before you make any drastic changes.